I am addicted

So when I bought my first snake I said just 2. Then it went to 4. Now I just got my 1nd and I'm already thinking of the next one. Dont get me wrong I'm happy with what I have, but there's so many cool species!!!!

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Not surprised...you're swimming with a forum full of "snake addicts" and "enablers"! :rofl:

Just keep in mind that they all eat, need proper caging & heat equipment, possible medical care, & they'll all poop & mess up their cages as soon as you clean them. ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Not surprised...you're swimming with a forum full of "snake addicts" and "enablers"! :rofl:

Just keep in mind that they all eat, need proper caging & heat equipment, possible medical care, & they'll all poop & mess up their cages as soon as you clean them. ;)

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I have been making sure to include their feeding costs into my budget, and right now. 6 seems to be the limit.

Only you know your limits.

One thing that is often forgotten is it's very important to have some cash squirreled away for any unexpected vet visits and/or medication.
And in many cases treating one means treating them all.

And I think it's best to take your time. I've seen more than enough people get "hooked" and add a bunch of animals in a short time period. Them burn out.... before you know it there's another "collection sale" on Craigslist...

And don't just go by appearances...enticing though they are, pick snakes that you'll enjoy handling & interacting with as well as watching, & one whose
needs you can reasonably accommodate in your climate (temps. & humidity) as well as your preferred house temperatures*.

*To give an extreme example, a while back someone was longing for a pet BP but kept their room very cold (like 60* was warm to them!?), so this was obviously
a recipe for disaster with a BP...a total mis-match.

Some snakes get bigger than most ppl can deal with, especially without reliable help on hand...not just now, but for the many years to come that you'll have it.
Research activity level too...some snakes are mellow & nice to hold, others never are. You'll be happier if you know & buy what fits you & your life the best.

Don't forget to figure out where all your pets fit into your future plans...

Bogertophis makes good points about thinking ahead too.

I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm 40 and need to consider that the snakes I have now and any I add will be with me into my 60s. I'm not getting any younger, so I've had to consider that when considering larger and more challenging animals. As I get older I tend to favor the slower moving, chill, easy to handle species.

Just more food for thought to piggyback off Bogertophis good points...

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

Bogertophis makes good points about thinking ahead too.

I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm 40 and need to consider that the snakes I have now and any I add will be with me into my 60s. I'm not getting any younger, so I've had to consider that when considering larger and more challenging animals. As I get older I tend to favor the slower moving, chill, easy to handle species.

Just more food for thought to piggyback off Bogertophis good points...

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I'm 40 also, that is why I am limiting myself to 4 large snakes. And at this point I have all males.

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

So when I bought my first snake I said just 2. Then it went to 4. Now I just got my 1nd and I'm already thinking of the next one. Dont get me wrong I'm happy with what I have, but there's so many cool species!!!!

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After a long discussion FROM my wife :)

We agreed I could get one snake ..... I eventually stopped at 24 !!!
( nearly every species covered )

I’m now DOWN to a much more manageable 7 snakes.




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I remember someone posting this pic in a similar thread a little while back. I thought it was hilarious


https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/eIPsUDC.jpg

My two cents.

It sounds like you are being responsible and wise.

I think some people get in too quick and get too many before they really understand the responsibility, size, money involved, lifespans of reptiles, change in circumstances that can occur, etc.

I tell people, if you can commit for life to the reptile, and cannot foresee getting rid of them under reasonable conditions, it's fine. You seem established and aren't young and naive.

However, I also tell people to go as slow as they can. Don't burn out and lose the passion.

Finally, what do I know? I have serious health issues and have 13 reptiles. I have back up plans and back up plans for that in the worst case scenario. They give me a reason to get out of bed, as do my dogs, and a purpose other than work. I have other fun things I do (cars, motorcycles, cigars, etc.), and time I spend with Katie, etc. but the reptiles are a passion, enjoyment, and a responsibility. I am 39 and am at my peak regarding reptiles. I've never had more and I do not plan on adding more.

Honestly, it's been tough lately and some health issue have acted up. Katie has helped where she can, and no one is suffering for it, but I am not spending as much quality time with everyone. I hate that.

There are times, like this, when I question what I am doing and feel so crappy sometimes that I come close to resenting cleaning the cages, etc. Then, Ferry gives me a smile or a lick, or Behira or Feliz boop my nose. Then it's all worth it.

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Originally Posted by dakski

My two cents.

It sounds like you are being responsible and wise.

I think some people get in too quick and get too many before they really understand the responsibility, size, money involved, lifespans of reptiles, change in circumstances that can occur, etc.

I tell people, if you can commit for life to the reptile, and cannot foresee getting rid of them under reasonable conditions, it's fine. You seem established and aren't young and naive.

However, I also tell people to go as slow as they can. Don't burn out and lose the passion.

Finally, what do I know? I have serious health issues and have 13 reptiles. I have back up plans and back up plans for that in the worst case scenario. They give me a reason to get out of bed, as do my dogs, and a purpose other than work. I have other fun things I do (cars, motorcycles, cigars, etc.), and time I spend with Katie, etc. but the reptiles are a passion, enjoyment, and a responsibility. I am 39 and am at my peak regarding reptiles. I've never had more and I do not plan on adding more.

Honestly, it's been tough lately and some health issue have acted up. Katie has helped where she can, and no one is suffering for it, but I am not spending as much quality time with everyone. I hate that.

There are times, like this, when I question what I am doing and feel so crappy sometimes that I come close to resenting cleaning the cages, etc. Then, Ferry gives me a smile or a lick, or Behira or Feliz boop my nose. Then it's all worth it.

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I'm not so sure about responsible and wise. Definitely not the wise part. lol As far as the passion, I have been passionate about reptiles since I was 16. I also waited to get reptiles again until my home situation was resolved. Now I've got some stability, so that is why I decided to go ahead and get back into reptiles. I am doing my best not to get any burmese or Retics, I have always loved those 2 species, but now I just don't have the room. Not to mention that my GF put a size limit of about 10 feet. I am sorry to hear about your medical issues, but having something to do everyday can make all the difference. Trust me I know. It is good that you have your reptiles to help pass the time and to take your mind off all the other issues.

These are the species I am looking at:

Hog island boa
Dumeril Boa
Western Hog Nose
ETB, ATB, or another arboreal species
Kenyan sand boa


Now I have been looking at some of the Hybrid snakes. I am so on the fence on whether or not the hybrids being produced are a good thing or not. I've been thinking about an Angry Ball.

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Originally Posted by Bodie

I remember someone posting this pic in a similar thread a little while back. I thought it was hilarious


https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/eIPsUDC.jpg

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LOL that is a great photo

About that "addiction" to reptiles...for some years in the past I had WAY more than I do now (currently 16 snakes), & I'll be honest, it's more enjoyable (at least
for me) when I have fewer. It's easy to get burned out with too much work & responsibility, no matter how passionate you are about breeding or rescuing, you
can easily end up resenting what you began by loving. Plenty of people have burned out in this...we're all different, for sure, but the priorities in our lives have
a sneaky way of changing on us too, just when you think that everything is "settled".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

About that "addiction" to reptiles...for some years in the past I had WAY more than I do now (currently 16 snakes), & I'll be honest, it's more enjoyable (at least
for me) when I have fewer. It's easy to get burned out with too much work & responsibility, no matter how passionate you are about breeding or rescuing, you
can easily end up resenting what you began by loving. Plenty of people have burned out in this...we're all different, for sure, but the priorities in our lives have
a sneaky way of changing on us too, just when you think that everything is "settled".

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I want to stay under 12 snakes total. 4 large, 6ft plus, and the rest will range in size, but nothing much bigger than 6ft.



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Quote:

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

I'm not so sure about responsible and wise. Definitely not the wise part. lol As far as the passion, I have been passionate about reptiles since I was 16. I also waited to get reptiles again until my home situation was resolved. Now I've got some stability, so that is why I decided to go ahead and get back into reptiles. I am doing my best not to get any burmese or Retics, I have always loved those 2 species, but now I just don't have the room. Not to mention that my GF put a size limit of about 10 feet. I am sorry to hear about your medical issues, but having something to do everyday can make all the difference. Trust me I know. It is good that you have your reptiles to help pass the time and to take your mind off all the other issues.

These are the species I am looking at:

Hog island boa
Dumeril Boa
Western Hog Nose
ETB, ATB, or another arboreal species
Kenyan sand boa


Now I have been looking at some of the Hybrid snakes. I am so on the fence on whether or not the hybrids being produced are a good thing or not. I've been thinking about an Angry Ball.

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LOL that is a great photo

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If you have a size limit of no more than 10ft, you could consider a super dwarf retic, most males stay under 10ft and have the same personality as larger retics

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My girlfriend said no to a retic.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

My girlfriend said no to a retic.

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And besides...the word "most" is something to consider. ;) (as in "most" don't get larger than...) Snakes grow their whole life...granted, they slow down by quite a
bit, but those of us who take really good care of our animals tend to see lifespans on the long side of what is "average".

Remember to compare where you'll be in 20 years to where the snake will be in 20 years...will that size be convenient for you then?

Ye aI told her most wont be larger than 8, but it CAN get to 13. and she said no way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

Ye aI told her most wont be larger than 8, but it CAN get to 13. and she said no way.

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Not my decision but I agree with her....the trouble is that by the time a snake gets really big, you're awfully attached to it, & the growth sneaks up on you- then what?

It's ok, I got my boa and blood python. That's 2 out of 3. :)

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I was able to get 2 of the three snakes I always wanted as s child. I know that nowadays these are not top of the line morphs, but they are what I've wanted since I was a child. Now that I have them I can see about getting some normal phase stuff.

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I think it helps to keep an open mind...some of my best snakes ever were things I didn't think I wanted & came close to turning down. Don't put so much into
the "perfect specimen" (appearance) IMO...that's what posters are for anyway. ;) A snake's personality is not always as expected, no matter how beautiful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I think it helps to keep an open mind...some of my best snakes ever were things I didn't think I wanted & came close to turning down. Don't put so much into
the "perfect specimen" (appearance) IMO...that's what posters are for anyway. ;) A snake's personality is not always as expected, no matter how beautiful.

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I agree. I try to support my local pet shop as much as possible. True I may be able to find something better online, but i really believe in what this shop is trying to do, and i feel like i should support them since they are trying to do this the right way. So since i deal with the pet shop i may not get perfect animals, but i feel good that I'm supporting a local business that puts the animal before the dollar.


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Year 1: 1 ball python
Year 2: 7 ball pythons
Year 3: 24 ball pythons.
Year 4: ball pythons reproduced, lots of eggs hatching, will have 70 or so by summers end.

[emoji50]

It must be some mental disease that inspires people to care for and even breed so many reptiles.
I love it though!

I am going the same route, it seems that after I get one, I cant help but think of the next one lol.

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