How Old Is Too Old

Ok, here's the thing. I spent a full career in the military where owning an animal just wouldn't have been fair due to my travel schedule and how often I changed duty stations. I've got all that behind me now, and have my new BP safe and secure in his enclosure as I type this. Now after years of wanting a BP I finally have one, and, here's the kicker, would like to add two or more over the nex couple of years as my experience level grows.

But,

I'm about to turn 43 years old, and we're dealing with animals that could live for 20 years or more with proper husbandry...now, I'm just an old country boy, but that math ain't hard to do. I'll possibly be 63 or older before Bacchus goes to chase rats in the sky. Each BP I add in the following years will extend out that time line. I have no problem with the idea of keeping snakes into my 70's, but What if I don't live that long? What happens to my little guys? Can I put snakes in my will? :P

So, my question for the forum is, how old is too old to keep adding BP's to my collection. Has anyone else thought about this stuff, or am I just the old weird guy?

I'm 42...and still waiting for my hubby to retire from the military before I can start seriously adding snakes to my collection. (Likely retirement could be anywhere 5-10 years from now, depending on how his career continues) Needless to say, I won't be starting any serious collecting until well into "middle age." And I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all.

It doesn't hurt, though, to make plans for a day when you can no longer reasonably take care of your snake....whether that is due to old age (we should all be so lucky!) or to some other life-changing event before that.

I don't see anything wrong with putting a paragraph in your will about your snakes (and all pets) and saying what you would like to have happen to them. Make sure that you choose someone to care for them or find them new homes that doesn't have a problem handling snakes or other animals, though. Also, getting to know folks in the herping community....through Internet sites like this, or through local herping clubs....and when the time comes, you'll be able to find good homes for your animals.

In the meantime....enjoy! Life's too unpredictable to let old-age worries deter us from fulfilling our dreams now!

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Originally Posted by JLC

In the meantime....enjoy! Life's too unpredictable to let old-age worries deter us from fulfilling our dreams now!

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True that! :partyon:

I am 41 and plan on adding more snakes to my home into my 50's. I had snakes from 5yrs-22yrs old. In my 20s I found snakes do not attract as many girls as a puppy, and I was involved in many sports. I no longer had the time to properly care for snakes. If I were to break up with my current GF my collection might limit the women I could date. Having been bit by more women than snakes the snakes are here to stay.

Go for it. Be responsible and as you near 70 start looking for places or people to will the snake to. In the meantime enjoy your life, and if that includes snakes go for it.

I was 52 when I got my first snake. My grandson is 14 now and is as fond of reptiles as I am. He will be inheriting and rehoming only if necessary. That is my contingency plan.

I'm 21 years old, and all my pets will go to my girl if anything were to happen to me. She knows how to take care of any animal on the planet, and loves to do it to boot!

Luckily for me, the likeliest thing to worry about is a car crash, so if I'm not too unlucky I should have many years ahead of me.

Once I hit 40, I'm going to give more serious thought to what will happen to my animals.

Reptiles don't get attached, you can always find someone to take your snake. In my opinion, you can never be too old to get more snakes, just find someone responsible that can have your snakes when you pass on. :)

I'm 49 and want to get one more boa for my 50th birthday! My son, who is working hard to get into Univ of Montana to major in Wildlife Biology, will care for my snakes when I no longer can.

I think it is smart, and our responsibility, to consider these things :)

Ur never too old man. But i have a bone o pick with you. You say you got yourself a little scaly addition to the family but......WHERES THE PICS. lol. you gotta get some pictures up on here so we can all enjoy the little one. :D

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Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

Having been bit by more women than snakes the snakes are here to stay.

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aint that the truth my snakes are much less nippy

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Originally Posted by sg1trogdor

you gotta get some pictures up on here so we can all enjoy the little one. :D

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I figured out how to get them on my page in the Fourm Gallery...pretty intuitive. I still haven't tried to imbed one in a post...I'm not the most computer savy bubba around:P

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Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

Having been bit by more women than snakes the snakes are here to stay.

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Brother, that's the dang truth!!! My current GF is very cool about Bacchus, and truth be told, I think she spends more time handling him than I do....I do the husbandry and she gets to play with the little guy!

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Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

Having been bit by more women than snakes the snakes are here to stay.

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Hey now~ Not all women bite. I don't :)

Makes me wonder where you've been findin' your women?




In all seriousness though, I am only 24 and I have thought about what will happen to my snakes, and other reptiles.

My husband doesn't share the same passion for reptiles as I do. However he knows how to care for them, and he knows most importantly about ball-pythons.net.

I know that if something were to happen to me, this would be the first place he would come to, to get info, or to rehome.

Now if something were to happen to both of us. We have lots of family that would be willing to step in and help out.

What a good thread. I'm 45 and just got my bp in august. I plan on keeping snakes into my 70s and beyond! That said my husband who is terrified of snakes knows about this forum and a friend who would take care of my snakes in an emergency.

You are never too old for snakes! I think they are great to have when older. You don't need to walk them everyday, feeding only once a week, watering daily and cleaning once a month.

We plan on traveling when we retire. That is one reason why I got into them. You can leave them easily.

I'm 52, my oldest snake is 8 yrs. I figure when I can no longer care for them that I will have a new home for them. Right now all snakes would go to my son and grandkids who have had snakes for years and love every one of them. While my son was in the military the snakes all stayed with "grandma" me. Over the years you'll come to know people you can trust with them. I'm still adding new snakes.:)

Lol...I posted a very similar question a while back. I'm 34, but I plan to continue to add to my collection for years to come. But I had the same worries that you have. My dogs are in my will and have assigned caretakers, etc., but I had no provision for my snakes (I have 16 & counting), or my trio of Beardies. Luckily, I have found 2 couples that own a reptile store that take wonderful care of their animals at home, and at the store, along with a few breeders that I would trust my collection to. I will have to update as the years go by, I'm sure, but at least I have somewhat of a plan.

But I do not plan to slow down my purchases of BPs anywhere in the near (or far) future.

Ivy