How do I keep my snakes?

I have 5 Balls, and im holding a king for a friend.. I also have a beardie adult female. Now my grandpa hates them and says I have to get rid of them because HE doesnt like them. My mom deals and doesnt care that I have them anymore,Even my little cousins play with them when I'm around. I live in my grandparents house. This first floor aprt is my grandparents..the second is ours and the third is my aunts.All the reptiles are kept in my room and never hut anyone (except me one time on feeding day) but he doesnt know about that. Is there anyway someone has convinced an old timer that they are not harmful? I mean..i guess he is still with his gen, and thinks snakes are these really bad evil creatures. ..Sorry im ranting and i sound like im going no where with this post..but what do i do?.. I love my babies..I wont know what to do if they leave..they are all i have left..

well we cant change his mind, maybe he scared of snakes?, best of luck to u

Sorry to hear about your mom

Are your grandparents/aunt paying for your housing?

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Originally Posted by 2kdime

Sorry to hear about your mom

Are your grandparents/aunt paying for your housing?

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Its my grandpa's house. We rent the second floor

I'm just curious if there's any legal way to keep them...

Are you under some contract or anything? Or just a family type deal?

Well your mom needs to be the one to step in for you.

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Originally Posted by 2kdime

I'm just curious if there's any legal way to keep them...

Are you under some contract or anything? Or just a family type deal?

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Its just like..family deal lol she pays..ehh..500 a month? or something like that..not that that matters..but..idk what to do anymore ):

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Originally Posted by llovelace

Well your mom needs to be the one to step in for you.

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What do you mean? How?

His house, his rules I would say. I have been in the same boat before when I lived in my grandparents old house (they lived across town in a new house) I just grinned and bared it until I got my own house.

I do not think it is so much an old timers frame of mind, snakes are controversial subjects and I often feel their is not a lot of indifference. You either love em or hate em. Llovelace is correct in that it would have to be your Mom doing the convincing because you will probably just grow ill feelings between each other and disappointment in each others eyes.

If your mom supports you then that is your best bet. She could maybe smooth it all out. As for legally, I have no idea of NJ laws. Some places, if it is not in a contract then tough. But it is family you are talking about, not a landlord.

Do what i did when i started out, sit down and talk with the people you live with. Assure them that they are going to be well looked after, well secured in their enclosures, make sure they know thay YOU are the one looking after them. show them the enclosures that they are secure and well locked up with no chance of escape. keep your room locked at all times. Buy a good book on ball pythons and let them read it aswell as yourself.
Rather than stocking up a freezer with rats, maybe you could go to the local pet store or breeder and buy the rats weekly.. hope this helps.. it heklped me when i started out.

I think education is the first step. Do your best to educate your mom and your grandpa. Maybe with books and online articles (positive ones of course) and then maybe introduce him to one of your animals.

Most people don't like them because they think they are something else. They think you have a "poisonous" snake that will grow to be 20ft long.

I think a lot of people don't like snakes right now because of all the florida stuff and the little girl dying.

Obviously at some point there wasn't a problem with you having the snakes or else they wouldn't have been there in the first place.

My grandparents are the same way: They HATE all of my snakes, and they tell me when the snakes get larger they will strangle me and if I sleep with them they will strangle me when I'm asleep.

I can't convince them to respect snakes, not one bit. They want nothing to do with snakes, and they don't even want to come in my room even though my snakes are in cages and cannot escape. Since they live at their own place, I won't worry about telling them that snakes aren't evil because I don't live with them so they can't say anything or make me get rid of them.

Now, the best way I think you should do this would be to tell him interesting facts. But first, get him to listen, and if he ignores tell him that you are serious and you WANT him to listen. Tell him the positive side of snakes. This helps over power the negative things they have heard, so that is why they think snakes are evil and mean and all they want to do is kill people. Tell him why snakes are good to have around, and when you are explaining to him, have one of your nicest snakes in hand with you so he sees that all snakes aren't bad. I helped a 8 y/o become not scared of snakes by having her look at and handle my nicest snake, which you know is Candice. Good luck with this, and hope you are able to convince him that snakes aren't all mean.

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Originally Posted by xXxFluffyEmoxXx

What do you mean? How?

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If your Mom is renting, then it's y'alls place, I know it's in the same building as grandparents, (Is it a brownstone type building?).

My Mom is a die hard "bible thumper", my snakes are evil she says, & I need to get rid of them and go to church more, lol go figure.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

If your Mom is renting, then it's y'alls place, I know it's in the same building as grandparents, (Is it a brownstone type building?).

My Mom is a die hard "bible thumper", my snakes are evil she says, & I need to get rid of them and go to church more, lol go figure.

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exactly. if theyre PAYING rent. Theyre PAYING to own their part of the house for x amount of time. I wouldnt listen to your grandpa and tell your mom to tell him whats up. You/Your mom pay, he doesnt have anything to do with it.

i would leave if i had your mom :banana:

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Originally Posted by I<3Dreamsicles

exactly. if theyre PAYING rent. Theyre PAYING to own their part of the house for x amount of time. I wouldnt listen to your grandpa and tell your mom to tell him whats up. You/Your mom pay, he doesnt have anything to do with it.

i would leave if i had your mom :banana:

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lol, I haven't lived with my mom in many many many moons, I think she is still freaked over the black racer that got out when were kids. it wound up in the shower, while she was in there. She let us have our pets as kids, never denied us that.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

"poisonous" snake that will grow to be 20ft long.

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we'd be screwed lol

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Originally Posted by llovelace

lol, I haven't lived with my mom in many many many moons, I think she is still freaked over the black racer that got out when were kids. it wound up in the shower, while she was in there. She let us have our pets as kids, never denied us that.

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hahah. My mom isnt religious but she doesnt let me have pets. I guess its almost opposite... lol. doesnt matter im gettin a normal female this sunday :gj:

It's his house... even if your mom pays some rent, it depends on whether your mom will risk family discord, or losing the home you live in, in order for you to own snakes.

You should talk to your mom, and see what can be done. Sometimes the out-of-sight-out-of-mind works. If he doesn't see/hear/smell snakes, he may just sort of let it slide. Keep them up in their cages, in your room, and hope for the best. It's part of living with parents/family, that sometimes things don't go your way.

Good luck.

I'd say have a talk with your mom first. See how she's feels on this subject. Then have a sit down with your mom and your grandparent and see what exactly the objection is and how you can work it out so everyone is happier. It'll be a good exercise for you in some valuable life skills and how to get along with people when they don't agree with you.

You might also remind your grandparent that if you are at home caring for your snakes, learning about your snakes and being online here talking with other snake owners you aren't out on the streets doing bad stuff or online at sites that some teenagers tend to want to be on too much that aren't really good for them.

Perhaps your grandfather is concerned you will keep adding more snakes. Or that they may escape. Or that they pose a health risk. Talking calmly and respectfully with him and your mom may help you address those concerns and come to an agreement. Remember respect. Even if you disagree strongly with him he is your grandfather and will not likely respond well to a smart mouth attitude (not saying you'd have one but it's easy to get overly emotional about things).

Be prepared ahead on how you want to address his concerns. If he asks something you aren't sure of, don't fake it - just respond acknowleding his point and that you will go and find the answer and come back to him with it. That sort of responsible, mature attitude is always a winner with us older folks. :)

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Originally Posted by llovelace

If your Mom is renting, then it's y'alls place, I know it's in the same building as grandparents, (Is it a brownstone type building?).

My Mom is a die hard "bible thumper", my snakes are evil she says, & I need to get rid of them and go to church more, lol go figure.

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lmfao..i have to say we are in the same boat as my mom is a bible addict..i think she like..rips the papers out of that book and smokes it lol..she doesnt have a real prob with them because when i was smaller and my pops was still around, we had a burm. It died of a tumor though. Anyway, thats why she doesnt mind.and she is in love with the dragon aswell..so it kind of evens things out. no..its not a brownstone kind og thing lol..its a regular house..just floors but off from eachother..each has their own kitchen bathrooms bedrooms (yes its a pretty large house lol )

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Originally Posted by matt71915

we'd be screwed lol

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lmfao lol ( i say this because im cool with him and mods please dont do anything to me..i didnt curse lol )

Well once I get some kind of rack system going on here I can take Blaze back..plus you said you would give me Medusa for the 360..so that's 2 snakes out of there..I'm sure your grandpa will let it go..and I am definitely one to vote on your should get a lock for your door..a strong one..lol

No pet is worth hard feelings between you and your family in my opinion. I would not go the rout of telling him "I pay rent, so stuff it". Next step for him would be a contract that you have to sign that says "no snakes" just for you to continue to live there.

Either out of sight out of mind, or talk to your mom and get her to smooth it all out with your grandfather. You could try to educate them, but with snakes it is a fobia most of the time and education can not change a lifetime of built up fear or hatred for a snake in most people, especially the older they are. Sometimes it does work, but that just depends on how hard headed they are.

To this day my mom thinks I have one little snake and it scares the crap out of her. If she knew how many I had she would try to come get my kids out of my house for their own safety I bet. Even though I would never let that happen, it would just bring about bad feelings, so I just do not say anything about them.