Ever went too much, too fast?

[Snagrio]

Due to my financial and living situation I haven't fallen into this, but I know if I was in a better spot I'd probably get carried away. I have but a ball python now (in terms of snakes), but then I look at my head-in-the-clouds list and it's an ever expanding myriad of a menagerie. Other BP morphs, sand boa, kingsnake, rainbow boa, corn snake, blue beauty rat snake, viper boa, milk snake, a rescue snake of any kind (within reasonable size), and who knows what else.

I technically have been overladen before when I was younger, but it was more due to outer circumstances (friends would give me their animals, some animals reproduced and so on). Regardless I like to think I have a bit of smarts in that area, but I do worry once I reach a position in life where I can do what I want and potentially "go mad with power" so to speak. Has this happened to others here?

[KMG]

I think it certainly happens to some. Not even so just in buying many snakes but simply a snake. Plenty buy before researching and then realize to do it right they really can't afford it.

As for my collection I feel in control and consider myself done.... For the moment.

[Erie_herps]

A little right now. After re-evaluating my collection I think I'm going to cut down on buying geckos (the every other day maintenance and expense) and shift my energy more towards snakes (since they don't need quite as much maintenance). I recently bought my first dart frogs and with how easy and cheap it is to get FFF I might get more of those (lower maintenance and feeding expense).

[Hugsplox]

Plenty buy before researching and then realize to do it right they really can't afford it.

^

I have by comparison to many keepers here a small collection. I have the funds and room to bring in a lot of enclosures and a lot of animals. What keeps me from doing this is the level of care I feel I could provide to a large number of animals, and also that I won't have any help with them. Right now my daily care routine is easily manageable and it feels like a hobby versus feeling like a second job.

The other thing I like to think about long term, is having these animals when I'm in my 60s+. I'm 32, so anything I get now realistically I'm gonna have when I get older and you never know, you may not be physically able to keep up with the requirements. Plenty of folks on here that keep huge collections and are happy with it and take great care of their animals. For me though I know the standard of care that I like to keep and don't bring a ton of other animals in because I have concerns that that standard might fall.

[nikkubus]

I don't think I've ever gotten "too many" too quickly, but my second ever snake purchase was not well planned and a terrible idea at the time. I was 17, with the most basic level of experience with a BP and some geckos, and a coworker had suggested I get a burm because they don't have the feeding issues BPs have. Dumbest thing I ever did regarding pets was listening to him and not doing some research. Oh did she eat! He was not lying about that.

[Bogertophis]

I don't think I've ever gotten "too many" too quickly, but my second ever snake purchase was not well planned and a terrible idea at the time. I was 17, with the most basic level of experience with a BP and some geckos, and a coworker had suggested I get a burm because they don't have the feeding issues BPs have. Dumbest thing I ever did regarding pets was listening to him and not doing some research. Oh did she eat! He was not lying about that.

You crack me up! And so right- there's more than one way to make a mistake in the pets one acquires.

[TofuTofuTofu]

There are a small handful of snake species I would love to keep. But... I like my pets to have the most room possible and as much enrichment as they want. I also love being able to socialize and train animals, which takes time and long-term dedication.

It sounds kind of mean, but I do find myself thinking about what pets I would get after my current pets die. But this is because I know my own limits and I know that I could not deal with additional animals. Like hugsplox, I am also post-30 and am trying to plan ahead for my body falling apart. Snakes are great because their daily care takes very minimal time. By contrast, I probably have to spend a good 15-30 minutes taking care of my iguana every day at a minimum (not to mention he eats $5 worth or more of greens every day). But, despite the fact that snakes are easy to care for, this doesn't mean I'm going to get a bunch of them. I know not everyone views it like that, but I'd rather direct my impact on giving like three pets a really good life instead of getting like 10 and not interacting with them much.

Also, just knowing my own personality, I would feel extremely guilty having to rehome anything. But at the same time, I research so hard when I am interested in a particular animal, that this would prevent me from getting something I cannot handle. (That being said, adopting an adult green iguana is a pretty big leap into keeping reptiles. But I researched a ton, and I don't regret it.)

So to answer your question, no, lol. But I can easily see how some people would end up having more animals than they should ("should" = welfare not up to a standard where the animal has an enriching life). I love entertaining possibilities of animals I can include in my life, but I'm super cautious. I can't imagine not having any pets, but I much rather prefer just a couple of them who I can share my life with long-term and socialize/interact with more frequently.

[PiesThatBind]

This occurred with me to a degree in my late 20’s. And I’ve witnessed a number of friends get in WAY OVER their heads with quantity of animals, dangerous retics not being handled - 911 was even called in a very bad attack. Things changed for me once I built my first nice house.


With more room than we knew what do with you’d think I’d double down on getting more animals, right! But ironically, that’s when the penny-dropped for me and I drastically reduced my collection and valued focusing on a few select animals and providing them daily handling and a true first-class habitat that was congruent with the finishes and modernist design of our home.


Let’s be honest, you can only handle so many reptiles a day when you have dual-career household, kids and a demanding job. I believe we found a solution where the animals and caretakers are happy, properly nurtured and flourishing. Less is more for 99% of people.

[Snagrio]

I think the thing for me is, my experience with my one BP has revealed just how easy (relatively) they are maintenance-wise compared to other animals in my care (like a parrot for example). In fact he's the lowest maintenance of the critters in my care by quite a margin. So it feels like it's way easier to get carried away with amassing too many snakes if I was in a position to do so compared to other things.

Of course, I'm more than aware that other species are more complicated than BPs (like rainbow boas), and that to be in a position where I could afford more would mean I have less time to devote as a trade-off since, you know, work to have that money. But it's just an observation as to why I have this mindset is all.