Have you ever felt like calling it quits?

[Mettle]

Has anyone ever felt like calling it quits with regards to part of the reptile hobby (like regarding a certain type of animal, a sub-community within the larger community, such as ball pythons) or perhaps altogether, simply because of the people that are involved and that you have to deal with?

Recently, I've been contemplating severely cutting back parts of my collection because of the calibre of some of those I find I have to deal with. (Not ball pyhtons, I only have one of those, haha.)

It sucks that others can put such a damper on one's enjoyment of the hobby. But yeah... I don't know. Just thinking out loud I guess and was wondering what other people had with regards to experience in this type of thing.

[Muze]

I have to tell you that sometimes I am very disappointed in some of the folks involved in the herp community in general. Some just don't seem to have any regard for the animals, customers, etc.

However, the great people that I have come across more than make up for the negatives. And, if more good guys/gals drop out of the herp community, then what will be left? I think we all need to stick together to strengthen the positive side of the reptile hobby/business world.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Yes I have, while I really enjoy what I do there is part of this hobby/industry that I also despise.

What I know is that it comes and goes and while it sometimes crosses my my mind, I know that my love for what I do is stronger than the other things that make me wants to give it up at times.

[LadyOhh]

With any hobby, there will always be great people, and those that like to stir the pot.

It is always up to you to take what those people say and do, and use it or ignore it to your benefit.

Now if you let those "stir the pot" people get to you, of course its will make it more difficult to enjoy the hobby in itself.

Remember this:

It's not about the other people, its about how you enjoy your hobby. The great people are just a HUGE plus!

This is one of the reasons why some people in the hobby aren't on the internet. It allows for "know-it-alls", "Pains in the butt", and "Jerks" to invade what should be a fun and enjoyable thing for them.

I'm sure everyone here has had a few of those, but... its how you let them affect you that will help/hurt your feelings for the hobby.

Enjoy it how you will.

If you need to take a step back away from the computer screen, phone, or whatever and just enjoy your animals to remind you of why you are doing what you are doing, please, feel free!!!

It feels great

[Mettle]

Thanks for those wise words, Heather.

Sometimes I feel like it's all a bit too "high school" for me...

...but then I look in on eggs and find something like this and it reminds me why I am involved in the hobby.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

I got out of dogs because of all the nasty, horrible people!

I still adore dogs, and I'll get back to it. For every piece of crap I met, there's just as many WONDERFUL people who actually LOVE their dogs and aren't hateful and stuck up.

Keep at what you love... but if you need a break, that's okay, too! I'm enjoyning a break of a few years or so from serious dog stuff. I may never go back to it to the same level, now that I am deeply involved with the snakes. We'll see.

At any rate, I can understand!

[gp_dragsandballs]

Theres always someone to ruin it for everyone else. Don't let them bring you down. The animals are worth dealing with dumb people.

[wolfy-hound]

No, actually I have never let others ruin the hobby for me. I have thought about giving it all up, because of set-backs that have happened. I feel as if nothing will ever go right for me, and I might as well give up.

The idiots in the reptile hobby don't bother me too much, even when they make me mad, I never thought of giving up MY animals and MY love of the hobby. I never felt like i had to associate with any of them though. I can turn my back on them and deal with the best peoples.

[Wh00h0069]

Yes, I am actually in the process of selling my ball python collection to focus on other species. All of my ball pythons eat live rats, and I really want to stop breeding rats. There are also no rat breeders close enough to me, so buying them is out of the question. I hate to sell my ball collection, but I think that I will be able to enjoy the hobby more if I have all snakes that eat f/t rodents. I am planning on working with boa morphs, locality dwarf boas, black-headed pythons, and Angolan pythons. I am also starting to research other species too; such as, hognose snakes.

[Ben Biscy]

i have a 100+ lb burm who eats only rats. i have several people who refuse to sell to me anymore, because i buy all of their rodents.

politics can make hobbies less enjoyable, but you have to make the best of what you have, and work with it. giving up is not as rewarding as pulling through.

i'll have my animals until death do us part, or until i feel i'm incapable of caring for them properly. better or worse