Since all my roommates have decided they want to move back in with their families, I went to my parents to ask them if I could move back in at the end of my lease. They were okay with it until I told them I was keeping my boa (my ball python is going with my boyfriend, his mom outright REFUSES to even be in the same house as Satin) which set my mom off. She's "not thrilled" with the idea of a pet that's "not really a pet", and my dad's not all that more into the idea than she is. My mom's afraid for the dogs (both are WAY too large to be eaten, but I'm assuming she's afraid my boa will somehow get out and constrict/attack them) and says she feels VERY uncomfortable with the idea of a large snake in the house. I have made it clear on multiple occasions that I will not give up my snakes, and my dad asked me "if we say no to you keeping her here, will that be a deal-breaker? Think about it." which, roughly translated, means "if we tell you you can't have her here, are you going to change your mind and basically cause us to be more disappointed in you than we have been because we think you're making a stupid decision to keep a snake over making a 'smart' choice?" (I'm really not being a "teenage drama-queen", they really are like this... I understand they want what's best for me but my parents and I have NEVER been close, especially my dad and I).

I want to move in with them to save money and make life a little easier for myself but I took on a responsibility when I got my snakes and they're my passion. I feel like asking me to give them up is equivalent to asking me which hand I'd rather cut off. I love them dearly and I don't feel I can part with them. It's an odd situation because I understand that there are people that don't like snakes, but I feel I'm a very responsible owner and they don't even need to see her since she'll never leave my room except to go to the vet's or the equivalent.


And before anyone says it, I offered for them to come and at least meet her once, but they refused flat-out to do that.