Ugh... Moms

[Skittles1101]

OP, I've watched this thread and have seen people saying just get it, or give their experiences regarding it, and also watched people give other good advice. My personal advice is to not get it without her permission. If you show maturity at your age in going about it the right way, it will go a long way. Tricking your parents and hiding an animal in your closet is not a sign of responsibility and maturity. If you do extensive research, learn everything you can, take responsibility and maybe even ask your dad to help sway her. If he's okay with it, and you show your passion in a positive manner, with your dads approval she may agree. Last thing you want to do is risk your parents trust at such a young age. And ball pythons don't belong trapped in a dark closet for any amount of time either.

[Kittycatpenut]

Mainbutter, you have the coolest mom ever. Mine would never do something like that. She hardly ever even let's me get animal books because she thinks they're not fun. She doesn't get that what she considers fun is not what I consider fun. I've done alot of reaserch on ball pythons and other snakes. The thing about my mom is that she is in charge of the family. She wants something, she gets it regardless if we can afford it or if any one else will use it. She doesn't want us to get something there is not much we can do about it. She made my sister wait 5 months to get an album that she was paying for.

[AliCat37]

Lol we weren't allowed to have pets in college, but one day a friend from down my hall in the dorms walked into our room with her corn snake. Next week: Roommate and I had two little corns of our own. I didn't tell my mom until she told me to "get a real pet" and then I told her I already did and sent her a pic. She loved him. Eventually we ended up having four snakes in the room and our RA didn't care, almost everyone in our hall had pets (can you tell we were the zoology hall?). She said as long as they didn't smell or make noise she didn't know. Now that I am at a different school I live with my parents again, and they are very tolerant of my critters. It took me almost 8 months of convincing for them to let me get my lizard, so I guess my advise to you is be patient, do lots of research and discuss how the cages will be kept and that nothing can get out etc. She knows you're caring for your geckos, and since snakes are even easier you'll be fine. I wouldn't get a kingsnake though, I saw that was one that you were thinking of. I got one of them and all they do is think you're food. Mine never bit me in an aggressive way, but literally tried to eat me. She even constricted my arm once to the point it turned blue before my mom could help get her off of me! Go with a corn or a ball. I've got both and they're wonderful

[AliCat37]

my parents have always objected to my owning reptiles. When I was in my 20s and had my first ball python (granted, she was a 6 footer) my mom "ORDERED" me to get rid of her before I had kids, because she felt the snake would be a danger to my children. FFS, the snake was in a 30 gallon aquarium with a velcro reinforced top... she was no threat... I finally sold that snake not because of mom, but because of lack of wherewithal to provide food for her

20 years later, I have a yearling ball python that I really enjoy. I have a son in a unique situation where he will be providing me with several wild caught western hognose snakes within the next week. If he is not able to transport them from the area, they will be killed. I live in a similar enough area geographically that if I decide my desire to keep hognoses is a 'bad idea', I can go out back and turn them loose and they'll be ok

at 46+ years old, I really don't care about my parents warnings that are because of their misinformed terror of snakes. However, my hubby (48 years old) isn't going to be happy with me when the hognoses show up... I haven't gathered the cohonas to tell him about that yet LOL

I love hogs. I can't wait to have a place of my own so I can get one. I fell in love with them while working at the zoo here, I'm sure you will love them!

[Taylordan4th]

OP, I've watched this thread and have seen people saying just get it, or give their experiences regarding it, and also watched people give other good advice. My personal advice is to not get it without her permission. If you show maturity at your age in going about it the right way, it will go a long way. Tricking your parents and hiding an animal in your closet is not a sign of responsibility and maturity. If you do extensive research, learn everything you can, take responsibility and maybe even ask your dad to help sway her. If he's okay with it, and you show your passion in a positive manner, with your dads approval she may agree. Last thing you want to do is risk your parents trust at such a young age. And ball pythons don't belong trapped in a dark closet for any amount of time either.

LGray is right, maturity will go a long way.

[Kittycatpenut]

I'll try to get my parents to realize how much I want a pet snake. Maybe they will let me get one for Christmas. Also, I heard that for king snakes temperament depends on species. The snake I want most would be a ball python, because I want a snake that can stay still. As for biting, I don't really care, I've been bitten by a adult western yellow bellied racer and baby diamondback water snakes. The worst part about snakes biting is wondering about how much it hurts. I'd say being scratched accidentally by my cat is more painful.

[mechnut450]

The worst part about snakes biting is wondering about how much it hurts. I'd say being scratched accidentally by my cat is more painful.

I say this so much when people aske me they think i am lying until they get bit lol..

[Kittycatpenut]

I'd understand being afraid of a Burmese or anaconda, but corn snakes and ball pythons, really. They bite most when they are babies, and when they are only a foot long they can't even bruise. Silly people

[weird_science04]

My mother was the same way. It wasn't just pythons or boa's, my mom wouldn't let me have ANY snake even garter snakes. I will never forget the day I brought home my catch of the day and put it into an old mayo jar (with holes in the lid of course). My mother wouldn't even let me have it outside let alone inside. I was forced to release it in the stream immediately.

When it comes to parents, you have to do what they tell you to do. I also wanted to dye my hair and my mother wouldn't let me dye my hair. She said, "You will never dye it living under my roof." The day I moved out, I dyed my hair black and it has been black ever since (moved out in 1997). When I started getting snakes my mother would complain about it but there wasn't anything she could do as I had my own house.

Sometimes, your only option is waiting until you are no longer a dependent living at home.

Star

[ODoyle90]

My mom will never be completely on board, but in her mind she knows I will get ahold of one somehow, and my dad knows I want a pet snake and doesn't mind. He doesn't like reptiles, but I think after having the geckos for a while, he's starting to. When I go to college, I will not be staying in a dorm, but in my house, and I will always be it's caretaker. For food I already have pinkies in the freezer and mealworms(for the geckos) in the refridgerator, basically as long as she can't see them she doesn't care.

Very true about the feeders in the freezer. I put duct tape around the box. Out of sight, out of mind. haha