Ugh... Moms

[Kittycatpenut]

I just put the mice at the very bottom under some frozen something or other. My mom hardly ever looks in it; my dad does all of the cooking.

[Egapal]

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.

The thing about your mom is that she is the adult and unfortunately she gets to make the rules. I know it feels like forever but if you put your mind to it you will be out on your own in no time. Be honest with your mom and show her that you are mature enough to have the snake. If you get the snake behind her back you only prove that you are not mature enough to have it.

[Raptor]

Heh. My mom complained about the frozen mice in the fridge after I commented that I had brought them over from the other house. I told her to get me a mini fridge if she didn't want them in the freezer. Not another word was said.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

When I was growing up, there was no way I could ever have brought a reptile, amphibian, or cat inside my house. My mom would have killed me. We had a poodle and a cockatiel. My cat was an outside cat and my mom was deathly afraid if it. She had irrational fears of many animals even though she grew up on a farm.

I caught snakes in the yard and would keep them for weeks at a time in a tank outside but never for long.

I didn't get my first snake until I moved out. Honestly, I would try to get the approval if your mom before getting a snake. Please try to talk to her about it. Find some pages about BPs where the opening paragraph states how BPs are docile snakes that make great first snakes for anyone. Tell her fun facts about how Cleopatra wore baby BPs on her wrists and neck (because babies wrap and hang on like jewelry) and this is where the name Royal python comes from. How babies ball up and hide their heads when frightened and this is where the name ball python came from.. Etc etc..

Don't limit it to just care facts, tell her all about them. Show her pics of cute babies sticking their heads out of eggs.

Just work on it. You'll get her to say maybe. That's all you need

[Kittycatpenut]

Yeah, I'll try to convince her to get me one. My dad said that if I make strait A's I can get one, and the school year hasn't started yet, so I have enough time to pursuade her. Great idea for the mice, Raptor. Also, my mom isn't afraid of snakes, she just doesn't like them.

[CoolioTiffany]

Totally understand how you feel.

What I did to convince my mom to get me my first Ball python was researching about them to give her facts. She originally thought they were mean because my oldest sister had a large male that wasn't very friendly. After once-a-week trips to Petsmart to show her the Ball I wanted and how friendly she was, she finally bought it after the 3rd week LOL. Every time we walked in there I would handle the Ball to show her how gentle she was.

That's my best advice.. But also would like to say that you should purchase your first snake from someone other than a pet store. Online/local breeders work well, or even visiting the next local reptile expo will work too.

[Kittycatpenut]

I don't think my mom thinks they are mean, she just doesn't know much about them. She hardly ever goes to pet stores because my dad does pet/grocery shopping, but I'll try to get her to go so she can hold a ball python. There is one petsmart where I've handled both of their BP's and they were both friendly, and their caretaker actually knows what she's doing. I wouldn't buy from a pet store, but there aren't any breeders anywhere nearby, and the nearest herp show is a hour away. Also, the ball pythons at the petsmart have been there for at least two months and seem healthy.

[CoolioTiffany]

I don't think my mom thinks they are mean, she just doesn't know much about them. She hardly ever goes to pet stores because my dad does pet/grocery shopping, but I'll try to get her to go so she can hold a ball python. There is one petsmart where I've handled both of their BP's and they were both friendly, and their caretaker actually knows what she's doing. I wouldn't buy from a pet store, but there aren't any breeders anywhere nearby, and the nearest herp show is a hour away. Also, the ball pythons at the petsmart have been there for at least two months and seem healthy.

Purchasing from a pet store isn't necessarily bad, but many pet stores seem to not fully care for their reptiles. I find it awesome that your pet store seems to be taking good care of the Balls. I'd definitely get the approval from your mom first that it's OK to get a Ball, then try searching around online for some local breeders. You may even live close to a few breeders on this forum.

[Kittycatpenut]

The lady who cares for the reptiles there has her own. I can't remember what kinds of reptiles she has but I think she has at least five of them including a ball python. As for breeders, I live in the middle of nowhere so there probably aren't any, but I'll look. I don't really want to order a snake online because of the heat wave; it's been over 100 for two weeks.

[CoolioTiffany]

The lady who cares for the reptiles there has her own. I can't remember what kinds of reptiles she has but I think she has at least five of them including a ball python. As for breeders, I live in the middle of nowhere so there probably aren't any, but I'll look. I don't really want to order a snake online because of the heat wave; it's been over 100 for two weeks.

Snakes only get shipped under reasonable temperatures -- I forget the temp ranges that which snakes are shipped. But during the warmer months of the year snakes will be packed in with cool packs so they don't overheat.