Question for the ladies

[Kinra]

I have to ask this question and please don't take it the wrong way. (I also know this is the wrong site to ask it on). Why do so many women choose to work with just geckos? I was recently added to a new facebook group for women herpers (The lovely Women of the Reptile World!) and it seems like most of them work with primarily geckos. It seems rare to see a woman that keeps bigger species such as burms or retics, or even boas. Maybe I'm just on the wrong forums, but it seems to be a trend. Most of the women herps in my local herp society keep and breed geckos. I feel like the odd woman out when I start talking about my beloved boa.

I'm not trying to stereotype or pidgin hole anyone so if you are a woman herp and keep something other than geckos I would love to know why and if you only keep geckos I would also know why. I'm pretty sure BP.net has the more diverse population of women herpers who keep snakes, but has anyone else noticed this trend?

[moonlightgdess]

I'm a bp girl all the way. I don't like crickets, I'm pretty afraid of insects in general lol so that leaves out a lot of lizards. I love snakes, but because of size and temperment I don't think id ever own a retic myself.

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[Shadera]

I've never been "normal". I keep balls, boas, and soon will have a few carpets and womas.

Tried geckos, but it was entirely too much work with more than a couple of them. Snakes are much easier.

I will, however, stick with only the species I can handle by myself and don't need another person's help handling. (Not an issue, I'm 6' and fairly strong)

[DellaF]

I like my balls and boas. Retics and such are to large for me to keep. I won a gecko at an expo I didnt keep him long before I found him a home. Just wasn't my thing.

[CherryPython]

I've worked with other reptiles before (at college) but for me it was always about the Ball Python after I fell in love with it I have a close friend who has six snakes including a BCI, two carpet pythons, a texan rat snake, a ball and another type of Boa...can't remember what though despite her telling me a million times XD Personally, Geckos aren't my thing. Don't mind the insects...I just don't fancy it lol.

[Cameron Lamb Exotics]

Im not a girl nor do I keep only one of the other but Im thinking its because of there awesome facial expressions

[jbean7916]

I don't do geckos. I'll stick with my balls, nile monitor and tort. I would love love love to get into other monitor species (like blue or green trees) but we don't have the space now.

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[hyousa]

I keep my two BPs, and I used to have a pair of tree frogs... I found I really don't like having crickets in the house though. I'd rather have mice in the freezer. I have nothing against geckos (and I did keep one over a summer a few years back - it was my sister's class pet), but I don't want to faff about with the bugs. Perhaps that's why most "girls" keep lizards, they don't want to feed an animal another (fuzzy) animal?

I also like all the colours and patterns you can get in BPs. Leopard geckos do come in a palette of colours, but not as pretty as my pythons!

[wolfy-hound]

I think it's more a case of "like attracts like". Most groups will gravitate towards one type, so when you've got facebook type groups, a few gecko keepers will attract more gecko keepers. Fewer retic keepers will want to join a group that is mostly gecko keepers, while more gecko keepers will join, and you eventually end up with a group that is mostly gecko keepers.

With real life clubs, the same sort of thing happens. A few gecko lovers will encourage others in keeping geckos, and sooner or later the predominant species will be the majority of keepers.

Plus, geckos are cute, easy to house in a small area and relatively easy to care for. Girls don't mind a reptile who is also "cute", while guys tend to prefer a "cool" snake than a cute little gecko. It's hard to maintain your manly exterior when you're holding a tiny gecko.

The guys who keep geckos are unusually adorable though. Gotta love a guy with little lizards.

That didn't come out right.... I'm gonna shut up now.

[RestlessRobie]

Hate to say it but only in this forum is it cool to hear the ladies talikng about loving thier balls (it had to be said sorry)