Question to everyone who has snakes

[John1982]

why do u keep snakes, or any other reptile for that matter besides the "cool factor"? Whats the point?

If you're not genuinely fascinated and enthusiastic about reptiles you will eventually lose interest. I've always been passionate about my animals and can't imagine not being able to care for and observe them firsthand, at home. I don't handle most of my snakes regularly so finding a soiled enclosure during AM or PM rounds actually pleases me as I get bonus interaction while cleaning. Call me crazy but taking care of my animals(i.e., removing feces, scrubbing tubs, changing waters, feeding, creating enrichment) relaxes me like little else.

hob·by /ˈhäbē/
Noun: 1. An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.

pas·sion /ˈpaSHən/
Noun: 1. Strong and barely controllable emotion.

[kitedemon]

I love snakes. I guess that is one of the best reasons.

Snakes of many other pets fit into a modern life pattern better than almost any other pet. How many people do you know whom have a dog that they race home from work to let it out? Whom are away from home for 9-11 hours a day every day ? That struggle with vacation time and co ordinating sitters for an animal? It is common in my area to see dogs in the hands of 'weekend' dog owners who have such a long drive to work and hectic schedules that the only 'real' quality time with the dog (8 hours of work 2 of travel and 2 for meal, cleaning ect , there is not many for the dog left in a day) is on the weekends. I know more than I would like to think about.

Snakes don't care if you come home late or are too tired to spot check after work, they easily fit this pattern of long work days with little time. Dogs it is borderline abuse snakes... it is perfect for them. A quick spot check once or twice a day and that is about all that is needed handling and feeding deep cleaning ect. Can wait for the weekends with no issues. It is a good fit. Dogs are not really they need more time than many can provide. Cats are better but still need more work than a snake needs.

[Mike41793]

Snakes are are awesome. Im awesome. So we kinda just found eachother haha.

No but really i just like snakes. I dont like them just bc alot of people dont have them or are afraid of them, but its fun to have a unique pet that you get to educate people about. (no one ever asks what my dog eats or what would happen if she gets out lol). Also what kitedemon said about how they fit into a modern lifestyle made alot of sense to me.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I love most all animals. Always have been the most enthralled by reptiles, and especially snakes. When I started keeping them at the age of 18 when I moved out, I realized they are very relaxing pets. Wonderful for anxiety. Every species also has different traits, personality and temperaments. Some have an intelligence that non snake people would never notice. They are not all instinct.

For instance.. I have an African house snake which has learned how to tell me he's hungry.. In a very cute way! I put a shallow bowl in his enclosure to put the small fuzzies in that he eats so they can't get out and get lost in the bedding. He only eats live. Well he has figured out that if he hangs down from his branches and intently stares at his bowl, that I will put one in there for him. It's funny.

Boas and retics also learn things and have an intelligence that you don't usually see with BPs. Retics are very expressive. Like they are always thinking and working things out.

There is a guy in a reptile group on FB who owns Emerald tree boas and handles them all regularly. He breeds them and posts pics holding them. They are all tame and relaxed. He handles them like you'd handle any other tame snake. This is known to be a snake that is not usually handleable due to their temperament. Well this guy has no issues with them. That says a lot about his understanding of them, and vice versa.

They are all different, and all have different qualities. I try to explain this to people who don't understand keeping snakes as pets. They ARE pets. We feel no differently towards them than we do our dogs and cats. Too many people simply won't take the time to see that though.

[ballpythonluvr]

I have always loved animals! Hell, I like them more then I like most people! I love snakes because they are just so awesome. I love growing ball pythons from hatchlings into big and gorgeous healthy adults. My male normal has been with me since he was a hatchling and now he is a little over two years old. Yes, he may just be a normal, but in my eyes he is just beautiful and I love him very much. My snakes are my babies too!

[Kinra]

I keep my reptiles because I like them. No they don't love me, but if you listen to some of the dog experts neither does my dog. I find them relaxing to be around and cleaning cages is a nice change of pace from what I do for work (computer programming). I've kept fish in the past and while they were cool and relaxing to watch, that's all you can really do with them, you can't even hold them.

[foxoftherose]

I just seem to bond easier with animals than I do people. I love almost all animals; there's even a small cockroach colony on our porch that I feed every once and a while. As for snakes, I love observing them. They're so different from me that I can't help but be fascinated by them. My little pastel really seems to enjoy being handled, and I love the way it feels when he slithers through my hands, onto my shoulders, and into my hair.

[Vypyrz]

I'm not allergic to reptiles...

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[Egapal]

If you're not genuinely fascinated and enthusiastic about reptiles you will eventually lose interest. I've always been passionate about my animals and can't imagine not being able to care for and observe them firsthand, at home. I don't handle most of my snakes regularly so finding a soiled enclosure during AM or PM rounds actually pleases me as I get bonus interaction while cleaning. Call me crazy but taking care of my animals(i.e., removing feces, scrubbing tubs, changing waters, feeding, creating enrichment) relaxes me like little else.

I could not agree more. I only handle my snakes maybe once a week. For me its filling a void. I have a passion for animal husbandry. The simple act of checking on the snakes and rodents in the morning and before bed is calming. I have a watering system for my rodent rack and they have hoppers for food, so its not even a lot of time. Once a week I clean the tubs usually one of the three 3-6 tubs (3 at the moment) a day. Spot clean the snakes and do a full change after a shed. Its an anchor for me. That being said what I normally tell people is that its like a fish tank without the water and I can take my pet out of the enclosure with a lot less fuss than a fish.

[Slim]

They are fascinating animals, and no two are the same in either pattern or personality. And, unlike fury pets, they don't mind if I go away for the weekend...in fact, they most likely prefer it