Quote Originally Posted by John1982 View Post
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.