Depending on your age, you might have to deal with this regardless. When I still lived at home my snakes were taken away from me when I decided vent through email and and my step dad didn't like what I had written to a personal friend.. but thats another story either way you'll have to deal with it till your old enough to support yourself or till you have discussed an alternative that they would approve of. Make a compromise or tough it out as best as possible, introduce the youth group people to herps, you never know who will meet and may bring other people into your hobbies while still satisfying your parents.