i have to watch my snakes starve as punishment

[rlditmars]

If this is a troll thread then, "Good one". Assuming this is not a troll thread I will give my opinion.

First, shame on you for acting like an insolent child.

It doesn't sound like you have a bad situation at home. I don't think Child Protective Services would be on your side. Last time I checked, parents that will let you have three snakes but not four, is not considered an abusive home environment. In fact, as many others have stated, it is a bit more than many parents would permit, including my own growing up.

Second, shame on you for playing the victim and making your parents out as the bad guys.

This is wholly on you. The moment you broke their rules, everything that follows is a result of your actions (aftermath). Like a Rube Goldberg Machine you created the cause that affected the change. This idea of "It is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission" is a seriously misguided paradigm. Rules exist to create a structure in which society can exist for the good of the society, not just the individual. Your parents rules are there to govern the society which is your family. You don't have to understand all of the reasoning behind them, but you are expected to obey them. If they are providing the means for the food and the transportation, then it may be that they simply can't afford the extra cost or the additional time required to house an additional animal. Regardless, with three animals already you should have been grateful, but instead you acted like an ingrate.

Your parents aren't raising a child, they are raising an adult. Someday you will have to go out into the world and try to make it on your own. The rules will be even more demanding and the consequences of breaking the rules will be far more punitive then anything you are experiencing now. In the adult world when you break the rule:

• You could be fired from the job that is feeding your family, providing you housing, and covering your medical bills with insurance.
• You could be arrested and serve time.
• You could be assaulted
• You could be killed or kill others. (see bullet 2)

If you want to fix this then you need to pull up your big boy pants and "Man Up". You can start by apologizing to your parents with as much humility as you can muster and thanking them for the privilege of having been allowed to keep three snakes in the first place. Then I would suggest you ask your parents to help you set up an ad on craigslist offering all of your snakes for rehoming. They need to be involved, if they'll agree, so they can monitor your efforts to actually rehome the animals. Tell them you will keep the add up until two of your animals are rehomed, regardless of if either are one of your favorites or not. Further, your rehoming fees should be very attractive (painful even) so that you will achieve fast results. See, when you are being punished the consequences should cause you to end up at a disadvantage or loss. What is the punishment if you just return to your regularly scheduled program?

Then, and only then, will you be able to "ASK" if they will resume taking you to the store to get the food while you are rehoming them. You messed up and this is on you to fix. You are responsible for the welfare of four animals and they have no options but to rely on you to do the right thing. I hope you do.

Drops the mic, "Ditmars out"