Why you shouldn't get into reptiles

[Craiga 01453]

disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form insulted or offended by the use of the word "addiction" or any of the content in this thread. Nor am I trying to say that reptile/snake-keeping (I will stick to this specific example since it was how the thread began) shouldn't be referred to as an "addiction". I am simply sharing my opinion and story...

As a drug addict and alcoholic who has been clean and sober for a little over 50 months now, I find myself questioning whether snakes/reptiles can indeed be an addiction. Now, please understand I'm not downplaying the "addiction" many of us in the hobby share, as I definitely see how an addictive personality can affect something like reptile keeping. So, like I said, this is just my opinion...

Merriam-Webster definition of addiction:
1): the quality or state of being addicted
2): compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawl; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful

Now, this is where I begin to question whether or not I am "addicted" to keeping snakes (as well as my other animals). I have been an animal lover my whole life, but due to the restraints of my parents I was only able to keep one or two pets at a time. Definitely a good thing, as I now know, because I wasn't ready to responsibly care for any more than that at that time. Fast fwd a few years and I ended up getting a few fish tanks, a BP and a cat after moving into my first place of my own (and moving a few times). However, I was beginning to neglect these animals due to a rapidly-increasing desire to spend every waking hour drinking and using drugs. Desire was gradually replaced by need and I made a conscience decision to re-home my animals since I was clearly in no shape to care for myself, let alone these innocent animals. At this point, I was drinking and using daily, I knew I had a problem and I made peace with the fact that I would live and die as an alcoholic and a drug addict. My life would be short and tragic and I was ok with that. My first thought every morning was about booze/drugs. Did I have enough to start the day? Could I go to work with only what I had or did I need to find more to get through the work day? I managed to go to work most days, because I needed a means to support my addiction. My last thought every night (the nights I remember anyway) revolved around what I had left to start the next day. I knew I would end up dead or in jail, I was just begging for relief and didn't care which came first. I lived this way for around 15 years. I ended up over-dosing, was legally dead for an estimated 6 minutes, but still wasn't ready to stop, that took another few months of pure hell.... anyway, decided to get help and here I am over 4 years later, clean and sober.
Now, can I be "addicted" to keeping animals? I'm not sure. Many characteristics are the same. My day begins and ends with my animals, I always want more animals. I am able to responsibly keep the animals I have and know my limitations. Would I "withdraw" without my animals? No, I would simply miss the crap out of them. Would I willingly end up dead or in jail for my animals? No. Does my life revolve around my animals? No, but I choose to keep them and make them a part of my daily routine. My brother had to BEG me to stay clean and sober long enough to be his best man at his wedding, I somehow managed to keep it together long enough to make the toast and not embarrass myself, my brother, his new wife and our families and friends. I now baby-sit my niece every week and am thankful and grateful beyond words for the time I spend with her. My brother trusts me now, as opposed to before. He and I have had many conversations about the fact that I am able to be a part of my nieces life, I would NEVER had been allowed to be around her if I was still drinking and using, never mind be trusted to babysit. My animal-keeping has never inhibited me from spending time with my family. My brother's wife is pregnant again and I am pretty sure he will ask me to be the Godfather of my new niece or nephew, and something tells me he won't ask me contingent upon my reptile/animal "addiction" being in check, hahahaha!!
So, now that I've rambled, I guess I will conclude with this: My animals are a HUGE part of my life and I enjoy every moment with them. I even enjoy cleaning up after them (yup, even cleaning all the poop) because it's a part of providing a loving, happy, healthy home for these innocent animals who rely on me. I look forward to spending time with them before and after work. But am I addicted? Probably not. Is becoming "addicted" to keeping animals possible? Not in my personal opinion. I go to my animals when I'm sad, angry, had a bad day, etc.. almost the way I turned to booze and drugs, but the difference is simple to me: I find REAL joy, REAL happiness, REAL peace and serenity through my animals, where I used booze and drugs to mask what I was REALLY feeling. I enjoy spending time in my animals little world, but am not using them to escape my own little world. I am choosing to enjoy this time with them, choosing to share my little world with them, choosing to make them a part of my life, as opposed to my real addictions, where the choice became a NEED.

[Zincubus]

disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form insulted or offended by the use of the word "addiction" or any of the content in this thread. Nor am I trying to say that reptile/snake-keeping (I will stick to this specific example since it was how the thread began) shouldn't be referred to as an "addiction". I am simply sharing my opinion and story...

As a drug addict and alcoholic who has been clean and sober for a little over 50 months now, I find myself questioning whether snakes/reptiles can indeed be an addiction. Now, please understand I'm not downplaying the "addiction" many of us in the hobby share, as I definitely see how an addictive personality can affect something like reptile keeping. So, like I said, this is just my opinion...

Merriam-Webster definition of addiction:
1): the quality or state of being addicted
2): compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawl; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful

Now, this is where I begin to question whether or not I am "addicted" to keeping snakes (as well as my other animals). I have been an animal lover my whole life, but due to the restraints of my parents I was only able to keep one or two pets at a time. Definitely a good thing, as I now know, because I wasn't ready to responsibly care for any more than that at that time. Fast fwd a few years and I ended up getting a few fish tanks, a BP and a cat after moving into my first place of my own (and moving a few times). However, I was beginning to neglect these animals due to a rapidly-increasing desire to spend every waking hour drinking and using drugs. Desire was gradually replaced by need and I made a conscience decision to re-home my animals since I was clearly in no shape to care for myself, let alone these innocent animals. At this point, I was drinking and using daily, I knew I had a problem and I made peace with the fact that I would live and die as an alcoholic and a drug addict. My life would be short and tragic and I was ok with that. My first thought every morning was about booze/drugs. Did I have enough to start the day? Could I go to work with only what I had or did I need to find more to get through the work day? I managed to go to work most days, because I needed a means to support my addiction. My last thought every night (the nights I remember anyway) revolved around what I had left to start the next day. I knew I would end up dead or in jail, I was just begging for relief and didn't care which came first. I lived this way for around 15 years. I ended up over-dosing, was legally dead for an estimated 6 minutes, but still wasn't ready to stop, that took another few months of pure hell.... anyway, decided to get help and here I am over 4 years later, clean and sober.
Now, can I be "addicted" to keeping animals? I'm not sure. Many characteristics are the same. My day begins and ends with my animals, I always want more animals. I am able to responsibly keep the animals I have and know my limitations. Would I "withdraw" without my animals? No, I would simply miss the crap out of them. Would I willingly end up dead or in jail for my animals? No. Does my life revolve around my animals? No, but I choose to keep them and make them a part of my daily routine. My brother had to BEG me to stay clean and sober long enough to be his best man at his wedding, I somehow managed to keep it together long enough to make the toast and not embarrass myself, my brother, his new wife and our families and friends. I now baby-sit my niece every week and am thankful and grateful beyond words for the time I spend with her. My brother trusts me now, as opposed to before. He and I have had many conversations about the fact that I am able to be a part of my nieces life, I would NEVER had been allowed to be around her if I was still drinking and using, never mind be trusted to babysit. My animal-keeping has never inhibited me from spending time with my family. My brother's wife is pregnant again and I am pretty sure he will ask me to be the Godfather of my new niece or nephew, and something tells me he won't ask me contingent upon my reptile/animal "addiction" being in check, hahahaha!!
So, now that I've rambled, I guess I will conclude with this: My animals are a HUGE part of my life and I enjoy every moment with them. I even enjoy cleaning up after them (yup, even cleaning all the poop) because it's a part of providing a loving, happy, healthy home for these innocent animals who rely on me. I look forward to spending time with them before and after work. But am I addicted? Probably not. Is becoming "addicted" to keeping animals possible? Not in my personal opinion. I go to my animals when I'm sad, angry, had a bad day, etc.. almost the way I turned to booze and drugs, but the difference is simple to me: I find REAL joy, REAL happiness, REAL peace and serenity through my animals, where I used booze and drugs to mask what I was REALLY feeling. I enjoy spending time in my animals little world, but am not using them to escape my own little world. I am choosing to enjoy this time with them, choosing to share my little world with them, choosing to make them a part of my life, as opposed to my real addictions, where the choice became a NEED.

Wow I'm simply speachless .
Apart from being able to say confidently that you've just written the best post I've ever seen and ever will see as well .

Oh and congratulations on staying healthy . Long may it continue . Your story deserves it's own thread where you can keep us all updated on you and your creatures !

[cchardwick]

Speaking of feeling guilty, I don't feel guilty at all keeping my snakes in tubs. It seems to replicate their natural environment.

Now rats on the other hand are a different story. I call my rat rack 'Cell Block D'. It's like running a little prison. Any fighting and you get put in solitary confinement in your own cell (tub). And when your number is up it's off to the gas chamber. Everyone gets life without parole, even the rats call me 'Warden' LOLOL.

[cayley]

I may get one other snake one day a long time away, but as another stated, a lot has to do with the enclosure. I don't keep, or plan to keep mine in tubs. I think that it's interesting to see the clutches and everything, I love some of the other morphs, but I'm really content with just one. I enjoy looking at the photos that the forum provides. I enjoy the husbandry aspect of snake-keeping, and even if he's hidden away I can observe him. His presence has benefitted my mentality a lot, actually. Maybe I just have a high tolerance threshold.