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.