Katie: Reptile Convert and Love of My Life - Post about converts you know!

[Namea]

My husband loves all animals but he'd never had a snake until me. His family is southern and very old fashioned. His parents are both super religious and kinda have that "Snakes are evil vessels for the devil" bull:cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: going on. He likes our rehab snakes but depending on their status and origin they don't get handled as often. Now that we have our own he's enamoured as heck. He's bonded with our little garter snake and she's his baby. She likes to sit on his glasses and hang out so he just enjoys having her there while he watches tv or plays games. I constantly catch him looking over at her enclosure and making kissy faces or calling her cute. It's really adorable.

My Grandma is also a snake convert, from my Dad. He had snakes in his room from the time he was a teenager and when he grew up to be a Herp she wasn't surprised. She made a fuzzy safe ballsack for Snoot to help calm him and loves to just wander my snake room when she visits to see any new rehabs that have come in. Since I keep their stats pinned with their enclosures she'll spend time just stopping to read each sheet and comment things like "Oh wow, you've grown so much! I'm so proud of you!" to them. It's wonderful to see.

[dakski]

A close friend of mine, who lived in the Washington DC area, is moving pretty close to me here in CT. We've been friends for 21 years and she's never met my reptiles. She's up in CT doing some stuff with her new house and stopped by for a short visit.

She met Frank (BTS), Solana (scaleless Corn snake), Cleo (Leopard Gecko), and Behira (BI) (reptile wise - she also met the four pups and Lincoln the Betta fish). She was very impressed with Frank and Cleo and held Cleo and let Frank nudge her and sit on the chair next to her.

She was amazed by Solana (my smallest snake and very chill and beautiful) and touched her right away. She had never touched a snake before and didn't know what to think. Then I took Behira out and she wanted me to stay a few feet away at first. Ultimately, she pet Behira a few times and commented on how different she felt than Solana, but also different than she expected.

It was a short visit, and she's working her courage up, but it was a success. She said she enjoyed meeting them, was impressed with the tanks/setup, and that if felt like visiting a zoo or museum, being able to see all these cool creatures.

She wasn't afraid of the snakes to begin with, but was a little apprehensive and didn't know what to think or do at first. She didn't hold the snakes, but it's a good start. We will get there.

Another convert!

[aurum]

My mom originally wouldn't even entertain the idea of having a snake in the house, but now she's fully on board with me getting a second one and often comments on how cute she thinks mine is. Still not interested in holding a snake though, unfortunately!

Well, still...she's come a long way & I give her a lot of credit for admitting they're cute. That's a great start.

[dakski]

I face-timed with my best friend and his wife and kids tonight. He's my blonde and blue eyed buddy who "Jeff" the BI is named after. His daughters are 8 and 10 and they wanted to meet the reptiles.

We did show and tell for a bit and they asked a lot of questions and were really interested that Boas gave life birth to young, that reptiles cannot create their own body heat, and that snakes like boas can eat every 3 weeks and still grow.

I think their favorites were Behira (BI - she was big and calm), Yafe (CP), Solana (scaleless corn), and Ezzy (leachie), who I called a pajama lizard and they got a kick out of that. Ezzy also "spoke/chirped" for them. They thought it was crazy that Ezzy and Ferry (Chewie) can climb walls. I showed them Ferry in his tank climbing the back wall and it blew their minds.

Zoe, who is ten, was less interested in the beginning, but now, when they come to visit next, wants to hold Behira. Nela, who is 8, isn't so sure, but we will see.

They live in Maryland, but haven't been to this house yet (I've been here for 4 years). Jeff and his wife Hana have, but not the kids. Now that they are older and excited about visiting Uncle Dave and Aunt Katie and the zoo, I am sure we will see them soon enough once COVID is done.

MORE CONVERTS! Yay! Young ones too!