How have your reptile interests changed over the years?

[daniel1983]

About 2 years ago, I started keeping a ball python named Thor. He was the first snake that I had kept as a pet since I was around 12-13 years old. I remember that first snake way back then....a rough green snake. Feeding it crickets and being excited to have a 'pet' snake for the first time....those were the days.

When I got back into keeping reptiles in 2004, all I could think about was ball pythons....I had never seen such cool snakes before. So for around a year or so, I kept nothing but ball pythons. They were beautiful, friendly snakes...who could not fall in love with keeping them?

During late 2005, I started keeping a pair of bearded dragons and some leos. Also in 05 and this year, I started getting out in the woods alot more often to do some field herping and photography. I think that those two things put an end to my 'ball python craze' and opened up my eyes to other things that are out there. I still love ball pythons and have plans to purchase a few more down the road, but I have alot broader goals for keeping reptiles now.

I don't just want a ton of ball pythons and some nice racks to keep them in anymore.....I want monitors, a diamondback terrapin or some other cool aquatic turtle, and some kingsnakes....I want to set up some nice looking naturalistic display enclosures so I can observe my animals more often...I want to keep fewer animals so I have more time to get out field herping....those are some of my goals now...

I think it is interesting to think about how much I have learned about reptiles and the reptile hobby/industry since I got back into this with one ball python two years ago.

I know alot of you have kept many different kind of herps over the years. Some you may still keep, some you may never keep again...you may keep the same animal completely different than you did a few years ago. I just wanted to share with all of you how my reptile interests have changed over the past couple years and I hope that you will share your experience also.

[mr~python]

im actually a lot like you, daniel. back in july of '04 i got my first ball python, vanessa and i was completely crazy about ball pythons. then in april of '05 i got zulu and i was still a huge ball python fanatic.

after i had kept them for a few months i started getting into field herping and other reptiles like lizards. i was into that for another few months and i caught a western fence lizard and kept her for about 3-4 months to "get my feet wet" with lizards and also because i always thought they were cool little lizards.

during that time and a couple months before that i had been reading up on monitors, espescially dwarf monitors. i released my fence lizard and i got a hatchling red ackie from Frank Retes of Goanna Ranch and here i am. im still into ball pythons but i think ill be happy with just breeding and keeping the two that i have right now. i might get into hets and see what happens down the road. i do want to get more into to monitors though. im tossing around the idea to get another red ackie.

[Shelby]

Hm.. well when I was younger I would always keep frogs, toads, maybe a lizard or two and turtles. Well, I like all of those animals, but nothing compares to snakes for me. I have no desire to have any lizards except a black throat monitor (though I'd like to be able to run a zoo someday, and that would have lots of lizards lol) I don't want any more frogs (I have one white's tree frog) and well.. nothing else except snakes really as far as herps go.

I used to think I'd have nothing over 6' long.. but after being up close and handling 8-10' burms I really gained confidence and decided to try something bigger - I got my first boa constrictor.. well that was cool, I want something bigger! Now with the burm and the anacondas, I'm gaining experience for someday when I hope to have a retic or two and a male green anaconda.

I love a variety of snakes though, not just the big ones. Everything from kenyan sand boas, garter snakes, kings, milks, corns.. almost everything. Only snakes I don't want in my personal collection are hots.

[jglass38]

I would love to have one of everything but its just not realistic for me. Ball Pythons are my obsession at this point. I want to breed some Boas as well in the future but right now, its all Balls!

[TekWarren]

For me I've kept all kinds of creatures since I was little and running around on the family farm. All reptiles/amphib's interest me. BP's have been at the top of mist forever though since I saw my first albino. I wish I had the room to diversify into more animals but I tend to lean towards one thing or one set of goals which is why I mainly keep BP's. My wife has an adult pair of adult dragons and they are just hers and she takes care of them, and I take care of my snakes. I think its great to diversify what your into and want to learn about. Its respectable that you can identify your specific wants and I know you won't "over do it" like some do with huge collections of animals that they can't care for or get niglected when something new is found to be interesting.

Whatever you get into I'm sure there is no doubt you will put 100% into it

[jessie_k_pythons]

I have always had reptiles, even when my mother told me not to. I mostly stuck with lizard due to my overwelming fear of snakes. (long story) I finaly ended up rescueing a 9 foot Retic about 2 years ago. It had mouth rot,4 retained eye caps on the left eye and 8 on the right, and had scars around the neck from being handled wrong. I ended up trading him for a Ball Python after he tryed to come after my husband. I have been hooked on Ball Pythons eversence.

I couldnt have asked for a better snake and there is no fear. I go bit by my little BP and I blead all over the place but hardly any pain like there was with the Retic.

for thoughs of you who know my story you can see I have no luck with Retics

[Wild Bill]

I used to really be into the large Burmese pythons and boas, I could never get enough of them. Then one day (when I ran out of cage space) I realized I was either going to have to get a bigger house or start keeping some smaller snakes. LOL!! So here I am, my new passion ball pythons!! I still keep 4 boas, just for old times sake. I do miss the burmese from time to time, until I remember the huge piles of poo I had to scoop. LOL!!

[recycling goddess]

i guess i would go into the classification of having too many pets? although i can honestly say none of them are neglected or mistreated in anyway. (if they are not cared for, i rehome them)

anyway... i started with fish when i was about 9. my step dad had a fish tank and i just loved it so much. i think it was 10 gallons... then i got into birds... then cats... the occassional dog (although i'm really not a dog person) and i love frogs and lizards so i got some of those.

i had a huge fear of snakes... and when my son wanted one i began to learn everything about them so i could assist him to care for one... in the end, he changed his mind about having one and i had fallen in love with balls. so i bought myself one. then along came a corn, or two and a sand boa... then a hog island boa and another corn... i wanted a good variety of colours and sizes to show people that they don't have to fear them.

in all, we have a LOT of pets. i breed silkworms, mice and am starting to breed my ratties very soon... (no more mice breeding for me).

i have 6 fish tanks as i just took down a bunch... but left the 210 gallon, 135 gallon, 90 gallon, 77 gallon, 46 gallon and my 7 yr old daughter's 20 gallon up and running.

my passion is big fish... so bismarck frontosas, oscars and veijas are my favorites... but i also keep a lot of freshwater eels... fire eels, tire track eels etc.

we have a few birds... breed cockatiels (actually they breed themselves) we are handraising two babies right now. parrotlets, canaries and budgies also grace our home.

i had a huge fear of spiders... and my hubby wanted a tarantula... so again i learned everything i could about them and ended up buying myself a few... i say i bought them for myself cause i do all the care! so now i have around 10 tarantulas, 2 crested geckos, leopard geckos, a bunch of different frogs, toads, anoles... had bearded dragons.

have a couple of cats, no dog... and a few kids to round things out.

so my passions change all the time... but whenever anything is in my care... it's pampered to the max! LOL

i do all the care for everything in the house except the birds and cats... my hubby takes care of them! (and my daughter cares for her ratties and fish... with a little help from mom)

[MedusasOwl]

When I was a kid, I caught a lot of frogs, bugs, heck even caught mice (probably not smart, but I wore gloves) had a pet box turtle along with a whole slew of cats, gerbils, cavys, a few dogs... I've always loved animals, all kinds, from the very start. I snubbed dolls for stuffed animals, and told my Kindergarden teacher that I didn't need anymore school because I already knew everything I needed to to be a zookeeper

I've *always* loved snakes especially, but just always assumed I couldn't have any because A) Mom would veto and B) I'd have a hard time feeding live.

But then I grew up and did some research and low and behold... f/t feeders and a signifigant other who is easily talked into cute critters. Jackpot! First was the corn obsession, then the BPs (still want more!) which lead me here, then the VBBs whom I'm madly obsessed with, and I still want more! I went from "Yay, I have a snake!" to "Yay, I have 2 snakes!" to "I need a snake room, this appartment won't do at all" lol. Karen's even been tempted to move us into a 2 bedroom appartment purely for the extra room for snakes, but I'd rather not endure the hassle of a move till we can actually get into a house.

[Emilio]

Well I've alway's loved reptile's when I was a kid my parent's never allowed me to have a one.Now they come over a and freak out when they see how many snake's I have.My dumeral boa started it all for me , it's funny they didn't have any Bp's that day.I guess this was the way it was suppose to be.I will now be concentrating on bp's ,I like Burm's but cannot accomadate the size.Wish their were some that would stay at 6ft.Well I luv my Bp's I think they are perfect pet's.Oh and I started herping Apr 05 , first bp Sept 05