advice on parents?

[Phreak]

I've been wanting a BP for as long as I can remember and recently my OBSESSION with them has been rekindled. I've done tons and tons of research and am still learning (thanks to eveyone whos helped me). The only thing standing in between me and a new snake is my parents. My parents both feel like they will end up taking care of it in a month and my mom can't get over the thought of dead mice/rats in her freezer and what she calls "the whole slithering thing". Basically I want to know what you guys would do in my situation to convince parents to let me get a snake or what you have done in the past.

thanks in advance

[tmlowe5704]

Go buy an old dorm freezer for $20. Do other stuff around the house to show your responsibility.

[Freakie_frog]

Their hypo allergenic, don't mess up the carpet, don't need training, can be left (if set up properly) for a week or so with no babysitter so trips and vacation are no problem, and its like having the discovery channel in you living room live.

[juddb]

threaten them by saying your moving out or else!!!!

[Phreak]

I think if I threatened them with me moving out all they would say is "Good then you can have your snake at your place!"

[SarahMB]

I like the freezer idea. I would also get your parents to see one up close and in person. Reptile show would be best, pet store would be ok though.

[Freakie_frog]

also visit a friend maybe that has one let them see what great critters they are!

[Phreak]

I thought the Expo thing would work until they refused to drive an hour to get to the expo! Wow did that one fall through!

[MATT FISHER REPTILES]

threaten them by saying your moving out or else!!!!

or maby that you will kill your self. j/k j/k

you just need to have a frind over that has one. make for damn sure that it is tame. if you get bit in front of your parents it will be over.

[LostElise]

My parents both feel like they will end up taking care of it in a month

Is there a reason that they think this? Are there other critters at the house that have been taken in by you and are now being cared for by them? if so, I'd say tough luck changing their mind. Start taking care of all of your animals in the house to show that you have responsibility.

Also, I am assuming that you're young enough to not yet be out of high school. If you choose to go to college, most dorms don't allow snakes--and many college-associated apt buildings don't allow them either. The BP could live thirty years, so even if you did take care of it with the best intentions which in high school, if you went away to college (or even had to move somewhere that isn't reptile friendly) your parents would be the default snake owners and caretakers. From what it sounds like, as well, your parents don't seem like they'd want to be handling the snake the way you would if they were in charge of it. Even if you planned to reclaim the snake post-graduation, 4 years is a while to make a snake be a summer-and-holidays-only pet.

I don't mean to rain on your proverbial parade, but I think your parents may be onto something. I don't know much about colubrids. Maybe they have a shorter lifespan more conducive to the time you have still living at home. I'd suggest that--then get your BP after you graduate college and have your own place, when you are better able to predict the amount of attention you can give it.

Rachel