I know what you mean, though i have been into herps all my life, keeping various amphibians (mostly) and reptiles (anolis and some indigenous self caught species) all the time, even if it just had been a frog in my aquarium, i feel i just made the first step in my "real herp life", the reason for this might be that i have always had the desire to keep snakes, but first my mom and then my ex-girlfriend (8-year relationship) had a phobia. But now I am on the hook... and well i am a smoker, on and off for some time, but i think it will be harder to let the snakes go, than the smoke....