>>I was wondering how this hobby/obsession started for everyone?

>>For me I had a spare fish tank laying about the house and my dad said as a joke 'you could get a snake for it'. So naturally I latched onto this idea, moved bedrooms so there was room for a nice tank, got it all decorated etc and 3 months later went to him and asked 'So when do I get this snake then?'. We ended up going to the local reptile shop and buying a baby corn (as well as a new tank and all the accessories, not what he planned spending!) :D best idea he's ever had!!







I never really had anyone lead more towards my love of animals and snakes in particular. I just always loved animals.

From the time I was able to walk I was chasing anything that moved.

There where so many times as I was growing up, while everyone else was riding bikes or playing ball, I was wading through creeks and swamps or hiking through the woods, looking for animals.

In the late 60's and early 70's the pet stores around here only carried fish, rodents and occasional birds, no reptiles.

There were a few of my friends, as I was growing up, who took a slight interest in reptiles but I was the only one I knew who was actually out there trying to catch them and bring them home.

So, I guess I owe it all to my mom.

Although she didn't like all the frogs, lizards, turtles and snakes I was bringing home she never discouraged me, she simply made it clear that if I couldn't care for them properly, back to the wild they would go.

I had to buy my own books and supplies which helped teach me to do the proper research if I wanted to keep the things I caught.

Girls, sports and partying took over for a while but I still had the interest.

In the 80's I caught a nice four foot long black rat snake and I was hooked again.

For the next eight or nine years I had a moderate collection. I accumulated five black rat snakes, one local corn snake, a Florida corn snake, an eastern milk snake, an eastern king snake, a speckled king snake a southern hognose snake and a seven foot Burmese python.

At this time I was living alone.

I kept snakes for close to 10 years before my wife-to-be moved in. Although she never asked me to get rid of them, or even hinted that she wanted me to get rid of them, I knew she was nervous about the snakes so I did get rid of them. This was also to make room. My snake room had now become a spare bedroom.

In the early 90's I started keeping and rescuing turtles. This endeavor/hobby kept me quite busy over the next ten or twelve years. All along though, I still had that fascination with snakes.

Especially corn snakes. With their beautiful colors, excellent dispositions and ease of care, corn snakes had always been my favorites.

Well, in May of 2001, I was in a local pet store and saw a beautiful little corn snake hatchling. I brought her home and was once again I was hooked on snakes.

She actually turned out to be a creamsicle, which is a cross between an amelanistic corn snake and a great plains rat snake.

My wife has been very understanding and supportive with my renewed interest in snakes. She has no problem with them now.

It is very hard not to be captivated by their beauty.

I have since bowed out of turtle rescue and reduced my collection to only a few.

This has allowed for some extra space and easily converted habitats.

Of course my wife is an animal lover too.

we have 8 cats, 5 dogs, 3 bearded dragons, 1 tortoise, 4 aquatic turtles, 3 tree frogs and all the snakes.

The creamsicle that got me started again

Arwen







So, the story continues.



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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.

"resistance is futile"

Jimmy (draybar)



Draybars Snakes



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