Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Whats up all, I am 13 years old and love snakes. I think its kinda like a snake loving disease I have, I just cant get enough of snakes. I love to read about them, look for them, keep them, everything about them fascinate me. Any ways, I have two cal kings, a small 10 month old female and large 2 year old male. The female should be ready to breed in a year or two but i dont think i can wait that long. So what i want to do is go to this up coming reptile show in like a month and purchase and adult female cal king so that i can brumate/hibernate them this coming winter. That way the male and female will breed in 04'. I have enough space and money to support another snake but my parents think 2 snakes is enough. But once you get one you have to get more! Any ideas or ways to convince the parentals to let me have just one more? Sorry about the long post, and thannks in advance! Chris P.S. For the people who have a large collection of snakes, or are big time breeders I would like to know how you guys got interested in snakes as a kid and how your breeding buisness got bigger. thanks again, Chris

The best way to show parents that you're ready for a third snake is that you're responsible, and that this isn't just a phase that you will be sick of in a year or two. They are probably concerned that you will get too many snakes then get bored of them and ignore them. Either that or they don't want their house filled with snakes. So show your parents that you are dedicated and responsible and they may give in.

Good luck,
Andy

Thanks for the reply! I don't think that they are concerned with the responsibility isue because they have seen the way i care for and learn, research about any animal i get. The reason why I think they dont want me to have any more snakes is because when i go to college I have to leave the snakes behind. They dont want to have to be in charge of caring for these snankes when im not around. And its not like I can just say " I think I'm gonna skip ollege and stay home with the snakes, I know that wont fly right with them. I have been teaching my 9 year old sister how to feed, care and handle snakes. She is not afraid of them unlike other 9 year old girls. Maybe I can convince her to take care of them while Im gone. I dont think your allowed to keep snakes in a dorm room, although I did read a REPTILES mag article about a guy who kept his ball python seretly in his dorm. lol. Well hopefully I will figure out somethhing sometime. Catch ya' all later, Snake lova' 4 ever,
Chri$

As a college student right now, I know where you're coming from. I have a bearded dragon, a rat snake, and I used to have a tortoise. When I went to college I couldn't bring them in the dorms, so I let my mom and brother take care of the dragon and tortoise. My tortoise died of a respiratory infection when he came out of hibernation, something I might have caught if I had been around that winter. I came home this summer and got a rat snake, and now I'm moving them all into my condo this fall. My family was OK taking care of a lizard and tortoise, but they wouldn't have taken care of the snake. Even my brother, who likes reptiles, isn't crazy about having to take care of my pets while I was gone.

So my advice is, limit your collection for now, unless you are willing to sell some of your herps in a few years. Because chances are you either won't be able to take all of them to the dorms with you, or your parents won't wanna take care of them. Trust me, I've been there. Before you know it you'll be out of the dorms and in a more permanent residence where you can bring your snakes with you, and then you can keep and breed whatever you want. In the meantime, enjoy the two kings you have, and breeding them in the next couple years. You'll have plenty of kings then...

Good luck man.
Andy