Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm 14 years old and last may/ april Aftr my 2nd pet snake, a ball python and after watching snakebytes tv i got hooked on snakes and i caught "the disease" And now all i want is more snakes, i know it is unrealistic for me to buy every snake i want and i think i do pretty good conrtoling my urges by myself. But then there is my mom. After 8 pet reptiles she said enough is enough and that in order to get more animals i must get rid of more animals. After a heart breaking good bye to my leopard gecko i got a carpet python. But then i sold 2 snakes as a pair and then bouhgt a female ball python. And then my mom lowered my pet limit to 7 animals and she tricked me! And now she litteraly screams at me when i ask her why she did that. I dont get what her problem is! I keep all my snakes in my room, and feed them with my own money, i buy them with my own money, my parents arn't supportive of me at all. Yet my brother has no restrictions on video games, which takes up 99% of his life. Why is she so untrusting of me and why does she have such a big prolbem? And how can i get her to be more leniant on letting me get more animals? She isnt scared of snakes or anything so why does she hate them so much?

Well, you have to give your mom some credit. Most parents shun the idea of a pet snake entirely. Above that i'm sure she acknowledges that they are living breathing creatures and doesn't want you to get overwhelmed with so many snakes that their care starts slipping. Also being a 14 year old, she is probably expecting you to get involved with other things and "forget" about your snakes. I am by no means saying that will happen and to be honest i probably wouldnt have taken your moms side about 3 years ago lol. Try getting involved with a herp society, Take them to your school and teach others about the ones you have and maybe your mom will realize how serious you are about them. I started keeping reptiles when i was about 9 years old and my mom had always had snakes and lizards since i was just little. I too, caught the reptile disease and proved them all wrong when it turned out not to be just a phase. i now am only 19 but i have my own house and a hefty list of herps(and others) and run a business educating people about reptiles. I also work at a petstore and starting this weekend, i will be working at herp shows too! It may take some time but once your mom sees that this isnt some fleeting fad she may allow more snakes, but you also have to factor in, more snakes takes more money, which means you will need a job, which means you will have less time to care for them. Good luck and im sure you can compromise with her eventually.
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www.myspace.com/ThirdDimensionReptiles

My Kids:
The Scaled:
0.1 Savannah Monitor
2.5 Leopard Geckos
0.1 Green Iguana
1.4 Tokay Geckos
1.1 Bearded Dragons
0.1 Golden Gecko
1.0 Burmese Python
1.0 Het. Albino Ball Python
1.0 Lavender Albino Cali King
1.0 Black RatSnake

The Furred:
0.1 Ferret
1.0 Chinchilla
0.1 Hedgehog
1.0 Sugar Glider
0.1 Rat
1.0 Cat

The Feathered:
1.0 Citron Cockatoo
0.1 Goffins Cockatoo
1.0 Cockatiel

If you want to spend more time with animals you can try volunteering at local zoos, shelters, etc. This will not break any child labor laws as it is a volunteer position and sometimes you can even get school credit for it. Even if you have to wait a year to make it happen, it would be worth the wait. Work with the animals you have and enjoy them. If you put some serious time into volunteer positions that may help your case with your mom.

One thing to think about; Are you planning on going to college? If you're interested in working with animals for a living you should... What happens with your animals when you go? Sure you could sneak a corn snake or two into a college dorm room, but 5, 7, 9, animals? Good luck...... that could be a concern of your moms and understandably so.

I know it's tough, but give her a break for a bit and try and find some other ways to spend time with reptiles besides filling your house with them.

good luck

ps Also, reptile cages can use loads of electricity... if you've got a few heat lamps during the day and some UTH's running 24/7 that can be costly
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lost in the jungle somewhere
Z

yes i do plan on going to college. Im pretty sure im going to UF and will be getting an apartment close to the school were they will allow pets. Also i dont really use heat lamps a lot and i try to be really efficent with my electricity by using low voltage heat tape for multiple cages.

It's surprisingly difficult to find apartments that allow snakes, but if you think you can find one then that problem is out of the way.

Nonetheless, I would still certainly look into volunteer and internship opportunities. Talk with your guidance councilor at school you may find they've set up similar programs with past students and can help point you in the right direction. At the very least, they can help you make contacts at different institutions. Zoos and animal shelters are generally short staffed and over worked (as I'm sure others on this forum can attest to) and usually have some sort of work study program or internship availability. Check into it and good luck
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lost in the jungle somewhere
Z

Unfortunatly i'm trying really hard to get involved but im having toruble. I'm having a hard time finding people to get in contact with. And being a freshman at highschool im not really in a great postion to do snake shows or anything. Also just being a 14 year old with 6 snakes dosnt make much of a snake show =(. im starting to breed this year (of corse i cant keep any of the babies at all) but hopefully that will pay for the food and then some, so im not worried about financially overlaoding myself. hopefully showing that i can show her by breeding anskes and making a profit that im am serious about snakes and that by gettig more snakes it would cost me less. I really wish i could get a job at a petstore but im underage =(. and im pretty sure i cant just do free work for a local reptile breeder (if i can find one) but im pretty sure that would break child labor laws. how can I get involved?

well the "snake disease" has no cure,,and if it did,,no one would take it,,,,i started with wanting everything,,which led to alot of impulse buys,,,,then i figured what i really wanna concentrate on,,and look for exact things,,but i do have a weakness at shows,,lol
the thing is that video games are not alive and do not need feeding,etc,,,,so maybe if you show her you can take care of everything and school she will be alittle more open,,but believe me,,most people have their minds made up about snakes,,which is sad,,,,
as for working,,youcould always look for a local breeder,,not a retail,,and see if you can help,,,
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Ball Python
Jungle Carpet Python
Eastern King
Mexican Black King
Sonoran Gopher
Aberrent Cal King
Anduran Milk
Hypo Brooks
Amel Motley Corn
White Sided Bull
Striped Pacific Gopher
Axanthic Brooksi
Goini King

I love the smell of aspen shavings in the morning...lol

"To serve man..it's...it's a cookbook!"

Do the absolute best job you can maintaining the number you are allowed to have, and only good things can happen.

Parents love it when kids show responsibility. Keeping the number to a limit and taking excellent care of them shows responsibility. Then she may up the limit.

My advice - stick to a pair of what you like and breed them. You'll learn an awful lot that way.
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Mark