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I went into the snakeroom (bedroom)to clean out cages change waters and make sure everything was alright. and I started to think how much joy I get from my snakes. and even the task of cleaning up after them is no big deal.I really do love this hobby. I have only been in snakes for about 6 years.I started out late in life. I tell my freinds that instead of a blonde and a red sports car my midlife criss was snakes.I live in a two bedroom apartment and the snakes have the master bedroom.That way I can close the door and the cats(I have two) won't come in. I can water and everything in peace. Alot of people just don't understand our hobby. I went out on a date the other night (my freinds keep trying to hook me up with someone) and she was telling me about her dog. and when I said I have snakes. She looked at me and said if we are going to go out the snakes have to go. Well so much for that date. but you see right away dogs ok cats ok brids ok, but as soon as you say snakes and(OH MY GOD).So I took a T.V. dinner in the snakeroom and injoyed being with my snakes. sorry about rambling on but I get that way sometimes.
T-Man

I know what you mean. The most important thing to to enjoy this hobby. I got my first snake when I was 8 i'm now 30 and things like watching them eat or shed still amazises me just as much now as it did then. I'm even a reptile keeper at a zoo and after 40 hours a week i still come home and enjoy my herps at the house. I was lucky to meet a woman who loves herps as much as me and we get hours of enjoyment in setting up cages feeding and going to shows and our hope is that we are already instilling a love of animals in our 8 month son.
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"Create then surpass your expectations"

It's even weirder when you're a 38 yo woman..heh heh. But my hubby is very understanding of my passion and helps out with the critters. I have to say that I am more of a lizard person than a snake person, but I can get lost just sitting and watching my pets.

My Burm is all curled up and should be shedding within a few days. He's just so darn cute! The other moms at the ballet school are like...yeah...right. It's hard to find someone to share that with, but I think they secretly get a kick out of me and my family. Plus, we have the house all the kids want to come visit!

Ha! Ha! I can just picture you souring the conversation between ballet moms. Take a snake to the next class and watch the moms dance, too. I already know that you keep your husband on his toes, bless his heart.

Take care!
Mike
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

Face it - you're weird.

And so are the rest of us, according to society in general. Ha! Ha!

So your snakes have the master bedroom. You could have it worse - I read a post just the other day where a guy said that in the early years of his marriage he had a 55-gal. tank for a headboard, that had a water moccasin in it.

I do need to talk to you about your mid-life crisis, though.

"...instead of a blonde and a red sports car my midlife crisis was snakes."

I hope if I have a mid-life crisis mine involves a blonde that has a red sports car with a snake in the back seat. However, I don't think my wife will allow it.

Nah, really - enjoy what you have - any one of the three's gonna cost you a lot of money, no sense in compounding things. Ha! Ha!

If I wasn't so dang busy & broke I'd probably be having a mid-life crisis about now, myself. Caught my first snake at the age of 6, just over 40yrs ago.

I know that you didn't say you were trying to find you a woman but that your friends are, but keep in mind - by now you know that it's a lot harder to find something when you're looking for it. Enjoy the things you have & don't dwell on what you don't have and the right mate will practically show up on your doorstep eventually.

And to the woman that said, "If we are going to go out the snakes have to go," your reply should've been, "Yeah, I told your dog the same thing." ("If we're going to go out the woman has to go." Just kiddin', of course. I know how things can be said in jest or in passing and not really meant. Her being an animal lover is at least a step in the right direction.

It is society's fear of snakes that makes them view us as weird. Kids virtually know no fear, that's why, like Laura said, they're so eager to come to our house. Educating them & sharing our passion with them is our only hope of diminishing the stereotyping.

You talked about cleaning cages; sometimes I'm tired and dread cleaning cages, but every time that I do I am reinvigorated, I am quickly reminded of why I have them. The joy is overwhelming.

Enjoy your walk on the wild side.

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

I know exactly what you mean. I have a house full of reptiles and sometimes I think (briefly) that my life would be easier without them. Then I come to my senses

I enjoy cleaning cages and I really enjoy rearranging enclosures or building new enclosures. Today I am experimenting with some different light bulb choices for several of my enclosures and I get a kick out of it. I am installing some handles on a bunch of my custom enclosures (after breaking off one of the keys after years of using them as handles), and I enjoy these little tasks. The only regret I have right now is that I am so busy with work and school (nearing the end of my career as a full-time college student, luckily). Sometimes I feel guilty because half of the time I get up, prepare their food, and leave before the lights turn on. Then I get home after the lights have already turned off. My winter break is over tomorrow and then it's back to school all day, work late into the evening, and sometimes rehearsals after that, and I am a little depressed because I have enjoyed being able to see my critters do their thing all day long the past few weeks.

I guess that is good motivation for finishing college and starting my career. I would love to have more time to hang with my reps.

If you choose from among a certain type of female, the type that grew up with pants rolled up in a runoff gully trying to catch creatures with a homemade net made from a coat hanger and cheesecloth. Or a lizard noose made from a tall grass stalk sneaking around a rock or board pile. In other words, a tomboyish type. You will find them in biology classes or flyfishing classes and such like. You have to hunt the subspecies in her prefered enviornment. Just a hint from a reptilian and any other creature except cats kind of girl

But I'm already married! just kidding!

Yep, look for those kinds of girls outside vs inside.