Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am just getting back into keeping snakes.
I got my first pine 6/15 this year. A NJ strain northern hatchling. I have wanted one since I was a kid, field herping in central FL. I never found one.
Well, only 6 weeks later, and I have a Black pine thats around 6 months old, and a 03 gopher.
Now I want a southern pine!
I'm wondering if this happens to others after they get there FIRST pine?
Doug in TN

It's funny how that happens, though when I first started into snakes, I was a college kid, living in a dorm room. It was a college proffesor that got got me started. They had a live reptile lab that I got to work in, and met my first pine snake there. A cranky in the morning average looking Northern Pine. No locality data, just a generic pine as far as I know. Well, it wasn't long before I was introduced to John Meltzer, and the man hasn't stopped tempting me with babies since. No fault of his, just my fault for not being able to resist all the cool babies he keeps wanting to show me, or when I say, hey I saw this, he's famous for saying, oh I have those over here, or on the way...or I can get you some...or at worst, he'll tell me no, you don't want those, come look at these...LOL! But I was more into corn snakes, and am now well bitten by the Pit bug, by having two breeding pairs of NJ Northern Pines, a pair of their hatchlings, then two black pines now, and this year I'm up to SIX jani...with potentially getting some hypo bulls...and maybe some sonoran gophers from Greg...LOL! Yes it's normal, yet do try to keep in mind, there is always next year, and will always be babies available year after year...Don't try to do it all at once, or you'll go broke! Yes I know that's difficult! Even now I'm telling myself to hold back from buying stuff, I have a baby on the way, and that's going to take up all my free time and money! Hmmm...maybe I should spend money now while I can! LOL! I did keep saying to myself I wanted a pair of Albino Southern Pines from John Cherry...*sigh* yes it's a rampant addiction, and probably no cure for it! Have fun, and congrats on the babies you have! In my opinion, Pines RULE!

I was just looking at Cherry farms site last night. They have some neet stuff.
Luckily, my Wife is kinda understanding, maybe tolerent is a better word...
doug

My wife also is tolerant and understanding! Guess she figures my hobby keeps me busy all the time, and out of trouble...for the most part...LOL! She just grumbles now every time I get a new book in...She says I have...can you believe this...too many books! No way! can NEVER have too many books...he he he...enjoy!

I just got my northerns not too long ago. I love northerns. Out here we have gopher snakes everywhere and they dont interest me much. However, those purple albino applegates and the albino northerns that John Cherry has are remarkable and I want more! Id like to see more northern morphs available but what are you gonna do. Bulls have a lot but Im not much into them, I may want a pair of white sides, those are cool. Oh, and cape gophers. Brilliant red coloration. Mex pines are cool too, I had never seen cape or mex pits until I got into the snake trade more, now I want them!

I'm not big into gophers either. I just had a hard time passing him up for the money. He has a good attitude, but is alittle jumpy. I thought it would be interesting to keep another type of pit.

Brother......you have no idea what you just got yourself into! I am serious!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!

To answer your question, it is normal to go completely berzerk after getting your first pine, or first pine in a long time. Get yourself ready for more.

I remember saying to myself, " I have too many, and I can't get any more!" Nope. I did buy more and still do, and will be in pit heaven coming up in Daytona.

Until I got into pits, I never have been this excited about keeping snakes. Now my collection is mostly pits ( 16 out of 26 ) and I am happier than ever!

Just wait! The hunger never dies! LOL!

Take care!
Billy

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Genesis 1:1

It's been 10 years since I kept any snakes.
I found a 4 inch snapping turtle next to my truck in december 2 years ago. Figured I would help him out, and give him a warm place to stay, and a full belly. Well, I kept him 17 months. I swore it was the coolest hurp I ever kept. I let him go this spring. I had a empty cage, and decided to get back into snakes. I'm glad I did! I forgot how much I enjoy it.