Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just wanted to bring up the fact that who would consider Garter snakes which are usually kept in Aquariums with tight lids, dont make noise, and barely smell would be considered as pets?

What do you consider a pet and do you think that reptiles like small lizards and Snakes should be kept in Aparments?

Please voice your opinion....Help me out please.

Thanks in advance,

Lu

Yes.

Acctually I don't think people should KEEP animals (with the exception of food animals) unless they are PETS FIRST.

I was just at another site tonight when I was doing a search for something else... the snakes in quesiton wern't garters but the guy said I bought this snake at such and such a place (I was trying to find out if this particular store had a website and got to this guys' site) anyway he said he mated her to...

two snakes he identified with a letter number combo!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Ok I admit I have a ribbon snake I never named... but I'm lousy with names and I tend to call her yellow ribbon snake... or yellow in general... because she's yellow...

I have named my other snakes. Though I like to breed (ok I like babies... I also like the whole process... little miricles that kinda thing. ) I concider my snakes PETS FIRST.

And that's how I feel people who are primaraly breeders should be. They should be reluctant to give up one of their adult breeders... even if it's not performing. (the babys being sold of course I can understand) They should name them and treat them as pets.
People tend to pamper pets.
Even if they are not as interactive as a cat or dog. ... And some can be.

My two cents.. hope I don't offend anyone.
- Sharon

I don't think that the naming of an animal should be the criteria that must be met in order for the animal to become a "pet".
I have yet to own a snake that has had a name. I tend to let the animals "name" themselves, so to speak. That is, if a name pops into my head (usually reflective of the animals' personality) then that is what he/she shall be called. Since I have yet to own a snake with a "personality" they have always remained nameless.
Now, I have a few other reptiles (Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, etc) that certainly have developed a personality that elicited a naming.
Now does this mean I don't consider my snakes as "pets"? That's a good question, and I don't know the answer as I don't think everyone has the same idea of what "pet" means. Since they are captive animals then I think, by the straight-forward definition, they are "pets". Perhaps, since there is usually no "petting" involved, then, by the traditional sense of the word, they are not "pets"
Cheers.

I don't think neccesarily that any animal being kept in captivity is a pet, for example you can't really interact with a finch, it's more of a decorative animal. Some snakes you can't handle, they're more just there for the sake of being something interesting to look at and watch.. I don't consider that a pet.

If you can't (or choose not to) interact with it, it's just a captive animal. A pet is loved and cared for by handling and taming and general interaction with the animal, not just its environment. Not to say that you can't love an animal you don't interact with, but that would be more the way some people love their cars or favourite clothes.

I don't see anything wrong with keeping snakes and various other reptiles in an apartment, if they're decently small. I don't think people should be keeping a Burm or a Gila in an apartment.. If it got out it could cause a lot of trouble and harm a lot of people.

yes, I do consider snakes as pets and turtles and lizards and . . . names are optional (i have a garter snake named baby at the moment but two snakes without names) . . . in a way I look at it as the snakes aren't so much kept captive by me as they have me captivated with them . . . they are each unique and have their own personalities. It seems no matter how hard I try to tell other people (mainly non-herpers) that reptiles have personalities that they just don't believe me.

I think it all comes down to what we consider domesticated. Look at a cat or dog, if you didn't feed and water them every day or "pet" them in some manner, would they have anything to do with you? I see farm cats all the time. They look just like my house cats but they've lacked human contact since they were born and therefore are not tame. They hunt for their food in the wild . . . but most people would consider a cat a pet.

My snakes know that I feed them. They don't respond to my husbands handling of them the same way they respond to me. He doesn't feed them or clean their cages or sit on the couch and let them curl into his shirt collar. I do. They are my pets.

So do I think that they should be kept in apartments? Why not? As long as the owner is responsible care giver and treats the animal like a pet and not some object that they own for novel effect. As long as the animal is kept in a secure manner . . . a snake kept in a 40 gal tank is the same in a house or an apartment or on a farm as long as it's in the tank. My only reservation is that not all people who think they should own a reptile really should.

Not trying to offend, just answering a question . . .
e

A pet tears up the furniture, snarls at the mailman, helps itself from my plate when my back is turned, insists on getting its ears scratched when I'm trying to reply to e-mail, walks on my face when I'm trying to sleep, and requires rabies shots.

Fortunately, a small snake or lizard is not a pet. Keep one in an apartment? Yes!!!

Paul Hollander

well! then i guess my 2 dogs and 2 cats are not pets then!
they dont tear the furniture or snarl at the mailman or insist on getting their ears scratches when i'm trying to reply to email or walk on my face when i'm trying to sleep OR require rabies shots! they tend to be very good critters.

and so is this lil fella.

In Friendship
Kyron

oops forgot, they dont help themselves to my plate when my back is turned either.

In Friendship
Kyron

In my opinion, a "pet" is an animal which can recognize and respond to kindness, and consciously give affection in return. In other words, a non-human companion.

Snakes CANNOT do this, no matter how much we may try to anthropomorphize them. They just don't have the mental capacity.

Let's face it, our snakes really couldn't care if we live or die. They are UNABLE to care.

I have always regarded my snakes as "specimens". Yes, I love them very much, but it's different than how I interact with my cats, for example.

Cheers!

Simon

i find this highly questionable. my snake DID care when my other snake died. the two used to try to get at each other through the glass(they were in separate aquariums), but when the other one died my snake just hid all the time for days and wouldnt eat. this happened again very recently when my pet rat died, the snake even tried to attack me, something which has never happened before. it seems to me that although snakes may not care in the same way a human does, that does not mean they are unable to care.

In Friendship
Kyron

i say yes...i love my snakes (i have 2 western ribbon snakes..a common west...and a red striped western) i handle them...feed them..they recognize me and respond to me in a calm manner and rarely bite..however they tag every other person that comes near without warning.

i say if you love it, and it can recognize you as its caretaker then its a pet...i can pet my snakes..stroke them you nake it..they dont mine..my red stripe love to be pet

i say snakes arent just pets they are great pets and do well in apartments because then cause no damge to there surroundings unless kept in an unsuitable home or terrarium.

my snakes are my pets

i agree.

In Friendship
Kyron