Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm a highschool student taking a "college-prep" English writing class at the moment called Expository Writing. Our current assignment is a 5-10 page argumentative paper. My choice was why reptiles are good pets. I chose this topic because many of my friends who know I have an 8 foot red-tail and a 3 foot ball python are a little apprehensive at times to come over, and have the wrong idea I think about reptiles in general. I talked with many students in my class asking me what they thought about reptiles as pets, and many of the responses consisted of "ewww they're slimy" or "I can't believe you feed it live mice!" and the list goes on. I am asking anyone out there who would be interested in leaving me some feedback here, why you think reptiles are good pets/what makes them better than others. Also, what are some of the negative responses you have gotten from people who find you have reptiles as pets, any in general, I'm talking about all reptiles. Not leaving any out, not just the big snakes and nile monitors or crocs, but the salamanders, newts, toads and frogs, turles, tortoises-the works! I want to know what everyone thinks here. Obviously the main goal of this paper is to educate anyone who reads it who has the wrong idea about reptiles in general, I want to know the positive AND negative responses everyone has gotten. All of your help will be greatly used and appreciated and when I finish the paper I might just post it on here and let you all know how it went. Thank you for your time and thank anyone again for your help

My main reason for keeping reptiles as pets is that they are not particularly social animals. A dog or cat requires much more then room and food, they require a relationship with you and your attentions. Cats and dogs have subsituted the need for there own kind with humans, a process of domestication which has taken thousands of years. Other social wild animals, can not do this and suffer in captivity. Reptiles don't need human companionship and in most cases don't require the companionship of their own kind either. This makes their captive demands much simpler and easily met.

I'm talking about all reptiles. Not leaving any out, not just the big snakes and nile monitors or crocs, but the salamanders, newts, toads and frogs

I think you might have a problem discussing whether salamanders, newts, toads, and frogs make good reptile pets since they aren't reptiles.

One of the big negatives you should mention is that LARGE numbers of pet reptiles are taken from the wild. Captive breeding is still on the increase, but it isn't the rule yet. Most Ball Pythons, Greensnakes, Gartersnakes that people start out with are still taken from the wild.

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Chris Harrison
Central Texas

Have you ever heard of anyone allergic to reptiles?? A lot of people are allergic to cats and dogs.....
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Jenea

1:3 Eastern Hognose
0:0:1 Florida Redbelly Snake
0:1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle
1:1 Red-eared Slider
2:0 Cats
1:1 Kids
1:0 Spouse

I have known breeders who have developed severe allergies to the rats and mice they used as feeders. I alos know of an individual who had to give up an incredible collection of geckos once, as he developed a severe allergy to crickets.
Reptiles do not produce dander in the same manner as mammals and birds, which is the primary cause fo such allergies

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

np

seem to get alot from the people towards the snakes..The most rediculous negative comment about my snakes was, they are devils like the serpent in the Bible and we should kill them because it says in the Bible that we are supposed to hate snakes..I could even quote the scripture that was thrown at me...Its hard to overcome such ingrained prejudice, especially if its religious.BTW I live in Kansas and that alone should give you an idea of what Im up against.I saw a guy stop his car and back up just so he could squish a snake crossing the road...Dumb*ss, when these same people are overrun with mice and disease they will be want those snakes back.
I would like to say I keep snakes just to piss these idiots off but I dont..I keep them the same reason I keep anything, cause I like them, they are easy to care for, dont bark,shed,get fleas,feed them only once every 10days and I dont have to worry if they are not getting enough attention(like a dog needs)
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There's another reason why reptiles make good pets, besides the non-allergy and convenience factor.

Oddly, it ties into one of the only half-solid argument against reptile pets. Reptiles (especially snakes) can make unideal pets for some due to the fact that they are utterly incorrigible. They don't seek to please their owners, are highly instinctive and solitary, and aside from learning associations, such as this box=food, or this person=warmth, they can't really be trained.

My little kingsnake has attempted to eat me on a few occasions, charged my dad when he was babysitting her and won't hesitate to shake her tail at me when displeased. But she doesn't do it to be a bad pet, but to be a good snake. Her supposedly anti-social behavior is meant to gain her as many meals as possible, and defend herself from danger.

Snakes are incredible in that these utterly incorrigible animals which even captive bred, are a bundle of instincts, can be comfortably, humanely and safely kept by a dedicated novice keeper. These primal little simple creatures are a connection to nature, and utterly fascinating to watch. Seeing my little snake cruise around her cage, flick at a leaf with her tongue or just bask where she chooses, is a true privilege, unrivaled by much that I know.

Hope this helps.
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0.1 chickens (Condor)
0.2 dog mutts (half ownership, only mine when they misbehave, Lucy & Amy)
0.1 Halflinger horse (Crissy)
0.1 Normal phase California Kingsnake (Sophia)
1.1 parents
Still searching for 1.0 WC human

Sounds silly, but from the time I was around ten and brought a DeKays snake home and put it in my parents old milk box and fed him "grass" it has been a way to bring "out there" in here. I loved hanging in the woods and checking stuff out.

I just like nature and stuff and it's a way of appreciating it from indoors.If you dig deep enough some are real individuals that are interesting to interact with. It's nice to be able to go away for a long weekend and not bother freinds to take care of your pet.

I know this sounds kind of out of sorts with your topic but I think I would almost rather they weren't thought of as good pets. They are so mainstream now it sometimes troubles me( haven't quite figured that out) but when I first kept them you were thought to be very odd and I just didn't care. I have also appreciated that they are up front with you mostly unlike people, if they are really hissed they let you know and shame on you. No games.

There's a guy here who has one of those silly crawls after his posts that says "The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes" I'm ashamed of myself, but I know what he means.Sometimes they are a refuge from the stresses of the day as any good hobby can be. Good luck with your project. BobS

Most negative respone: A person I worked with at one time "spread the word" that because I keep reptiles, I must be a satan worshipper.

Most positive: A visitor came to visit my classroom. She took a plush snake and began to make hissing sounds, telling one child that the plush snake was "going to get you(her}". The
3 year-old child looked at her and said, "That's not a real snake. Come on here--this is a real snake." She led the visitor over to our pair of classroom corn snakes. "These are corny snakes. They don't hiss, the babies come out of eggs, and they eat wet mice." A sheepish visitor told me, "I need to learn more about pet snakes."

EDUCATE, educate, educate--and the younger we begin, the better!
By the way, the child is now 8 years old, and last year became the proud keeper of one of the corns' offspring.
regards,
althea