Reptile & Amphibian Forums

got a new roommate and his first question was "why keep snakes?". after keeping several different kinds of animals (dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, etc) i understood his questioning. it isnt like Fluffy brings in the morning paper, Ash doesnt nuzzle me with a cold nose in the morning to wake me up, and ive never heard of a morph that can sit up and beg for food. so what exactly is it about these creatures that make us want to care for them? my only thoughts to give to my roommate (besides 'theyre just cool') was that they are easier to maintain and have very good shock value when revealed to the public. also the fact that everyone has seen the cute little puppy or kitten but lot of people are curious to see a snake kill or eat or just slither around. so my question is this: why do you keep snakes as pets and what (not who)made you decide that you just had to have one (or more)?

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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Texas Tiger Salamander

I think some snakes are very attractive looking with exceptional ones producing beautiful colors and patterns......for me it's their beauty- and relative ease of keeping.

I think if the shock value is what does it for you than they are a bad idea I think that they are a great thing to have and observe and the science side of genetics is and can be fun........

I agree, I actually prefer to NOT show people my snakes. I'm not keeping them to impress anyone in any way. My question to him would be why keep dogs or cats? They hump peoples legs, scratch up furniture, shed all over your stuff, pee on your carpet, chase kids, run into the neighbors yard, crap in the neighbors yard...heck crap in their own yard too(that's fun!), get on your furniture, bark in the middle of the night at absolutely nothing, tear up window screens(cats), scratch up your door to be let back in, lick you in the face after licking their own butts, jump up on people or shove their noses in peoples crotches, crap in houseplants, drink out of the toilets, etc. etc. et cetera! Have you ever watched a dog eat, I don't know anyone that does! How many snakes have you fed and STILL find it fascinating to watch them eat? Ever watch a dog run across a yard(chasing a car, kid, or whatever) and think WOW, how beautiful? But, how amazing is it that an animal with no legs can conquer almost any obstacle with absolute stealth? Snakes are ever intriguing, dogs are in general a pain in the butt! Take care

Why not keep snakes!

I have been trying to explain to my husband what my fascination with snakes is and I just can't put it into words. The things that they do, the ways that they move, the endless colors and physical attributes of their specialized adaptations... evolution! Science!

I have kept snakes ever since I was very young (that is that my dad got me hooked on his hobby). After I moved out of my parents' house, I got my first dog, and kept very busy with life, but I still didn't feel right, because I didn't have a snake in my life! That made me realize the depth of my addiction.

There doesn't have to be a perfectly logical reason for keeping snakes. Keeping any animal happy and healthy can be very rewarding - especially if they are somewhat mild-mannered and can tolerate us in return. That might be the best explanation for why we do this; whoever we are, and for whatever reason we got hooked on this hobby, we find it rewarding!

~Rebecca

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1.1 Ball Pythons (1.0 '05 Ghost, 0.1 '03 Normal)
0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40 lb darling lap dogs)

PBM, perhaps your comments were made tongue-in-cheek for a laugh... or perhaps you've never owned a dog... but if you can't appreciate the beauty of a dog running flat out with all the after-burners kicking in, I feel sorry for you. My snakes are great but watching my Dumerils climb over a branch is nothing like watching my dog's power as he nears light speed!

Feel sorry for me? Okay, if your going to feel sorry for me, do it for this reason. I've met thousands of DOG LOVERS, and I've had the job of putting the needle in their dogs veins to put them down. I would say conservatively we averaged 25 dogs EVERY day, and as many cats! As far as owning dogs, we have 2, and one is extremely fast and powerful, but I see no beauty in his running speed. Why does that bother you? Your opinion is that it's more beautiful to watch a dog run. My opinion is that a snake with NO LEGS cruising through the trees at speeds your dog could never attain in such tight surroundings is beautiful and graceful. I like your remedial task of climbing over a branch as a comparison. Tie your arms and legs up and you climb over the branch. Are you having a hard time finding the amazement in this? Why do YOU have a snake??? I'm getting the feeling that you keep your snake(s) more for shock and awe than anything else. Your upset because I said a snake is more graceful than your dog?????? You can't see this???? Feel sorry for me because I don't have the same opinion as YOU about DOGS? Dogs bark, eat, and poop! That is my opinion of dogs! Please feel sorry for me because we have differing OPINIONS while remembering that YOU are in a REPTILE FORUM. Yeah, there's that dog owner arrogance I've come to know. Take care!

Paul
FLASHBACK-"Hi sir, I need to see your dogs proof of vaccination and registration." "Why?" "Well, your dog got out, and attacked a kid on a bicycle and he is now in the back of the truck" "MY DOG? MY dog would never attack anyone, he's a good dog!"

"Hello doctor, can I ask the 4 year old some questions?" "Yeah, make it quick, we're prepping him for surgery". "Okay, hey little boy, why did YOUR PET BLACK LAB maul YOUR FACE?" "I don't know we were playing in the back yard and he just started biting my face" .....go to speak with parents...."We have to quarantine the dog since it didn't have a rabies tag" "Okay, but are we going to get him back after the quarantine period" "UM....Yeah, you can have the dog that almost killed your son back IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT".........AND THEY DID!!!!!!!!!

We have 6 dogs and other assorted cats and such the largest of which is a 120 pound bloodhound and when he gets in full flight it is a thing to behold but the snakes do the same thing without arms or legs I gotta go with PBM way more amazing .I believe he is not down on dogs just living in the real world of pet ownership and some of the downsides to owning them...

I don't hate dogs, and I really hope that wasn't how it came across. I think snakes are one of the most amazing animals in the world, it's just my personal preference. We all have different taste! Before I worked in animal control, my view of dogs was entirely different. After listening to pure BS from a large number of dog owners, caring for hundreds of strays every day, having to put down thousands of perfectly healthy friendly animals, listening to hundreds of dogs barking 8 hours a day, cleaning up poop 8 hours a day, my opinion was vastly altered. To say the least, coming home after a day at work, the last thing I wanted to see was a dog. It's sort of like the auto body mechanic that drives a piece of crap! The last thing he wants to do when he gets off work, is do the same thing when he gets home. Imagine the sound of 150 dogs inside concrete walls barking ALL DAY LONG.....LOL, barking dogs drive me nuts now!!! Thanks for looking at the bigger picture, take care!

Paul

Wow, you sure write as if you're an angry person... I hope that's just your passion for snakes coming out. As for our opinions, I certainly believe that you're entitled to yours just as I'm entitled to mine.

BUT don't go making assumptions about me because you don't agree with what I said. I keep several snakes, not for awe or shock value, but because, first of all, they're magnificent and fascinating creatures and, secondly, because I regularly present educational programs about snakes to elementary school children. My aim is to have kids appreciate the uniqueness and beauty of these animals, hopefully before they develop that irrational fear that society tends to propagate about snakes.

I've been pretty successful changing people's views and getting them to see snakes in a better light. The only thing I need from such people is an open mind... something which I unfortunately did not appear to get from you. People can like snakes AND dogs... and not denigrate one at the cost of the other.

I like how one person throws out insulting tones and then makes snide comments when they get a deserved reply. You tell me to not make assumption about you, though you make them about me, and go so far as to say you "feel sorry for me"....because I don't see what you see in a dog running??? By the way, that comment is generally taken in a negative light. That's great that you've done education programs, but that doesn't convince me of anything. I've done hundreds of them myself on things such as birds of prey, rhinos, monkeys, reptiles, and YES, even dogs and cats! What does that prove? Nothing! Now, I notice you contribute to this forum very rarely, yet now that you are making a contribution, it is to pump up the pet dog???? Where are you when all the people here are asking questions regarding Dumerils and their care? Are these people not worthy of your "educational programs"? Hop down from the soapbox, you came at me because you think dogs are great, and my opinion differed from yours....then you say I must be an angry person...you replied to me because you were mad that I didn't put dogs on a pedestal. And to say I must not have any dogs...the problem is I've been around TOO MANY dogs and TOO MANY BAD OWNERS! I don't think dogs are bad in general, they are just not for me, just as snakes aren't for everyone. I'm glad you like them, but if you want me to respect your opinions, it would be nice if you could respect mine. We probably don't like the same foods either-is it worth a fight? Take care

Paul

You're right; it's not worth the fight. If I was being snide, it's because I felt you were being hostile.

You're also right about perhaps being around too many bad dog owners. You really do sound bitter (and I'm not saying you don't have a right to be that way, and I'm not trying to be "cute" about it... maybe I'd be like that too if I faced those problems all the time... I just hope that I could find more positives and not be as down on things as you sounded in your first post... again, no insult intended).

As for my not contributing too often, yes, I'm a lurker. I like snakes and I like reading about them, but I feel that my expertise is insufficient to be a major contributor (plus, I don't cruise these forums regularly). True, I've been keeping different kinds of snakes for years but I'm not a breeder and I recognize that there are lots of helpful people on these forums who have better experience and expertise than I can offer. I do what I can, I stay within my realistic bounds and, unless irked, I try not to attack people.

An open mind about dogs???? Sometimes it's not the person being close minded, it's the other person trying to shove something down your throat. Re-read your first reply....If I don't see the blah blah blah....you feel sorry for me! Okay, if you don't see the truth in my statements, I feel sorry for you, because obviously your a very close minded individual because EVERYTHING I mentioned is TRUE! You must admit there are PROS and CONS to dogs. When you give educational programs do you just leave out the bad stuff? That's not educating, that's lying by ommission. Being a responsible pet owner is a huge responsibility, and it is so because many bad things can occur at the hands of an irresponsible pet owner. WHY? Because everything I mentioned can and does happen. I'd love for your educational programs to include data about how often there is a dog attack on a human in this country. Talk about the effects on wildlife caused by stray dogs or feral cat populations. Tell how fast unaltered animals can multiply in a years time. People get all excited about a wild burmese killing native species, but they are all for sterilizing feral cats and then releasing them back into the wild so they can go on to kill native species. Because cats are "domestic". LMAO...HA HA HA HA, ever seen a feral kitten? Let your house cat go, it will breed, and your domestic cats offspring will be feral little spitfires in the first generation! Years of domestication GONE in ONE breeding. Now, when you speak of irrational fear, that is entirely different than bonafide dislike. I wasn't raised by my parents to fear dogs as people are raised fearing snakes. I had my own experience with dogs, and formed my own opinion. This does not translate into irrational fear that you can change if I just have an open mind to YOUR ideas. Nor is it simply a lack of education. I guess I should be more open minded though because I don't like fried green tomatoes either...yeah I've tried them and didn't like them, but I'm sure it's just because I'm not open minded! Get it?

Got it!

Sorry if I've offended you... really. You've got a passionate belief in your viewpoint. It's too bad you're so hostile in putting it across.

Okay, at any time could you reply to me without an insult of any kind? I'm angry, close minded, hostile, what else? I don't recall being vulgur, intentionally insulting, threatening, or anything else to be termed HOSTILE! BUT....let me tell you something that happened TODAY! We are remodeling an add on, so I bring in my 400 dollar saw to work in the add on...well this didn't smell right to my dog I guess, so he PISSED ALL OVER IT! Wow, you were sooooo right, I should open up my mind a little bit and say DOGS ARE WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!! Now, he's an 8 year old dog, and doesn't generally piss in my house, but I guess he thought he should "own" the saw, I can't believe I could've been so blind to the reality of how wonderful dogs are as pets! You were right all along. Now, the appropriate insult to this post would be calling me sarcastic, but maybe it just seems angry or hostile to you. Let me assure you now since my mind has been opened up to your reality, I am so glad I own a dog that can feel free to piss on anything he wants and I'm sure in some way it was all my fault because dogs do no wrong. I will have to bring the dog into the garage from now on and let him piss on my tools out there so I'm safe to bring them into the house. Bye bye!

Ouch, that can't be fun. I'm sorry that happened to you.

No insults, appreciated! The last time this happened was even better. See, I think 2 years ago, maybe 3 we took the family out and cut ourselves down a Christmas tree! Cold, but a nice family event. Well, fast forward to bringing the tree inside and setting it on a stand. As I stand there, the dog walks up to the tree, sniffs it, and right in front of me, hikes up his legs and pisses all over the tree! Oh yeah, this is a neutered dog. Some people would find humor in it, and if you told me it happened to you or someone else I'd laugh too, but it is just one more reason I really don't care for dogs in my house. Take care

Paul

do you still have the dog?
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Texas Tiger Salamander

Yup, but only because i'm outvoted 3-1 wife/kids vs. me