What reasons do you give?

[MegF.]

I've had people ask me why I think snakes are such great pets, and what it is about them that attracts people to them. They don't respond like a dog or cat, and they aren't warm and cuddly, but I just love the little suckers!! They are just hypnotic, and so relaxing to be around. What are other people's thoughts on the matter. I'd love to have some real good reason that won't make people look at me cockeyed! :)

[fateamber]

I don't have a reason why, but i know what you mean! When one person found out I had snakes she looked scared, but when i told her they live inmy room, she looked horrified! She also said "but aren't snakes venemous?" lol.
Another time I was talking to my friend, and complaining that I wasn't allowed to get any more snakes, she really couldn't uinderstand why I wanted more. Only one person will listen to me talking about them now, and she has snakes too, most people I know, that don't keep snakes, really don't understand why I keep them.

[Skye]

well, lets see...

they don't bark, I don't have to vacuum up all the fur, my husband isn't allergic to them, I never have to take them out for a walk especially in the rain or snow, they go to sleep for the winter so I can take a break, they don't wake me up in the morning, they don't smell.....I could go on.

But basically, they are just beautiful, fascinating animals.

Skye

[Darin Chappell]

Most people can comprehend the allure of exotic fish in a tank, even if they don't share the desire to have them. I always just make a comparison to that, and that seems to satisfy most people.

[Taceas]

I too know what you mean. Every weekend I see my grandmother, she asks how many snakes I have. Like it changes from week to week. And every time I tell her 25, she gets this horrified look on her face. And ultimately the question is next: "Why?!" The next question is: "Do they run around the house?"

Lets count the ways:
They don't make noise, they don't smell, I don't have to clean up after them everyday, they eat once a week, I clean them out once a week, they stay where they're supposed to, they don't knock over my houseplants, poo on the floor, cough up hairballs, have to go outside in all sorts of weather.

In short, they're very easy pets to deal with. Which is what makes it possible to have such a large number of them in a collection. I can't imagine having to take care of 20+ cats or dogs. It'd be a complete zoo for sure.

[Simon]

I just tell them...
Everything about the snake.

Their feeding habit, their ease of care, being able to handle, no need to take the snake out for poop, just basically everything...including breeding and hatchling and photos~

No need for reasons...I just tell people how much I love them~
haah

[mykal]

My initial response has to do with how easy they are to maintain. Fish require daily feeding, and water maintenance. Dogs and cats require you to be there a lot (daily feeding, walks etc.). Other pets can make a mess out of your home and its contents.
My job (with lots of over-time) often has odd hours and shifts, so I found that a snake fit what I was looking for in a pet. Feeding about once a week, fresh water every couple days, remove poop as it appears.
And I love to play with my snake.:laugh:
Easy as pie.

[nica_chick412]

My reason that I keep snakes is not that they are easy to care for. Don't get me wrong. That is a bonus also. I keep my snakes because I am absolutely in love with them. Some people don't understand that they are individual creatures with likes/dislikes and they have deffinate personalities! I have found a passion with these animals. Almost like they are little kindered spirits:) Holding my snake is almost like taking a sedative. It is like "chicken soup" for the soul. My family are Christian and they tell me that snakes are evil and a symbolic of evil. I simply tell them that reguardless of what they might think that they symbolize.... they are fascinating amazing creatures. And lets face it... All living creatures need companionship, not just the furry cuddly ones. Can I get an AMEN to that?

:bowdown:

[MegF.]

Amen!

[MegF.]

Here's the newest reason. My husband and I had the sad task of putting our 13 1/2 year old Ridgeback to sleep last night. My husband is having a terrible time dealing with it, as Keena was the first pet he's ever had. I gave him C.S. to hold, and he's calmed down quite a bit. Never thought a snake would be a grief therapist, but they are. Very calming influence.

[Taceas]

Meg,

Aww, thats terrible. It happens sometimes I know, but its still terrible to lose any pet thats close to your heart. :cry: Snakes are remarkable animals for sure and for me they have the same tranquilizing qualities that aquarium fish do. They way they move is so natural and peaceful you can't help but be entranced by them.

I've lost my share of pets over the years, and I still think about them now and then. Especially those that you don't know what happened.

Like Rain, my cat of 3 years with the personality of a dog. She would swim in the pool, wade in streams, go hiking with us and then 2 weeks after we move into our rental house..disappeared without a trace.

Or Aspen, the calico I rescued from a coal mine after Rain disappeared, she mysteriously broke her back and pelvis a year to the day after I got her. I found her after 3 days in the barn. When she got x-rays, the vet said she wasn't hit by a car and it looked like someone intentionally snapped her back and crushed her pelvis. I have a pretty good idea who did it, but I can't do anything about it. Thankfully I informed the homeowners of what he was illegally doing on their property and they informed him to never come back. I think it was the friction of he and I that got my cat killed.

When you own pets, you expect early on what might happen. It's just par for the course. =/

[Chip]

I don't really look at my snakes as "pets," but more as specimens. I handle mine minimally, and have had quite a few (asian rats, for example) that were high strung biters. I still enjoyed keeping and breeding them, get thrilled seeing the hatchlings color up (the Okeetees, especially) and nothing compares to the feeling of bringing them to churches and schools to do presentations for children. I figure if only one kid per class grows up to be an adult who wouldn't kill a snake on sight, I've made a difference. And I know my percentage is better than that, because I usually end up selling or giving away at least one snake every presentation (after a talk with parents, of course!)

Oh, and seeing the eggs in the laying box can only be compared to the day you check the incubator to find them being slit open ... it's a special feeling. I also release quite a few into the wild to "give back," and though I question how many survive (it's usually non-feeders and ugly ducklings), I have run across some years later that I feel certain aren't our local "mountian corns."

In a nutshell, it's more scientific fascination than anything near "love" for me. But I suppose I have some attachment, or so many woundn't have names! ;)

[DAND]

I like feeding the snakes the most. It's just amazing that something with no arms, legs or venom (in some cases) can kill and eat something whole. It's like the Discovery channel without commericals. :eats02: :eatsmiley

The cleaning up after them is a close second. I have 4 dogs (2 Akita's, 1 Beagle, 1 Beagle mix) and yard clean up is a job and a half. Not to mention when a snake sheds it doesn't end up all over the house.

The whole waiting for Christmas effect when waiting for eggs to hatch is cool too.:cool:

[gardenmum]

"why in the world would you own a snake?" I refrain from telling anyone except my immediate family that I own 52 of them....LOL. If they think owning one snake is strange I could just imagine if they found out how many I really own.:D

I agree with all the above remarks. They don't shed, they are fairly easy on maintanence, they don't bark of make other unwanted noises, beg to go out and then come in full of mud or shed all over the house (I dearly love my dogs but not the dirt and hair they liberally place on my floors and furniture), they don't dig in my house plants (again, I dearly love my cats - and my ferret that passed away two years ago - but placing large stones in the larger potted plants has become a must!). And I too have always found holding them very calming. Whenever I feel stressed I find that letting one of them - one of the calmer ones that is - slide through my hands is very theraputic indeed. They are so soft and smooth and their movement so carefree. And I also find them fascinating in a scientific way, the way they are made with no arms or legs, the way they move so effortlessly, no hearing and their sense of smell through their tongues. Everything about them is otherworldly and, yet, also not. Truly fascinating.
And I love taking some to schools and such to educate people and make them aware of their uniqueness and necessity on earth. If it touches only a few people and makes them realize that they don't 'need' to kill every snake they happen upon, that is good.

LOL...here's a good story of peoples reaction to snakes! I am the secretary of our Catholic Church and had taken a picture I particularly liked of one of my baby snakes and made a desktop picture for my computer at home and also put it on my computer at work. Wellllll, one day one of the women from my parish came into my office and was talking to me when she suddenly stopped and said in a horrified voice, "Is that what I think it is on your computer screen?" I was confused at the sudden change of topic and looked over at my screen. Yep, that lil' ole snake was happily poised in strike mode, nice and large on the monitor. I simply said, "yes, it's a snake." She was shocked and asked why I had it on the screen. I told her is was a picture of my snake and I liked it there. You should have seen her face. "YOU OWN A SNAKE?" she said. She was so shocked at this that for a split second I was tempted to say " No, I own 52 of them." But, deiciding cute remarks would be badly taken, I nicely said simply yes instead. She then proceeded to tell me that they were evil and Satan was in them and that I should not have anything like that at the Rectory. I proceeded to tell her that they were not evil, that they are a symbol of the temptations given to man and that God created snakes as well as people and God does not and can not create anything EVIL! I did, however, for the sake of peace remove the picture and replace it with a picture I also very much like of the Sacred Heart of Mary - more appropriate for the surroundins I have to admit. (It also helped my descision to do this when I found out the priest I work for is very afraid of snakes).
Well, I hope you enjoyed my little experience as much as I did. My question to all of you is: What do you think they would say if they found out that I get my shipments of my snakes shipped to me at the office.......LOL. One day UPS was dropping off my package and the priest asked what it was because he thought it was a delivery for the church. I simply said it was my delivery and left it at that. He said, OK and the subject was dropped seeing as I get all my packages delivered there not only my snakes.
I can just imagine what would happen if something drastic came up and I were not able to be there for the delivery and my pastor got it and opened it up thinking it was something for the church. Do you think I could be prosecuted for involuntery murder???;)


As a side note, so people don't think I would actually allow my priest to have that happen to him. He doesn't open any deliveries made to the church. If any deliveries are made while I am not there, all are placed in my room for me to take care of the following day. And I only schedule "my" deliveries for when I know I will be there. I just thought it was a funny thought seeing as I find there are soooo many people who are either afraid of snakes or truly think they are the embodiment of Satan.

[MegF.]

Oh boy!! I can see the Holy water being spritzed liberally everywhere if that happened!!

[Tracee]

Because they're different, they're cool to have and easy to look after and I couldn't have my darling puddy cat in my flat :(

And my dog didn't like the taste of ex boyfriend as much as Sir Charles does.

[daveyboy]

The reason we have a snake is because my son loves them. So when people ask why do you have a snake I say in the best liberal voice I can muster. "You wouldn't want me to deprive him of his freedom to choose." They hate it when you use their logic on them. The real reason is because they are COOL and easy to take care of.

Peace,
A fellow Jesus Freak

[galaxip]

Right on, DaveyBOy!