Advice on possibly finding new owner for my two snakes

I'm feeling so sad writing this, as I think about possibly giving up my two snakes. I have a chronic illness and it's been getting worse. I'm beyond exhausted and I forget a lot these days. I've noticed that the level of care I’ve been giving my snakes has slipped. I still take pretty good care of them, because my standards are high, but I can’t stand the idea that it might slip further in the future due to my illness. I can’t stand the idea that they could become sick because I wasn’t taking great care of them. I’ve reluctantly come to the conclusion that it might be better for my snake babies (I call them that, but they are adults) if I found them a new home.

However, I’m not sure how to do that. My husband says I should keep them because I won’t find someone who will take as good care of them as I do. He has a point, in a sense…how do I know how to find a committed pet owner who will keep them for a long time and take great care of them? How do I find someone knowledgeable? How do I find someone in my area? I had been thinking that perhaps I could work with my local reptile rescue to find a dedicated owner, but the only one in my area recently closed.

I would appreciate any ideas you all have. Thanks.

Karoni said:

I'm feeling so sad writing this, as I think about possibly giving up my two snakes. I have a chronic illness and it's been getting worse. I'm beyond exhausted and I forget a lot these days. I've noticed that the level of care I’ve been giving my snakes has slipped. I still take pretty good care of them, because my standards are high, but I can’t stand the idea that it might slip further in the future due to my illness. I can’t stand the idea that they could become sick because I wasn’t taking great care of them. I’ve reluctantly come to the conclusion that it might be better for my snake babies (I call them that, but they are adults) if I found them a new home.

However, I’m not sure how to do that. My husband says I should keep them because I won’t find someone who will take as good care of them as I do. He has a point, in a sense…how do I know how to find a committed pet owner who will keep them for a long time and take great care of them? How do I find someone knowledgeable? How do I find someone in my area? I had been thinking that perhaps I could work with my local reptile rescue to find a dedicated owner, but the only one in my area recently closed.

I would appreciate any ideas you all have. Thanks.

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Hi Karoni. So sorry to hear about your recent & current challenges in terms of your illness and how it is impacting on the quality of your life. However, I also commend you on what you are trying to do, as it is one of the most selfless things to admit and do, especially when it comes to, as you call them, your babies! Your husband has a point and while you may not EVER find someone to take care of them to meet the standards you have kept, I believe you have made the first, but very most important, step in the process of actually deciding on what's the best thing to do for your little sneaky ones! When something of this magnitude occurs in someone's life, in my experience, I believe that it is better to put it out to others who might care, which you're actually DOING, as a way to appropriately RESPOND as opposed to REACT to a relatively serious and adverse situation. After all, this is not a small decision, right? Share it with anyone else in your life who cares about you and in the next few days or weeks (can't put an exact time on something like this), I believe you will be able to make an informed decision in collaboration with those who are close to you and in whose words and values you trust.

In any case, while I don't know you, you will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers! I wish I could offer someone like you more than just mere words and moral support. If there is anything I COULD do, I would, believe that!

Be well, my friend, and feel better!

Thank you for your kind words, axis1!

I'm sorry to hear this. But- I would be so sad without any snakes. Can't your husband help you out, if you want to keep them? It's certainly not hard to care for a cornsnake. Can you ask him? Pets are so important to our health!

I'm so sorry you are at this point. My heart is with you and you have my deepest moral support. I hope your husband can help care for them. I agree that your snakes are important to your health.

To add to the good advice you've already received here, if the time comes that you must rehome your babies, try contacting herpetological societies in your region. Since I don't know where in Virginia you are I won't try to Google them for you, but organizations like that usually are more than willing to help find good homes in cases like yours, often with their own members.

I'm no spring chicken so when I got back into snakes 1.5 years ago, part of the deal was making sure they would be taken care of if they outlived me and my son couldn't take them. That's why I've researched this and know which kinds of people to turn to.

I have one adult snake that is a from a rescue. I love her as dearly as those I've raised from babies. There are homes out there that will cherish your babies and people who will even keep you posted. So if you do need to take that step see if it can be an open adoption where you can get updates and even visit if you are able. Mandy's former owner is out of the picture, but I still update her foster and it is a joy to do so. There really can be two moms

Nanci, thank you. It's funny because the night I got home after writing this message, I was so depressed. I told John about it. He said he would like to help with the snakes because he enjoys them, too. He has a good heart. Unfortunately, he also has ADD and forgets things, so we'll have to see how it works out. These days my brain is so mushy I'll forget to remind him of what he's forgotten.

Thanks, DollysMom! I appreciate your kind words. I belong to the Virginia Herpetological Society. I've never seen anything in any of their publications about pets, but I'll keep them in mind if it comes to that.

I have severe ADHD. I find marking a calendar for the days I'm supposed to feed helps me a lot... because getting to cross off a day on the calendar is enough of a reward to my brain that it means I'm checking the calendar every day.

I use a calendar too. Weekly feedings are easy to remember, but any non 7 day schedule is hard to remember. You could also try setting an alarm on your phone.

I use a calendar as well and I only have three to care for. I also use an app called SnakeKeeper and the website called Iherp.com. Sadly the snakekeeper app is only for iPhones, so if you don't have one that's not an option. If I didn't have the means to track things electronically, I would just have a little notebook where I wrote down the dates and the tasks.

Again, best wishes. Now that you see you are not alone in needing help remembering what to do when, I hope it feels better.

Give it a name!

Hi all. I hope you are feeling relatively fine this morning Karoni. I don't know who "John" is or how he's related (that your hubby?). However, if someone is offering their assistance, maybe Nanci's suggestion is not a bad one, since it IS relatively easy to care for cornsnakes! Whether one has ADD, ADHD, Bipolar, PTSD, or GAD (I have ALL plus was tagged with about four or five MORE!), research & data on pet therapy and the benefit of caring for animals has shown more positive outcomes during the past decade than most new medications have, and WITHOUT the NASTY SIDE-EFFECTS!!!

As long as you provide the basic needs and employ an appropriate degree of sound husbandry for your little sneaky ones, you shouldn't get overwhelmed, ESPECIALLY if you have someone to assist with the cleaning and caring. One of the best reasons for responding intelligently to an adverse situation is because you can become emotionally clouded as a result of an illness or new diagnosis. You seem to be doing well in that regard. I sincerely hope you come to a decision that will be the best for you and yours!

I'm using the tracker on iHerp.com until my own tracking site is complete (maybe in 5 years or so...LOL) and just leave the dashboard perpetually open on my computer. I refresh it in the morning and it shows which snakes have gone the longest without eating first. You can batch feed a group, so if everyone eats the same day it's very simple and easy to record.

Thanks, everyone! Drangonling, I use iHerp, too. I love that website!