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Controversial Topic: Re-Homing

R

Roy Munson

New member
Well, maybe it's not THAT controversial, but it could be an interesting discussion. In my "Handling Health Problems" thread there was some passionate talk concerning our obligations toward the snakes in our care. I'd like to limit this discussion to snakes that were acquired with the intention of keeping them long-term (if not forever), though there could be some overlap of ideas concerning the sales of the hatchlings we produce. Is re-homing a responsible practice? Are all reasons for re-homing justified?

In the "Handling Health Problems" thread there were comparisons made between reptiles and mammals-- dogs and cats in particular. I've known a few "novelty addicts" in my time who are passionate about a dog or cat or specific breed of either, only to tire of them, get rid of them, and acquire the next obsession. Then the cycle is repeated. This practice doesn't seem right to me, but snakes do not form the same relationships with their keepers as dogs or cats do. If you're bored with your snow corn, and space is limited, is it ok to re-home that snake so you can pick up a shiny new butter, or boa, or whatever?

Answers may differ between pet keepers and breeders. As a breeder, I've re-homed MANY juvie and adult snakes that no longer fit my breeding plans. Is this more acceptable than re-homing because you're bored with a snake? Some may say: "as long as it goes to a good home, it's ok". But realistically, do we usually KNOW that the new owner's going to provide decent care? I'd say that we don't. I just sold an '06 lav-mot male to a local guy the other day, and I don't know him from Adam. The snake may be dead by now for all I know.

So give me your opinions. And this thread isn't for people who've owned Snookums for 3 weeks and know he's going to live happily with them forever and ever. I'd rather the replies were limited to people who've already had to pose the question to themselves at some point...
 
Great thead!
As far as my snakes, virtually ALL of them except Beacon were either purchased or produced with the idea of keeping them forever. Beacon is an 06 bloodred female that I got to test breed a trio of striped possible bloodred males to. And there is an 05 bloodred female I am hopefully getting next week so that the test-breeding process for those 3 boys goes a bit faster. Next summer I intend to sell both girls. I hope it is to members of this forum, because then I would feel that they are going to a good home and I will be treated to pics once in awhile. I also have a tailess creamsicle that I want to rehome this year, as a pet. She hatched out with a shortened tail and a "knob" that fell off with the first shed. I should have culled it but it seemed healthy otherwise and I just couldnt. I am tempted to get rid of her through Craigslist...but I'm not sure I want to do that.

I think that since a snake can't "love you back" and has no attachment to its owner, that rehoming is fine. As long as you don't knowingly give the animal to someone you know is going to neglect or abuse it.
 
starsevol said:
Great thead!
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Thanks Beth. But I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed. When I saw that you replied, I fully expected some "Rupert" tactics. :grin01: ;)

I think that since a snake can't "love you back" and has no attachment to its owner, that rehoming is fine. As long as you don't knowingly give the animal to someone you know is going to neglect or abuse it.
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Well, at least I can be confident that the ones I re-home to you will be cared for as well as they are now, and maybe even better. :)
 
"Rupert tactics" LOL!!!
I was tryin' to be discreet :)

The other 2 adults are definately "til death do us part" snakies though :)
 
I don't think there is anything wrong with rehoming if your circumstances or plans change. This is a topic I have struggled with for awhile.
I did not necessarily aquire all of my snakes with the intentions of forever, but most I did intend to keep and eventually breed. I have rehomed/sold a number of hatchling/juvi corns and they are definitely easier than the ones you have seen through all the difficulties.
Things have changed, including the state I live in, that make breeding corns less possible for me.
With close to 40 snakes they don't all get '1on1' attention. I would really like to place most of them in either pet homes, or where they would actually be part of a breeding program. I admit that I would also like to continue in the hobby just take it in a different direction.
It has been difficult for me to actually make the move because I don't want them to end up with some 10 yr old kid who is clueless and whose parents have no interest to take up the slack, or as mentioned, with someone who is just in a novelty phase. I would probably give them away if I found someone I knew would appreciate them.
 
I don’t know how far you can take your responsibility to each animal. Every animal I sell comes attached with a care sheet and unlimited advice for the asking. Beyond that I don’t think I can or should worry about the welfare of the animal once it has left my control. That said, I would not sell a snake to someone that is known to neglect their animals.

I don’t know that I have ever owned an animal with the “till death do us part” attitude. I have a couple of normal corns that my son bought that are 15 years old and I guess I’ll keep them till they die but I didn’t take them on with that idea in mind. I have bought babies for their genes and then changed my plans and sold them 2 or 3 years later. I have sold or given away retired breeders for pets. I don’t think I have violated and trusts between the snakes and myself.

Am I reading your question right Dean? I'm confused again!
 
Roy Munson said:
Well, maybe it's not THAT controversial, but it could be an interesting discussion. In my "Handling Health Problems" thread there was some passionate talk concerning our obligations toward the snakes in our care. I'd like to limit this discussion to snakes that were acquired with the intention of keeping them long-term (if not forever), though there could be some overlap of ideas concerning the sales of the hatchlings we produce. Is re-homing a responsible practice? Are all reasons for re-homing justified?
Click to expand...

No-one can keep an infinite amount of snakes, and while I have more than enough space, time, and money to keep all that I have at the moment plus more, I want to ensure that in the future I can move forward and continue to breed from the best I have (which I assume will be the offspring of the snakes I have at the moment, since I am aiming to improve on them). I don't want to open up the potential for a situation where I have too many and I am unable to give them all the attention and love they get now. It's not wrong or bad - it's just how selective breeding in any species tends to work. Surely it's a better situation then continually mating the same pair year on year just to sell on the offspring as some people do, or using a snake that isn't going to make a huge contribution to the genepool in future just because it's the only one you've got?

If I use a wonderful male in breeding, and produce an even better son, then logic says that the father is not the best choice for stud use anymore - the son is. So I can either keep the father (potentially limiting my choices for other keepers and so stopping my breeding program moving forward, or dividing my time among more animals than I'd like), or I can rehome him. Now, although I personally may have produced a son that replaces him in the breeding pen, that doesn't lessen the quality of this snake any, so he may well become a valued stud in another snake owner's hands. Or he might go to be someone's pet - many people prefer established adults to babies. So how could rehoming him to a good home be wrong?

I also feel that you can buy a snake, and have it not turn out as expected. For example, I sold a lavender girl not that long ago. I'd bought her as a potential breeding snake, but by a year old I had decided I wouldn't breed from her. She was sweet, and she did feed - but her feeding response was poor compared to other females I had, so obviously I wasn't going to breed from her. Would I have been better raising her here for a few more years? I just don't think so - she went to someone who was aware of her feeding niggles, so they have gone into it eyes open. I feel if a breeder never has to discount any of their animals from breeding then they're obviously looking at their stock through rose-tinted glasses which makes me nervous of other claims they make about their animals!


Personally, I find the practice of buying snakes (or lizards, or anything really), keeping them for several weeks, and selling them on to be horrible. There are several people I've known do this, just basically flipping animals from one place to another, and whether or not they've bought from me in the past they certainly won't be getting any of my babies in the future.

I don't mind rehoming animals, but it has to come off the back of sensible and guided decisions on purchasing or keeping animals in the first place. Individuals who are constantly buying and selling really need to sit down and think about what they're doing and why before they do it.
 
I also think this is a great thread, as I posed a question of what should I do with a rehome snake that I just got. I enjoy my snakes and I like caring for them.

My problem with this little guy is I really don't want a snake that is nippy. I know that I should expect this in some situations, I am not nieve to the fact that they may bite. I am not thinking of rehoming the snake because he nips or bites once or ever so often. But what about every time I try to handle.... He is a cross and I would have no desire to breed him. So why not get him healthy find out if he is nippy because he is not completely healthy and if he is still nippy rehome him to someone that doesn't mind a nippy snake?

I don't know, just something I am dealing with. I figure for me personally, if I am not having fun with the hobby or the particular snake, then I would rather have them out of the house to someone that would enjoy them.

I have done a lot of different types of "rescue" or rehoming and I have noticed a pattern, most people that decide that they no longer want the animal, will most certianly drop the quality of care that is given to the animal. They may not realize it, but they do. I am speaking of the average pet owner, not enthusiast that realize the animal is more then they can handle or something they don't want in their breeding program.
 
I'm married to my snakes. Although if someone wants an Eastern hoggy with a seemingly-incurable abcess, who hasn't voluntarily eaten in a year and a half, I'll start divorce proceedings this second...
 
toyah said:
If I use a wonderful male in breeding, and produce an even better son, then logic says that the father is not the best choice for stud use anymore - the son is. So I can either keep the father (potentially limiting my choices for other keepers and so stopping my breeding program moving forward, or dividing my time among more animals than I'd like), or I can rehome him. Now, although I personally may have produced a son that replaces him in the breeding pen, that doesn't lessen the quality of this snake any, so he may well become a valued stud in another snake owner's hands. Or he might go to be someone's pet - many people prefer established adults to babies. So how could rehoming him to a good home be wrong?
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That's what Sean at VMS does. His cast-off triple het proven breeder is my prize speculation snake! Might breed him, might not, but at least he has the genes and I know he "works."
 
You've been feeling very controversial recently, haven't you?

I am currently working to re-home (or sell, if you prefer) a male anery with hets. As it turns out, I picked up another boy to replace him that is homozygous, and don't need him. I see no problem with him having another home.

When I leave my cat for a week, she cries the entire time, and won't come out from under my bed. My snakes don't really care where the food comes from, as long as the mice are plentiful. Because of this, I would feel much 'guiltier' if I had to rehome my cat, than rehoming a snake.

When I've bought snakes, I'll occasionally update the original owner about how they're doing, especially if they ask me too. I think that you can screen a person by asking them questions about husbandry and such. However, if you REALLY worry about the health of the snake after it's rehomed, it's not that hard to e-mail them a couple months later and ask how the animal is doing. :shrugs: This isn't the most practical option (everyone is busy), but it's up to the individual to decide if it's worth it to them.
 
Just as in my board, i'm thinking about rehoming my two youngest corn snakes. It's not that i'm bored of them, or that I don't like them. It's just that my interests have expanded and i'm looking into other species. You have a point about not knowing whether our snakes will have a good home, or if the owner is at all responsible. It's just that my space for reptiles is limited. I'd love to keep as many snakes as I could, and if I could keep my two corns and still acquire more boas or pythons, I would.
 
NOTE- I did not read this whole thread,

But in my opinion, Rehoming with snakes is perfectly acceptable, They do not care who they live with, or where they live, aslong as there basic needs are met then they are "Happy".. they do not get emotionally attached to us.. we are just there to feed them and clean up after them, nothing more.
 
Seems like all who posted so far, have no problem rehoming snakes.
I can't see way it would be an issue. Am I missing something here?.
If a neclectful owner rehomes a snake thats better than letting it shrivels up and die.
 
If I get bored of them I just let them go back into their natural environment. Miami phase corns are let go in Miami, Okeetee corns are let go in Jasper County, Lava Corns are put back into lava, Butters are returned to the dairy section in my local grocery store, and so on......




To answer the question in a more serious manner. I really don't see the problem with moving snakes to a different place. I have my share of 'forever' animals that are personal pets for one reason or another but most of them are breeders. They get great care and I do not mistreat them because they are not 'forever' animals...they just don't get the nice fancy display cages and I don't get upset when they go to a new home.
 
I think there is also a division between pet owners, hobbyists and breeders.

In my mind, the pet owner would never voluntarily give up their snake(s). They love them and consider them part of the family with a responsibility to care for them for their natural life term. Hobbyists typically dabble in things, maybe corns for now, maybe getting into boids down the road. Space, time and money aren't limitless, so there is less of a feeling of obligation to keep those animals "forever" and more of an interest in keeping the animals that an individual is passionate about. Interests change, I've seen it on here with people getting out of corns and into boids. Breeders are in business. They produce offspring to sell and they sell the adults that they no longer need or want to produce future clutches. There isn't so much of an emotional attachment as a financial one.

I feel like I fall into all three categories in differing ways. I have a few snakes that I couldn't be parted from for all the tea in China. On the other hand, I've sold off most of my non-corns because I'm not going to feed mouths that I don't plan to breed. I don't have tons of room or money. I'm not interested in breeding KSB's or hoggies, so I let them go to what I hope are good homes. I still like them as a species, but have shifted my efforts into corns, some rare ratsnakes, hybrids and possibly a few kings. Then I have some corns that I have been selling off to further my business of breeding and selling. I am in this to make a little cash, but mostly to produce quality animals.

As much as I like the idea of keeping an animal until it's natural death, reality dictates that with my snakes, that probably won't be the case for all of them.
 
Well...I'm another one that just doesn't see it as a problem. Also like the others, I would feel differently about an animal that has the ability to bond with me like my cockatiel, or a dog or cat, or something.

My first corn, I bought actually for my daughter. When she moves out, she will have the option to take Sammy Snake(changed the spelling, when I found she was a he...;) ) or leave him with me. Either way is fine, but he will be part of our family "til death do us part". My boa, Simon, is strictly a pet. He will be my snake 'til one of us dies. Soleil, my hypo Florida king will always be mine, and most likely, so will Luna, my MBK, and Sierra my butter motley. All of these snakes were purchased because I really, really liked them, not solely for their genetics(though I am quite happy with some of their genetics as well).

The rest of my collection, thus far, were bought with the intention of breeding them. It is only logical that as I breed offspring that are better suited to my desires for breeding, I will retire the adults and rehome them...most likely for a bit of cash, if I play my cards right.

I think it is part of the equation of breeding. I believe that ultimately, the goal in my breeding is to "perfect" whatever genes or combinations I am working with. As I obtain a higher quality stock, I will pass along my adults for others to use for their own breedings or keep as pets.
 
This is something I have thought about quite a lot and from a personal point of view, when I buy an animal it is here to stay. I feel that, as a pet keeper, I make a committment to that animal when I make the purchase. My committment to my animals doesn't change, regardless of how they perceive me.

I can see the need for selling on snakes for breeders and those who are deal with animals for business reasons. For pet keepers like myself, I dislike the thought of selling on one of my animals so I can have something a bit shinier. I chose them for personal reasons and I would only rehome them if my circumstances forced me to.
 
I agree with the general tone of the thread: A rehomed Corn is better than a neglected/abused/dead Corn.

I've taken on several rescues or rehomes over the years. If they survive (and my most recent rescue didn't) and I get them a clean bill of health, then I pass them on. Rehomes/rescues don't arrive with the thought that I'll keep them. Although I'm sure if one of them bats their eyelashes at me the right way, I'll be as much of a sucker as the next person!

The Corns I choose and buy for myself, I buy with the intention of giving them a home for life. However, I won't beat myself up if I do find that future circumstances mean that some or all of them need to be rehomed. It'd break my heart, but the main consideration has to be their welfare and not my finer feelings. You never know what life has in store for you, and sometimes there will just be more important considerations than pets.

I went though a bout of intense Chronic Fatigue Syndrome a while back, and in the depths of depression I did give two of my Corns away to someone I knew to be reliable. I was feeling overwhelmed and needed to have a more managable number of snakes. It wasn't something that I decided on lightly and I did spend weeks wondering if it was the right thing to do. But I don't believe I ever actually neglected them and I take some comfort in knowing that I was aware enough to take preventative action.
 
I'm a sucker for re homing! I've got snakes from Dean, Carol, Joni, Chris Olson, Michelle,Stephen,& several others.:cool: Just add a new rack, some fresh blood to infuse with my collection.:shrugs:
There are times that I sell some of my breeding stock to make room for other projects & interests. These are generally sold locally to some of my best customers. I've seen many of their collections in person and I'm confident that they are receiving proper care.
The few that are sold to people that I don't personally know, I can only hope the best.:shrugs:
 
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