how did you convince your parents, spouse, etc?

[bball4life]

Hey all I was reading a post about this earlier and wanted to start something like it again. Just a random question. How did you convince your parents or spouse etc. to get a snake?

 

[Mary-Beth]

It was easy. My husband did something extremely stupid. After I was sure we weren't getting divorced, I told him I was going to get that snake I'd been wanting since I was eight. He happily obliged.

 

[bball4life]

Thats a good idea get them to do something wrong first then use it to your advantage haha

 

[Jynx]

When I got my first snake, I just hid it from my mother.

 

[TrpnBils]

Did 6-7 months of research without my parents knowing (I was at college about 4 of those months, which made it easier). Then the weekend before I got the snake, I went home. I knew how I was going to modify the lid for my aquarium so that the snake wouldn't get out, and I figured I'd wait til my parents left to work on it in the garage. So my parents were going to the mall on Friday night, and as soon as they left, I went to the garage to start working. About 10 minutes later I saw headlights in the driveway, the garage door opened, and my parents went to pull the car in. The roads had been too snowy for them to go anywhere.

So that's how they found out :laugh:

 

[cornmorphs]

i did a lot of research too. then asked my parents for some time. oneday they picked me up from school and we went straight to the reptile shop. i got my 1st little amel, called wayne, turned out 2 years later to be female lol.
my mum was the worst, but after she held wayne she was ok, i think its just a lot of people that havent touched them are scared, once they touch them they often quite like them.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

I am no longer with my last B/F. Why? Well, amongst other things he told me 'you should get rid of those snakes!' I think a spouse/significant other should be accepting of these things. After all you accept his/her little idiosyncrasies and weird hobbies too! If you were already a snake freak when they met you, it's no fair expecting someone to change. In parent's case educating them is key, and it probably pays to be persistent (drive them crazy until they say yes!)

 

[bball4life]

Yeah I am currently working on my mom I already got my dad into it, although its not too hard to get him interested in something all I have to do is show him some how that I am responsible and show him I know all I need to know. But my mom she hates snakes and reptiles, the only animal she actually likes are fish, birds, and sometimes dogs. So it will be hard how do you think I should convince her, my problem is that she is so scared of them. This is what I think I will tell her to convince her: I have researched and know all about them, I will pay for everything with my saved up money, they are easy to take care of ( easier than my birds were), they are not loud like my birds, its not like I am going to ask you to touch the snake, the snake is going to be in my room at all times, if you come in my room I can cover the cage with a towel or a sheet, and the frozen mice will be kept in the garage freezer. What do you think? Anyone who has convinced someone who is afraid of snakes tell me how you did it.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

Hmm...Well it seems like ages ago but...

I've always been fascinated with Reptiles since I was a small child. I would catch Frogs and Toads and bring them into the house at my Dad's; At my Mum's, she let me keep a Five-Lined Skink for a number of years (we found him in the woods).

My first snake was a baby ball python from PetCo when I was 17 and practically living with my then boyfriend. He tolerated my gradually growing collection over the next year until Rich's first 50% off sale when I had shipped in 8 hatchlings. He was by no means pleased and put his foot down on any further additions. I didn't listen.

Today, I am lucky enough to be with someone who is almost as enthusiastic as I am. He enjoys going to reptile shows and maintaining our collection. He's incredibly proud of my knowledge and our collection; shows everyone that comes over. Our tastes in reptiles differ however, but I am tolerant of his Monitors...I figure my 20 cornsnakes compared to his 2 Monitors is a fair trade off.

 

[bball4life]

Also do you think I should ask her over the phone or in person?

 

[Gronk]

My Wife introduced me to the wonderful world of herp keeping....so it's all her fault !

 

[daisy]

I have been driving my husband crazy with my reptile infatuation since almost day one. He thinks they're wierd creatures for pets, since he would give his right *** for a dog. I am allergic to all things furry, and quite frankly don't have the time or patience to actually pay attention to them everyday - you know, walking and feeding and all of that. This is probably closely related to why I don't have children...
Not unlike Mary-Beth, we came to an 'agreement'. I keep my snakes at my office and enjoy them all day, and he goes to his buddy's house to play with his dog.

 

[TrpnBils]

But my mom she hates snakes and reptiles, the only animal she actually likes are fish, birds, and sometimes dogs. So it will be hard how do you think I should convince her, my problem is that she is so scared of them.

Something that's worked for me on several occasions with people like this: Ask them why they're afraid. Ask them to give you a legitimate reason (i.e. not "Because they're gross"), and 9 times out of 10 they can't. I've gotten several of my friends interested in snakes or herps in general this way. It always seems that the people who can't give you an answer are the ones who had the parents that were afraid of snakes, so they were always brought up that way. Once they realize there's physically nothing to be afraid of, they're fine...just don't push them past where they're comfortable.

Side note: There are exceptions. A good friend of mine and I decided around the same time that we wanted snakes. Our parents were the major barrier for both of us and we were both at college at the time (not living at home). My parents are okay with my snakes now, but she hasn't gotten one yet because she says her mom has a very deep hate/fear of snakes, and I recently found out why...

Half of my friend's family is from Brazil, and I've seen pictures of her and her cousins holding the dead body of a huge wild anaconda that had killed the family's dog after it came into their house. Apparently, while her mom was growing up (in Brazil) it was common to have to remove snakes of all sizes from their beds before they went to sleep at night. At one point when she was 12 or so, she was bitten by a Brazilian rattlesnake and barely survived. With an experience like that, I can see being a little freaked out, but again, we're talking about harmless snakes so it's still not a good excuse in my book.

 

[bball4life]

jeez that would traumitize me for life, but thats never happend to my mom. I have asked her why she doesnt like them she just says "they are gross" but thats it. I am going to point out the good points of corn snakes. Another problem was that a couple days ago she saw me looking on the internet researching about corns and she said " Why are you looking at those snakes? Your not getting one" I didnt have anything to say so I said " Yeah I know I just like researching on them" that could have been a bad mistake on my part.

 

[TrpnBils]

At my Mum's, she let me keep a Five-Lined Skink for a number of years (we found him in the woods).

:-offtopic

I didn't see your age before when I read this, I assumed you must be older and this was a story from when you were a kid (long, long ago in a land far, far away...lol). But the fact that you not only found, but were able to capture, a 5-liner in your area is amazing. I only know of a single breeding population around my part of the state, and from what the people that have seen them have told me, they're only found in about an acre of habitat so I'll likely have to work for a photo of one. Nice work

 

[coyote]

Yeah I am currently working on my mom I already got my dad into it, although its not too hard to get him interested in something all I have to do is show him some how that I am responsible and show him I know all I need to know. But my mom she hates snakes and reptiles, the only animal she actually likes are fish, birds, and sometimes dogs. So it will be hard how do you think I should convince her, my problem is that she is so scared of them. This is what I think I will tell her to convince her: I have researched and know all about them, I will pay for everything with my saved up money, they are easy to take care of ( easier than my birds were), they are not loud like my birds, its not like I am going to ask you to touch the snake, the snake is going to be in my room at all times, if you come in my room I can cover the cage with a towel or a sheet, and the frozen mice will be kept in the garage freezer. What do you think? Anyone who has convinced someone who is afraid of snakes tell me how you did it.

I think that the points you listed in your post would be a good place to start.

You could add that they only eat about once a week, only poop about as often, don't have to be taken out for a walk, won't leave hair all over the place etc. Maybe you should introduce the rodents in the freezer part after she softens to the idea of having the snake in the house. Maybe until after she has said yes. You might want to avoid bringing up other scary topics like escapes.

If you have been responsible with your other pets, now is a good time to remind her of that.

Show her pictures of the snakes you want to get. Perhaps its beauty will attract her to the idea.

Bring up the fact that the snake won't be coming from the wild, but will have been born in captivity as its parents and grandparents have. Mention that cornsnakes can be registered just like purebred dogs can be registered (with the AKC).

Also, start the conversation in person. It is often much easier to dismiss people over the phone. That, and you won't be able to show her the beautiful pictures.

Then after having done all this, can you get your father to lobby on your behalf?

 

[bball4life]

Those are some great points. Yeah dont worry I wasnt going to bring up food until she said yes. She will really like the fact that they only need to be fed once every week. Because I know if I get lucky and she starts to ask me questions about them she will definetly say who is going to take care of your snake when we travel and I would say that they only need to be fed once a weak and then she would probably say something like, Well still I dont know. And after she says that I know I am getting one.

 

[BeckyG]

Do you know someone with a snake, or know of a local pet shop so that you could introduce your mom to a snake? Many people can be convinced to change their minds once they actually meet a snake, especially if you show them a tiny little hatchling. Who can resist something so CUTE!!!

 

[bball4life]

No I dont know anybody who has a snake, but there is a reptile shop close to me, but it would be really difficult to get my mom inside there :sidestep:

 

[Lennycorn]

A reply to the origanal post, My daughter made straight "A's" and ask for a snake. Ever since then I been taking care of it and got another.

It make me laugh now when I read a post saying "we got a snake for our kids"
yeah, right. for the kids. Ha! :crazy02: