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My mum hates snakes

Skyespirit86

Skyespirit86

New member
I am 22 and still live at home with my mum. I am an animal care student so obviously love animals. We've always kept cats, but in the last few years mum let me get a dog, some guinea pigs and some budgies. I acknowledge I'm really lucky to have these things, but mum is totally against any more pets. Now I'm into snakes, especially corns. I have worked really hard to raise some cash and I have arranged to buy another corn next weekend. I let it slip to mum and she went bonkers.
She says I am manipulative to done this behind her back and that i am not allowed. However she won't give me a reason why I'm not allowed to have one, she just said 'no pets,' so I'm assuming that in her head I am crossing the line of what is 'too many.' But with corns they have become a hobby, I'm not just an irresponsible animal-hoarder. She came up with all kinds of reasons why I'm not coping with my current menagerie such as 'your room's always covered in budgie feathers and sawdust,' and 'How can you afford to take the budgie to the vets, and deflea the dog...' Every single one of those things I had a good answer for. My room is spotless 99% of the time, if you have kept birds you'll know they drop feathers constantly. The guinea pigs are again spotless. I bought some flea treatment and while ago and I paid for my dog's boosters, as well as £100 for a fence to be put round the garden. My budgies need a vet treatment which I paid for, and the guinea pig also went to the vet when I quickly noticed she had a cataract. My current snake is well looked after, and I just can't help thinking that she is against ME having more animals, rather than actually being against having another pet in the house. She has this mental idea of me being a rebellious, irresponsible teenager when in fact I have been doing quite well and have turned into an adult now. And I feel it is my right to get another snake, at my age, I mean how am I supposed to progress with my interests?- whatdyou think?

If anyone has any reasons why you think having another corn snake in the house is a good idea, please tell me. I am compiling a list.
 
I can't afford to move out. I get a small amount of benefits, because I don't work at the moment and other money I earn on top is unreliable.
 
As a fellow animal lover and rescent snake hobbyist myself I can totally understand where you are coming from. It is very hard to just have one kind of pet when you know you want another and know you can most definitely take good care of it. But at the same time you really should take a moment and look at the situation through your mother's eyes. Yes you love all these animals that you have been allowed to bring in but that does not mean she has to love being around them too..You are still living in her house and under her rules. By letting you have all these animals she has done her very best to support you in your passion and to work with you by setting some ground rules in which you are saying you have been following. To her though the amount your currently have is probably all she can handle being around right now. After all she is the one that has to come home to them everyday as well. I really don't think she is saying no to go against you or she would have never let you get as many as you have right now. I'm just guessing she has enough on her dish right now and really doesn't want another pet in the house at the moment. She knows you can take good care of the animals as I am sure it does show.For now though I really think it would just be best to hold off until you can get a place of your own..(then you can have all the snakes ya want..heheh...that's what I had to do)..For now I would say to just try to meet eye to eye with your mom on this one. She really has done so much for you already. (My mother would have never let me have all those pets...lol)...I hope this helps..It may not be what you want to hear..but it just my voice of opinion and reason..
 
The thing is, I completely understand that I cannot just walk all over mum if I'm going to keep her respect, but I want this snake soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo badly. At present I only have one snake- a normal. Wowee. I love her to pieces, but how many corn snake enthusiasts would be happy with that?
The snake I want is quite unusal- a yellow candycane. I won't find another like it readily, and it's the next rung on the ladder for me.
I feel so frustrated, like I would just do anything- ANYTHING......!!!!
 
I can't see any way around this, to be honest. Your mum is supporting your interests more than most would. (I actively encourage my boys' interests in pets, but have to be realistic about how many pets we can support with cover for potential vet bills etc). For example, my youngest who's 16 would love a german shepherd. We've had realistic discussions about how much effort goes into training a puppy, without anyone at home full-time to look after it. To have to say 'no' to him and point out that when we got our 11 yr-old dog I was a stay at home mum has been quite emotional at times, I'd love nothing more than to have a new puppy again, but as he's hoping to go to university and I do shiftwork we've agreed it's not realistic or fair to get a new dog.
While you're under your mum's roof, her rules apply, imo
 
I understand about a dog, having had one since she was young. I would say it would take 100 corn snakes to make the work of one puppy! The thing about corns, is that most of the time, they really are easy.
 
I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but unfortunately I agree with previous posters. Sounds like your Mum's been pretty broad-minded so far, especially if she really does hate snakes. Sadly, it's her house & her rules.

Also, Candycanes should be pure red or orange, with a clean white ground colour - if it has yellow on it, then it must be something else. Is someone making you "really want" an Amel, by putting a fancy name on it? Just thinking that maybe this is a timely opportunity to take a step back and have another look at whether this particular snake is what it claims to be?
 
Maybe I can help....
Tell your mam you understand how she feels, then offer to get rid of one of the pets you already have.
Choose one she likes to sell, and maybe she will relent.
It's a long shot, but no parent likes to see their kids upset when they are being so reasonable.
 
But who wants to actually get rid of a beloved pet? If the mom doesn't see it as a bluff it's all over.

When I lived at home I already had a menagirie of pets, I knew it, my parents knew it. And they REALLY didn't want me getting my first snake. I persisted from about january till april untill my mother finally caved. It's one of those issues you can't push.
 
I hate to tell you, but you ARE acting like a rebellious, irresponsible teenager. You live at home, and you pre-arranged to get another animal without your mom knowing. When your mom put the brakes on, you started arguing with her and pleading saying you want the snake "sooooooooooooooooooooooooo" bad.

You're 22, and aren't working? Are you a full-time student? In my personal opinion, even most full-time students should have a weekend job. It seems like time for you to put "real life" priorities over taking care of more animals.

If you feel it's "right for you to get another snake", then go out, get a job (no matter how crappy it is), save up your money, and move out of your parents house. That way, your parents aren't paying the day-to-day costs of taking care of your animals (water, electricity, food, whatever).
 
After reading all of your responses back from people that really gave great advice, it really does sound like you are stopping your feet and having a temper tantrum.

When I was young I said I wanted an Lizard "parents said no. I said I wanted a bird, parents said no. I wanted a dog Parents said ok but it must live outside. I wanted a horse (my mom had horses), parents said No.

Your mother said "NO"! End of story, you live in her house you should play by her rules.
I grew up, lived on my own, and did lots of research. I mean LOTS of research. Now I have three dogs, two birds and four snakes.

My advice is listen to your mother because she does love you, she supports your needs to have the animals you have and she really does want what is best. The biggest way you can show her that you love her in return is to obey her rules.When you move out and can afford to do what you want, do just that!
 
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