Cant get a snake =[

[CrAzYJoEe]

Hello, my name is Joe. Im 13 years old and I live in New York. I want a snake more than anything in the world.

My mom wont let me get a snake because she is afraid of them. I wanted a cornsnake and I did months of research on them. Now Im trying to get my mom to overcome her fear of snakes, by taking her to petstores and showing her the snakes and I handle them. I also show her all the cages that have locks on them so it cant escape.
I would rather have a cornsnake, but maybe if my mom will let me, I can get a garter snake because they are a lot smaller.

If anyone can help me with my mom, please reply =[

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard!

I think you're already doing the right thing by teaching her about the snakes and how they are kept. There's not much more you can do, besides proving to her that you are able to take care of it and that it can't escape. She needs to get used to the idea of having snakes around and exposure seems to be the only way to deal with fears. I don't suppose you know somebody who keeps snakes and could discuss it with her?

I also know a couple of dirty tricks, but I better keep them to myself. ;) They can backfire so easily.

[CrAzYJoEe]

My cousin has a boa but he doesnt talk to anyone.. I havent heard him speak in like 5 years. So cant really ask him... I was just going to go out and bring home a cornsnake and then my mom would get used to it.. but I dont know what my mom would do...

[Stefan-A]

I wouldn't recommend it. It wouldn't be fair to the snake or your mom.

[Cazador]

Hey Joe,
Welcome to the forum. I think the way to go is to spend a little money and buy a book about taking care of snakes before you bring home a live snake. That way your mom will see you reading about them, and you can share little tidbits that will hopefully comfort her, like garter snakes eat worms, fish, amphibians, and so on... not moms :). Check out Garter and Ribbon Snakes: Facts and Advise on Care and Breeding. It's currently selling for $2.50 plus postage.

Garter and Water Snakes by David Perlowin is even better and is currently selling for $8.95 plus postage.

You can find both books at (http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/misc.php?do=page&template=bestofenglish). I'm sure you'll be very happy with your choice of buying a garter. They're excellent little snakes with friendly dispositions. They're also small, which makes them less threatening to someone who is overcoming a fear of snakes. In the mean time, talk to your mom about taking care of snakes and the interesting little bits you learn. Some people have a visceral fear of them, and seeing them just turns their stomach. Educating your mom about them is the key, and it can only benefit you as well. Cheers,
Rick

[Snaky]

I also got my first snake when I was at home, but that wasn't that easy. Patience is the key.

She might think you're a bit to young to take care of it. Just let her see that you're serious, buy a book. Take her to the pet shop or a local zoo with reptiles. Let her see you're serious about it.

[Thamnophis]

You will have to let her know that you are very serious about getting a snake.
Some reading, like Cazador wrote, will help.
Patience is also an important issue.
And maybe you can visit a zoo in your neighbourhood or someone who keeps snakes together with your mom.

[CrAzYJoEe]

My mom doesnt even let me finish a sentance with the word snake in it. She wont come with me anywhere to see reptiles. I don't know what to do. Ill go get some books today.

[Cazador]

Good for you, Joe. You'll have to take small steps with your mom. It sounds like she's going to be particularily resistant, but I'm sure she'll enjoy seeing you reading. Don't push your mom too fast. Just read in the living room where she can see that you're reading and learning. Small steps, my friend :). She sounds like she will really resist if you push too hard or too fast.
Rick

[Stefan-A]

Well, that was a pretty random post.

[Boots]

I am thinking forum troll myself, but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Guess the next post will tell.

Jason

[abcat1993]

DELETE DELETE DELETE
DELETE DELETE DELETE
DELETE DELETE DELETE
DELETE DELETE DELETE
PS: I had to wait like, two months before I got mine. And it was a spur of the moment type thing. It was under a rock and my dad said yes.

[KITKAT]

Hi There!

As a mom, I do have to see both sides of this issue. Maybe you should "settle" for a Bearded Dragon. Please hear me out...

A Bearded Dragon is a lizard that is VERY VERY TAME if you handle it alot and correctly. They eat calcium dusted crickets and veggies.

*IF* -- and this is a BIG IF -- you can show responsibility for a Bearded Dragon, its cage, its food, its daily care and handling, for a couple of years, while continuing to talk about a pet snake once in awhile... maybe she will be a bit more convinced.

You'll have to make sure that the Dragon never escapes... that the CRICKETS never escape (harder to do!)... that the cage stays clean looking and smelling... and so on.

At the same time, check and see whether there is a local herpetologist society you can join, and learn, learn, learn.

You'll have fun with your Dragon, which may not be so scary for your mom, and eventually she may change her mind.

If not, Hey, it IS her house, and she does have a right to say, "I am afraid of them and that's all there is to discuss."

But in a short five years (more if she is gonna put you up when you attend college), you will have your OWN place, and you can get a snake then.

Five years will seem like a long time to wait, but when you get there and look back, it will seem like a short time. (It's a perspective thing)...

Best of luck!:D

[Cazador]

Sorry to digress, but Stefan... that was the perfect comment. It made me laugh. Now I'm glad I didn't comment earlier.

Jason,
What is a forum troll?
Rick

[Stefan-A]

Sorry to digress, but Stefan... that was the perfect comment. It made me laugh. Now I'm glad I didn't comment earlier.

Jason,
What is a forum troll?
Rick
A forum troll is someone who posts inflammatory comments with the sole purpose of provoking people into a heated debate or forcing the discussion off topic. For example, your question what a forum troll is, would make you a troll if you already knew the answer.

Often the term is incorrectly applied to any dissident on a forum.

[Cazador]

Joe,
You'll have to keep us posted on your progress, okay?
Rick

[CrAzYJoEe]

I cant believe so many people replied. In other forums people just ignore a post like this...

I bought some books about cornsnakes and garter snakes... I read 2 of them already, but my mom hasnt really noticed lol..


Hi There!

As a mom, I do have to see both sides of this issue. Maybe you should "settle" for a Bearded Dragon. Please hear me out...

A Bearded Dragon is a lizard that is VERY VERY TAME if you handle it alot and correctly. They eat calcium dusted crickets and veggies.

*IF* -- and this is a BIG IF -- you can show responsibility for a Bearded Dragon, its cage, its food, its daily care and handling, for a couple of years, while continuing to talk about a pet snake once in awhile... maybe she will be a bit more convinced.

You'll have to make sure that the Dragon never escapes... that the CRICKETS never escape (harder to do!)... that the cage stays clean looking and smelling... and so on.

At the same time, check and see whether there is a local herpetologist society you can join, and learn, learn, learn.

You'll have fun with your Dragon, which may not be so scary for your mom, and eventually she may change her mind.

If not, Hey, it IS her house, and she does have a right to say, "I am afraid of them and that's all there is to discuss."

But in a short five years (more if she is gonna put you up when you attend college), you will have your OWN place, and you can get a snake then.

Five years will seem like a long time to wait, but when you get there and look back, it will seem like a short time. (It's a perspective thing)...

Best of luck!:D
Thanks but I have had some bad experiences with lizards so I dont really want one :P.. I had a few iguanas, and they were fun and cute when they were small. After they got bigger all they did was hurt me. They would whip me with their tail and scratch me with their claws. I would bleed every time... Ill do some reading about Bearded Dragons and maybe Ill get interested.

[Cazador]

I cant believe so many people replied. In other forums people just ignore a post like this...

We have a great group of people here with the common goals of learning as much as we can and helping others. I haven't seen one request for help go unanswered, here.

Another thing you can do to save money is to check out snake books from your local library. I'm skeptical much help they'll be toward caring for snakes, but you'll continue to learn fascinating facts about them. I'd highly recommend Snakes in Question at the same link from before. If it's not available at your library, they can probably borrow it from another library for you.

Another good bit of advise is to always clean up after yourself and never leave your garter snake book lying on the couch after you're done reading for the day. That would be a terrible, terrible thing ;). Seriously, though, don't leave it laying around more than once or twice or it will get annoying and become obvious. Cheers,
Rick

[abcat1993]

Yup, don't want your parents finding out that you actually are reading about pets:eek: :p

[Snaky]

In our zoo you can get a nice explenation about reptiles and the guide let's you touch a snake if you'd like to (not handle). He has a few snakes and not let to many people in, so they do not get stressed to much. Most people have a rather different view on snakes and other reptiles and learn rather much about them at such a small explanation. We also have a reptile zoo with only reptiles, there you also can get a tour with explanation. These where just examples: other people can change your mother's opinion also.

You can always go and visit a (private) breeder, I've always had nice chats with other breeders and they are always helpful with giving information. Of course convincing your mother to go to a breeder is a different thing. But if it's someone in the neighbourhood she might be curious to check it out.

[CrAzYJoEe]

Ive been doing some research, and I think im going to take KitKat's advice. I am going to get a bearded dragon. They seem really cool :P

[abcat1993]

My friend has one but I would rather have a snake. But I have to admit they are cool.

[Elliot]

Good luck with your beardy then! ;)

[abcat1993]

Joe, if you're still on this site, I saw your post on Cornsnakes.com. Apparently you go through a lot of boring animals.

[CrAzYJoEe]

cornsnakes.com? I havent been there in like.. forever o.o

[abcat1993]

But that doesn't prove that you didn't actually mean anything you said.

[Markus18]

for me it was very easy to get a snake!my first one was a thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis!i was 13 but one day she wasnt in the terrarium anymore i searched the snake everywhere but i wasnt found them!i saw the snake never again!then i get a new one with the age of 16 and now i wouldnt miss them.my parents liked the snakes all the time!my father have a aquarium(tank)with fishes since i can remember!and so he had no problem with reptiles.my first snake was from a friend of my father.and my mom say its a nice hobby because its educational.
markus:)

[abcat1993]

None of my relatives LIKE snakes. Some will tolerate them like my dad or my grandpa, but as far as I know ALL the girls on my mom's side HATE snakes. My grandma was even yelling at me to get rid of it.

[Stefan-A]

Same here. I'm the only one who likes snakes. My mom tolerates them, my sister is ok with them as long as they stay in the terrarium and her kids are somewhat interested, but the rest of my relatives all seem to either dislike them or have a genuine phobia.

[abcat1993]

You should see my aunt. If she even looks at a picture of a snake she freaks out. When I first caught my garter I got my mom (who is convinced I'm getting rid of my snake soon) to help me with a prank. We said there was something really cool that she had to see and right when she walked outside, I stuck it in her face and ran away screaming. Maybe this could be another thread.

[Sid]

Don't feel too bad about the lack of interest by others. My wife and I have been married almost 41 years and I only started my collection full time a couple of years ago. Kept them off and on short term for years.
I had a pair of Garters when we married and my wife (who is terrified of snakes) woke up one morning with one under her pillow. Need I say more?

With them now in a room of their on and all in secure encloseres she tolerates it, but by no means likes it.

Sid:cool:

[CrazyHedgehog]

My partner finds them fascinating, my son wanders around with them in the house....and my mum, when she comes to stay, just says that she would expect nothing less as I've always been weird

[Elliot]

My partner finds them fascinating, my son wanders around with them in the house....and my mum, when she comes to stay, just says that she would expect nothing less as I've always been weird

lol

My mom doesn't hate my snake, she tolerates him fine and even likes to watch him if he eats fish, though she won't even look atr pinkies by themselves, especially not in my snakes mout. My dad likes my snake and he'll help if I need to put Neosporin on his his because he rubbed his screen or something like that.

[suzoo]

I am so backward. I love most snakes, and my husband is afraid of them. He's OK with me having them as long as he knows they can't get loose. Which was a serious problem with some Northern Ringnecks (Hoodinis)... another story.
Good luck with the Bearded, and I hope you can get a snake before too long!