Reptiles and Relationships?

[infernalis]

I thought this would make an interesting topic.

Has your love of reptiles affected your personal life? good or bad..

did you meet your spouse at a reptile show? or been divorced because you liked a snake better than the spouse?

Ever been "spoken to" as you were late for work just because your snake got loose?

Ever have a date turn bad when the subject of snakes came up over dinner?

Ever have dinner ruined by a phone call from a Punic stricken baby sitter who just accidentally walked into your snake room?

ever say "wanna see my snakes" as a "come on" line?

There has to be some stories..... care to share??

[Snake lover 3-25]

wow you're full of great topics!!!!!

hmmmm... the only thing that they've done to my personal life is made me realize that some people are jerks and i just so happened to be friends with them!!!!:eek: they also made me get an extra friend or three!!!! so it all evens out in the end!!!!:D:D:D:D

[Stefan-A]

I thought this would make an interesting topic.

Has your love of reptiles affected your personal life? good or bad..
Yes. Both.


did you meet your spouse at a reptile show? or been divorced because you liked a snake better than the spouse?
No.


Ever been "spoken to" as you were late for work just because your snake got loose?
No.


Ever have a date turn bad when the subject of snakes came up over dinner?
No.


Ever have dinner ruined by a phone call from a Punic stricken baby sitter who just accidentally walked into your snake room?
No.


ever say "wanna see my snakes" as a "come on" line?
Never seriously.


There has to be some stories..... care to share??
Not really. :D

[anji1971]

Stefan, that was an awfully long post to just answer "No.":D:D

I haven't had any problems............yet. But my husband is constantly asking "So just how many snakes are you planning on having, anyway???" as he rolls his eyes and sighs.
I don't know how far his limits go, so I'll have to wait and see.;)

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol anji!!!!! i wouldn't push him too far over that ledge........

[infernalis]

What a tease Stefan!:D

[Zephyr]

Uh... The girls who come over always want to hold my snakes. XD
Fatty was quite the she-pimp last night. Had like 5 girls wanting to hold her. XD
OMG.
I forgot one of my Scooty stories! XD
So one day a few years ago my neighbor's cousin was over, and I kinda had a crush on her. So she wanted to hold my garter snake, so I brought Scooty to her. After a while of holding him he kinda settled down while we were talking. The next thing you know... He's gone and nuzzled himself into the right cup of her bra!!! XDDD
So of course she's freaking out and wanted me to be the hero. :D
And you can go from there.

[SpyrotheGartersnake]

how reptiles affected my relationship is that they make me feel reliieved from stress , help me make friends, and help me realize how people can be big jerks for abusing reptiles

[infernalis]

how reptiles affected my relationship is that they make me feel reliieved from stress , help me make friends, and help me realize how people can be big jerks for abusing reptiles


Ahmen to that!!!!:D

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

hahahahaha

Uh... The girls who come over always want to hold my snakes. XD
Fatty was quite the she-pimp last night. Had like 5 girls wanting to hold her. XD
OMG.
I forgot one of my Scooty stories! XD
So one day a few years ago my neighbor's cousin was over, and I kinda had a crush on her. So she wanted to hold my garter snake, so I brought Scooty to her. After a while of holding him he kinda settled down while we were talking. The next thing you know... He's gone and nuzzled himself into the right cup of her bra!!! XDDD
So of course she's freaking out and wanted me to be the hero. :D
And you can go from there.

[big J]

over the past few couple of years me and my wife have put together a pretty decent collection of reptiles, fish, animals in general. I now know how much i don't like dogs and cats as pets ( no offence to you dog and cat people out there), my 4 year old loves every minute of it, and my wife now thinks i'm nuts(as if she didn't before). I have gained about a million friends and joined the local herpotology society. Anyway I think i have found something that will stick with me for the rest of my life

[Lumpy]

Other than the fact that my Dad wouldn't step foot in my house if he knew I had a snake, I'm good. :)

Lump

[adamanteus]

I've been around reptiles pretty much all my life, but I can't say that they have effected my close personal relationships one way or the other.
I've met some nice people along the way..... and some less nice too.

[drache]

it's definitely good for my relationship with my daughter

[dashnu]

it's definitely good for my relationship with my daughter

I second this, it has been a huge thing for my two daughters and I.

On another note my livingroom has 2 ball pythons 3 easter garters 2 northern ringnecks two easter milk a leapord gecko and a green anole in it.. If I ever get another date in my old age the poor girl that comes over to my house may very well walk out the second she walks in :eek:

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Reptiles don't affect my personal life... they shape it. Reptile shows are a must, even my boss knows that if tehre is a reptile show nearby I will not be working no matter what!! As for the relationship aspect, the first time eddie met me, it was new years eve. We had a party and invited some people in the area (including his family, they live a 30 second drive from my house) and he decided for some odd reason (hearing from his little sis there was a nice girl that lived there) to leave a party in the city to come to my house. Well, I was very drunk, and when he came in the door the first thing I said after HI was... hey come here i want to show you something REAL COOL! so here i am after many shots of rum, showing this guy ive known for 5 minutes my huge collection of what was then only about 30 snakes. I thought for sure that he thought i was a basketcase. After that we went into the basement and played pool and i shamed him by beating him when he was sober. We have been together every day ever since ;)

but he always beats me in pool now :mad:

My family, honstly, before me, had not a clue about reptiles. Alls I did between the age of 10 and 14 was read snake books! I wanted a california kingsnake and it took me 4 years to convince my mom to be in the same house as a snake. "hey, this little guy isnt so bad shannon"

and the collection has grown ever since. My family friends and everyone else in my life fully respects my addiction to snakes, and I simply do not cross well at all with people that hate snakes. "why do you hate snakes?" I say?

Usually, i get a childish response like, they are evil and slimy. I do understand that some people have a legit, uncontrollable fear of snakes. And I respect it.

[infernalis]

Shannon, That was VERY cool.. awesome in fact and thank you for sharing it.

Brett - Trust me, if this old crank can find a lizardlovinbabe (sorry Shannon, had to) at 41 (44 now, and she is just as excited when a new snake arrives as I am now) you still have PLENTY of dates ahead of you.

I'll write the novel later...

[Jenlang_79]

When I first started dating Scott(before we had kids) we went to a cabin together with some mutual friends. There were so many frogs there so I would catch them every once in a while and bring them in the cabin..a few of my friends were afraid of them so I let like five of them loose in the morning..it was funny..anyways..they called me frog girl for a long time after that!! Scott thought I was a little weird but he still wanted to get to know me (risk taker!!) Now Scott and I have two kids together and someday we will get married(seems like we are anyway). He threatens to leave me if I get another pet all the time..lol!!,...but I usually find a way to get him to forgive..he can't resist my charms..lol!!:-)
My girls love reptiles and I think the most fun they ever have is when we go herping together...I need to find the herping society local around here..I would love to join it!!
My Mom is funny..she is sooo afraid of snakes so she won't step foot in my house...that is ok cuz we usually have dinner at her place.

[infernalis]

My mom once placed a gravid female garter in a wicker hamper, Mom was a child at the time, 1953 or something like that.

The snake gave birth, the babies fit through the weave, and my Grandmother went ballistic.

Both Grams and my Mom are passed on now, that story had been told to me many times over the years.

So my passion for these animals may be a genetic thing:D

Then last week, I read about someone here with a wicker hamper story, I immediately thought of my mom.

Mom was very helpful when we started out with Xena, and she helped with Xenas mate Speedy, unfortunatly Mom passed away about 8 weeks before any babies were born.

[Tori]

How reptiles have shaped my life....

Well, we don't have any company come over for some reason. I will never have to worry about my brother coming to visit and wanting to stay over (he's terrified of snakes). He can be very annoying sometimes and I don't get along with his wife, so no loss there. My son caught a garter to send to me and discovered that not all snakes have nasty tempers, he was amazed at how calm it was, not like his big pythons at all. May have made a convert there. Maybe now he will stop rolling his eyes when I talk about them. They are too REAL snakes. Snakes aren't "pushy" like cats or attention hungry like dogs, I may never have a "normal" pet again. My boss likes to leave little notes to annoy me like "lizards have bad breath" or "snakes are evil", but he is just trying to get a rise out of me. Kind of like the rubber rat I keep finding everywhere at work, can't convince him I have a freezer full of real ones, why would I be afraid of a rubber one? I never realized how many people are afraid of reptiles before!

[Stefan-A]

I might as well open up here in this thread.

So, today is Midsummer (Midsummer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer)) and we're going to get together with some of my relatives later this evening. The problem is, that since I give a crap about snakes, a lot of people will be bragging to me about how many snakes they've killed recently. Of all my relatives, I think only one other person doesn't hate snakes and that's my 5-year old niece. So this entire evening is going to be a gigantic pain in the arse, but apparently my presence is appreciated by my grandfather (also snake hater) and I don't feel like disappointing him. So snakes have made my relationship to my relatives a bit more complicated.

[adamanteus]

It's difficult when people try to 'get to you' in that way, just because they know you care about something. People can be very hurtful.
I guess it will be hard to keep the conversation off the topic of snakes?

[Stefan-A]

It's difficult when people try to 'get to you' in that way, just because they know you care about something. People can be very hurtful.
I guess it will be hard to keep the conversation off the topic of snakes?
Yeah, they tend to bring it up at every opportunity. I haven't quite decided yet if I'm going to be passive and just try to ignore it, be defensive or if I should insult them at every opportunity. I feel like burning a couple of bridges today, I can tell you that.

[adamanteus]

Will you have an ally? Any other family members appreciate snakes?

[infernalis]

What?? A peek into Stefan's life....:D

Good luck at the gathering, try not to kill anyone.

"I feel like burning a couple of bridges today, I can tell you that."

[Stefan-A]

Will you have an ally? Any other family members appreciate snakes?
Nope. Not one.

[adamanteus]

Well, I'll be 'rooting for you'... I'll be there in spirit at least!:D

[Gijs & Sabine]

That must be terrible to be all alone in your snakeworld, Stefan :eek:

I have a nice, juicy story :D......

It began a bit more that 8 years ago, and by that time I only had 1 female eastern. One day my parents went to a gardencentre (you know, a big shop where they sell all things for your garden and there was a big animal branch as well) So they recently opened up a new aquariumwall AND.....a small reptile corner as well !! My parents told the salesman that their doughter had a gartersnake and asked him about some advise (I don't know why, because I already had my garter for 2 years :p) But the salesman start to talk and talk about his own experiences because he had a group of garters himself. He actualy got so enthusiastic, he told my parents that I should come to his place to see his group.
When my folks got back they were very excited and told me they've spoken to a guy who also has garters and that I should visit him. So the same evening I called him and I was invited right away !!

To make it all clear to you all, the name of the salesman is.....Gijs !!!
And we've got married in april this year !!

So did reptiles have affected my personal live ??
I think it did......my parents brought me the man of my live :D

[adamanteus]

That's lovely, Sabine:).... I must get a job in a Garden Centre!:rolleyes:

[Snake lover 3-25]

awwww that's so cute!!!!:D:D:D:D

[Stefan-A]

That must be terrible to be all alone in your snakeworld, Stefan :eek:
Yeah, that's the main reason why I didn't get a snake until a few years ago.

[Gijs & Sabine]

That's lovely, Sabine:).... I must get a job in a Garden Centre!:rolleyes:

Hahahaaa, you're too funny, James :D

[Gijs & Sabine]

Yeah, that's the main reason why I didn't get a snake until a few years ago.

And probebly also the reason why there are so few garters available there :(
You must move to closer to Holland :D

[adamanteus]

I think this kind of attitude is why I don't make it widely known that I keep snakes. Even visitors to the house don't know they are there. I prefer to simply avoid the prejudice and preconceptions you encounter when people find out what you do.

[Stefan-A]

You must move to closer to Holland :D

Let Holland move closer to me. :D

[adamanteus]

Stefan, you always make me laugh!:D

[Lori P]

Stefan, I can soooo relate to you! For me it's been a life time of doing animal rescue-- so not just specifically a snake thing-- but my family never got it, never understood that this is not just a hobby for me, it's a passion. Our family get-togethers used to turn into nothing but questions about what kind of animal I had now, and then plenty of useless suggestions and snide comments thrown in here and there. Most of it was about how I needed to get a "real" life.

I finally stopped responding to any animal questions or comments. Just gave them blank stares and changed the subject. And then the first time I had a tv interview and a front page newspaper article-- and Animal Planet called wanting to come do a show about our rescue-- wow, suddenly, my "hobby" became a "real life" occupation. Go figure!!!!!!

So don't burn any brdges, Stefan, just ice them over... because one of these days they are going to look at you in a whole new light!!!!!!

[CrazyHedgehog]

Gijs & Sabine...that really is such a lovely story..
Maf was scared of them...it took me 3 years to pursuade him to let me have one, I had to keep it in the extension behind two closed doors....
but gradually, I caught him in there watching it... before I knew it he is building me huge homes for them... the snakes now own more of the house than we do!!

[Gijs & Sabine]

Let Holland move closer to me. :D

Whahaha, you make me laugh too, Stefan :D
But Holland stays where it is......Finland is way too cold for me !!

Inge, that's a very good job of you !! Turning Maf into the way he is right now ;) I guess I was lucky to have it this easy.

[infernalis]

Now that we are full on into this topic.

I must confess, I ran this through a different forum years ago, I replaced the word "reptiles" with "Music"

It may be interesting to know, the replies were very much the same:)

[anji1971]

Now that we are full on into this topic.

I must confess, I ran this through a different forum years ago, I replaced the word "reptiles" with "Music"

It may be interesting to know, the replies were very much the same:)

Only difference being.............it's WAY easier to find people who like the same music you do. I'm really not having much luck finding "snake people"! Thank God for Thamnophis.com!

[infernalis]

Only difference being.............it's WAY easier to find people who like the same music you do. I'm really not having much luck finding "snake people"! Thank God for Thamnophis.com!

Well Anj, teach them until they see the light:)

and oddly, more people have wanted to see my snakes than my Genesis & Marillion 45's (really!)

[CrazyHedgehog]

Well Anj, teach them until they see the light:)

and oddly, more people have wanted to see my snakes than my Genesis & Marillion 45's (really!)

Wow Marillion ....haven't heard of them for years! FISH!!

[adamanteus]

Never much cared for Marillion..... but Genesis, that's different.:)

[Garter_Gertie]

I think this kind of attitude is why I don't make it widely known that I keep snakes. Even visitors to the house don't know they are there. I prefer to simply avoid the prejudice and preconceptions you encounter when people find out what you do.

I only share my SUPER DUPER, out-of-my-mind XCITEMENT here. Even my male friend - that hunts Bambi with bow and arrow - cringes when I mention how much I love Winnie and that I'm getting snakes. I have to admit, I was that way once. However, Winnie showed me the error o'my ways! :D

Without this place I don't know what I'd do.

[Stefan-A]

It's finally over. The issue of snakes was brought up 5 times in 3 hours, the first time before I was even inside.

You'll never guess what I learned today. :rolleyes: Apparently grass snakes eat adders and their food. :D And another ****ing nitwit was bragging about what they were going to do to a large gravid grass snake that has been seen around a few times.

[adamanteus]

Apparently grass snakes eat adders and their food. :D .

I thought they ate grass?:confused:
Glad it's over, Stefan.

[Zephyr]

So Stefan, how many heads rolled? :D

[Stefan-A]

None, but I did tell the person who said that thing about grass snakes eating adders that he's full of **** in front of everybody there. A couple minutes later he tried to sneak that thing about them eating the adders' food past me. He failed miserably.

[beaniesmommy]

Best thing I have learned at family functions or any other...

"Ignore them and they will go away"

I tell anyone this because people love to get a reaction... If there is no reaction they move on to the 14 year old pregnant cousin or some other gossip not worth mentioning.

[Stefan-A]

An apple a day keeps anyone away, if you throw it hard enough.

It's a shame that they didn't return to the subject a sixth time, I had thought up several really heavy insults.

[Tori]

I mentioned my brother earlier - He phoned me to say that he killed a copperphead that had gotten into my mother's house, very proud of himself and trying to get a rise, of course. I talked to his 16 year old daughter and asked her what it looked like (how long, what color, girth, so forth...) and found out that he killed a ringneck snake - a baby at that. I got a little back when I flooded his email with photos of copperheads from babies to adults, along with a few comments on people that are so afraid of snakes that they can't tell the difference.... I also get to keep asking him if he finds any really cool snakes to send them to me....alive and in one piece. He is NEVER going to admit that he is terrified to touch one so he just sputters on about how he can't promise they will be alive or in one piece.

[Zephyr]

Thankfully my family's a little more understanding. My Uncle says he has a "family" of garters in his shed. Although he's the bragging, mule-headed, macho type he's told me he won't touch them. XD
As for the rest of my family... My cousin Bev is a hippy, so she obviously wouldn't harm the snakes on her property... My grandfather always says stuff like "Now grandson, you're a 4.2 student. We're proud of what you do with the snakes, and the kock-a-roaches, and the blah blah blah. Just keep doin what you're doin and me and Norma Jean (My kinda grandma. XD) will support ya, okay kid?"
However, he does want to tag along with me into his woods one of these days to track down some garters. :P

[adamanteus]

Kyle, take the old guy herping with you. Enjoy him while you can.:)

[anji1971]

Yeah, Kyle, take him! I wish I had grandparents still living to go out herping with. My grandpa used to take me on all kinds of expeditions in the woods up north when I was a kid. I think that's where some of my love of nature started. Great memories..........

[Jenlang_79]

An apple a day keeps anyone away, if you throw it hard enough.


Stefan your too funny!!:-)

[Stefan-A]

Stefan your too funny!!:-)
Can't take credit for it, I heard it from Stephen Colbert.

[drache]

An apple a day keeps anyone away, if you throw it hard enough.
horse apples are best, but it's advised to have more than one
and the fresher they are, the more effective

[Stefan-A]

Thanks for the tip, Rhea. :D

[drache]

I once used it to keep a pesky cousin away

[infernalis]

I had been wondering how things went at Stefan's family gather, Now I don't even have to ask.

[Sid]

I try to find the positive in all that I do. So, the positive of how my love for snakes effects relationships is that fairly routinely someone really frantic calls....."Come get this snake out of my yard!" I get to met a new friend. They don't share my intrest, but they respect it and are glad someone like me is around. Yesterdays frantic call:
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//589/Removal.jpg

The big plus is that if I weren't doing this all the snakes I remove would be killed.

[Garter_Gertie]

What in HEAVENS NAME is THAT??? That's longer than Ripley! Nice ta'meet'cha, Sid! I so like putting faces to names.

[Stefan-A]

Is that a black rat snake or a python? :D

[drache]

can't really see the face on that snake
rat snake?

[Sid]

It is a Black Rat Snake. about 6 feet long. Always relocate several of the every year.

[drache]

I kind of thought that's what it was
Sean and I were joking about populating Greenwood cemetery with them
it'd be such a great habitat - lots of parrot nests

oh there - I just remembered what thread we're in
if it wasn't for my herp affliction, I'd never have met Sean, and the doc, and all the great people at the rescue
we would also not have met the Schlefers who are that rare combination of a mother and daughter, both of whom both Mikhaila and I like (that was a bit convoluted)

[Garter_Gertie]

Bless my stars and garters but that's a big snake! YIKES!

[anji1971]

And here I am, just wishing I could find something like that living in my yard...........

[Stefan-A]

And here I am, just wishing I could find something like that living in my yard...........
Same here. I know people who find snakes living in their yard all the time, but they kill them on sight. In fact, I'm related to those people.

[infernalis]

I find people in my yard all the time, and sometimes I want to kill them:D

[GartersRock]

*snort* lol!! =D

[anji1971]

I find people in my yard all the time, and sometimes I want to kill them:D

Maybe you should ship those people off to hang out in Stefan's relatives' yards.........dress them up in snake costumes and they'll be gone in no time.

[Stefan-A]

That might actually work, Anji. :D

[adamanteus]

Grass snakes actually eat people who are dressed as snakes.

[infernalis]

A couple nights ago Dorothy found me sleeping with 2 ladies:eek:.....

My biggest garter girls Diana & Boomer (my mouse eaters) are in a big wood cage with a glass front, on the floor level, and they seemed very interested in what I was doing, so I laid on my side peering in at them, and fell asleep watching my favorite show.

She has been very supportive with my obsession, Sometimes I'd never get all the feeding done without the help.

Whenever the delivery man brings a box to the door, she's nearly as excited as I am to open it up:D

[drache]

recently, Jeff has expressed something akin to jealousy and I've been trying to do much of the animal care when he's not around
I hope it blows over soon

[DaveM]

I'm lucky as my Fiancee Katy loves snakes, she's just a bit squeamish about the feeding, and have been told that when we are able to buy our own place I can convert the attic to a reptile room.

One of my friends doesn't like snakes, and wont go into the room with them in, my best friend and his girlfriend are terrifeid of my tarantuals, but it has never caused problems for me

[Garter_Gertie]

It's just me. Pickles and Mayo go nutz when when the Fed X guy comes... I want to hug and kiss him!

I've not worries; I don't have to worry about jealousy other than Pickles and Mayo... Sometimes maybe the cats.

But I do wish I could enjoy this all with someone other than all you guys. (sigh).

Yet, at the same time, I don't gotta do dishes unless I want, can run around in my underwear, burp, fart and scratch my crotch whenever I want! LOL!!!

(That's a joke towards you male kind'a guys! LOL!)

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol nice guys:D that's great that you have her wayme :D

[Loren]

I don't gotta do dishes unless I want, can run around in my underwear, burp, fart and scratch my crotch whenever I want! LOL!!!

Thats the rule in my house. :)

[Zephyr]

Hmm... Well most of my friends and possible "GF's" are more or less neutral to my obsessions. :P

[reptile3]

When I am at the store buying organic greens, butternut squash, etc...
they will say, what is this? I say Mustard,Turnip & Collard greens.
They say, who is that for.. I say, My reptiles!!:eek:

I know for sure that my HUSBAND is very jealous of my snakes,lizards & cats!!
My kids come first then my pets, then me... LOL oops I left the hubby out!!

when I tell ppl I have rats & pinkie mice in freezer, they shrug their shoulders!!

[ssssnakeluvr]

herps have been in my life for pretty much all of it...we used to catch fence lizards and keep them for pets (which has another funny story...later in this post). I started keeping garters in the spring of 80...they have become a real big part of my life lately. My wife isn't a big fan of them, she doesn't mind them...but doesn't jump in the middle of feeding and cleaning. she has had a couple runins with my snakes....just after meeting and moving in with me..I went to Durango Co for a week long training. 2 baby snakes I had escaped....she found one...she was able to get that one back in the cage, but couldn't find the other....unfortunately he showed up in the washing machine later....went thru the wash cycle...she felt bad, he died later....she really (most of the time :rolleyes:) supports my hobby.
when I was little, my grandpa used to say never keep a lizard in a bandaid can or it would turn into a turd.....our family met in this town north of where I lived for a family funeral....my mom paid some kid 50 cents to catch me a lizard (in the late 60's...that was a lot for a lizard....kinda like tossing a kid a 20 dollar bill for one now). she put it in a bandaid can and grandpa found it...let it go....and yes, he scooped doggie poop into it. Mom said I cried all the way home, grandpa got a good laugh out of it...he was never told I cried all the way home....I didn't really remember it, but mom told me a while after grandpa passed away....I laugh now...but wasn't then. grandpa was quite the character!!!!

[NikkiSixx]

herps have been in my life for pretty much all of it...we used to catch fence lizards and keep them for pets (which has another funny story...later in this post). I started keeping garters in the spring of 80...they have become a real big part of my life lately. My wife isn't a big fan of them, she doesn't mind them...but doesn't jump in the middle of feeding and cleaning. she has had a couple runins with my snakes....just after meeting and moving in with me..I went to Durango Co for a week long training. 2 baby snakes I had escaped....she found one...she was able to get that one back in the cage, but couldn't find the other....unfortunately he showed up in the washing machine later....went thru the wash cycle...she felt bad, he died later....she really (most of the time :rolleyes:) supports my hobby.



yeah well i was the one that came running to rescue her, and put the snake back in the cage.:D

[ssssnakeluvr]

yeah well i was the one that came running to rescue her, and put the snake back in the cage.:D
yea, youi have rescued a couple from her...but not the washer snake....that was long before you guys came to live with us