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I agree with what you said, except the sick part, but I must say I particularly agree with what I bolded. To me snakes, don't really have any personality. They are cold and not at all friendly and a huge waste of money.
Maybe to you, but I personally love observing and interacting with them... and if you'd ever spent time with a few snakes, you'd learn they actually DO have their own unique personalities! Not a single one of my snakes is like the other, or I wouldn't have favorites as I do. For example my Western Hognose Charlotte, who was just hanging out with me on the bed - she has an awesome little personality, totally goofy and friendly to me & somewhat pissy towards anyone else. Not to mention, they are beautiful to look at, interesting to study/educate, and increase in value the longer you have them (especially if you breed). My collection has probably tripled in value since I started, and that's not even counting the babies I've sold. Waste of money? Hardly!
P.S. Fish have even less personality than snakes, but I don't hear anyone making fun of people who keep aquariums in their homes... and those fancy setups can cost more than snakes, plus they require a lot more time & care. Oh yeah, and you can't even hold or really interact with fish!
Thanks for the info on Python Hunters, sounds like an interesting show. Just what is supposed to be done to "rescue" an overpopulation of 15-20' long snakes? It's not like there are that many people clamoring to adopt them and give them good homes. I might "adopt" a nice pair of python-skin boots though.
Actually, there are TONS of people who would happily adopt them... as I mentioned earlier, all you'd have to do is post "free Burms" on one of my snake forums, and you'd have more adopters than snakes! One time somebody posted a similar offer for a group of rescued Ball Pythons, and they were spoken for within minutes.
There are also a few sanctuaries nationwide that would take them, not to mention thousands of zoos and research centers.
Okay, enough talk. We have gone 16 pages and over 150 posts, time to cut the chatter and get to work. These damn things have had a huge negative impact on native wildlife and need to be hunted and killed whenever and wherever they are encountered. Do we have to wait until a python kills a child and swallows it before getting going?
There is no python in the world that could eat a child, and any such claims have been proven as hoaxes... they could possibly strangle a small human, but how would a child even get into that position in the first place? Are kids generally allowed to wander through the Everglades without parental supervision? I agree the situation needs to be dealt with, but let's not spread misinformation and unwarranted fears in the meantime.
Maybe to you, but I personally love observing and interacting with them... and if you'd ever spent time with a few snakes, you'd learn they actually DO have their own unique personalities! Not a single one of my snakes is like the other, or I wouldn't have favorites as I do. For example my Western Hognose Charlotte, who was just hanging out with me on the bed - she has an awesome little personality, totally goofy and friendly to me & somewhat pissy towards anyone else. Not to mention, they are beautiful to look at, interesting to study/educate, and increase in value the longer you have them (especially if you breed). My collection has probably tripled in value since I started, and that's not even counting the babies I've sold. Waste of money? Hardly!
P.S. Fish have even less personality than snakes, but I don't hear anyone making fun of people who keep aquariums in their homes... and those fancy setups can cost more than snakes, plus they require a lot more time & care.
Well yes of course to me. It doesn't matter to me now much time I would spend with them I still don't see a personality. Unless you call a type of attitude a personality. Like the snake I saw on Billy the Exterminator. There was this one snake I swear was so ornary just plain po'd off. Yet I have seen the same species/breed be kind of the same but yet not like more calmer and a little less po'd. So yes they are different just a little from one another and do have moods like all animals and reptiles do. I don't see any real personality but then I don't own one so to me no they don't I get that you do see they have personalities but I sure don't. That's what my post was about my not see it not you or anyone else. I'm sure I see personalities and moods in some animals that you don't see. It's really something how we all have our own taste in pets. As far as wasting money to me it is a waste of money because I don't think it's worth it to spend on them but that doesn't mean I can't understand to some degree why you see it as worth spending on them. Like when it comes to my cats and dogs I see that they are worth every single penny I spend on them but others don't and think I'm nuts for spending the money I do spend on as a waste. But to me it's not a waste of money. I guess it just boils down to how much we love our pets. I don't get into breeding animals to make profit. I much prefer to simply love my pet and not breed more because there already are too many animals (mammals and reptiles) in this world and they aren't treated properly when owned. I know this if I were a snake person I would make sure I live out in the middle of nowhere to keep them safe and keep the public safe if they were venimous.
OMG you are so right about the expense of owning fish and I'll add I think they are called Iguana's and Bearded Dragons. You know whats funny that I learned not to long ago is that fish actually play. Isn't that funny there are games for them to play, LOL. Maybe if people showed snakes play that would help me see they have a personality but I still woud not go near one. I guess some of us are reptile people and some are not. Too bad they can't be domesticated like cats and dogs. I also hate that people feed them live animals for food when that isn't even necessary because even zoo's don't do that anymore.
Well yes of course to me. It doesn't matter to me now much time I would spend with them I still don't see a personality. Unless you call a type of attitude a personality. Like the snake I saw on Billy the Exterminator. There was this one snake I swear was so ornary just plain po'd off. Yet I have seen the same species/breed be kind of the same but yet not like more calmer and a little less po'd. So yes they are different just a little from one another and do have moods like all animals and reptiles do. I don't see any real personality but then I don't own one so to me no they don't I get that you do see they have personalities but I sure don't. That's what my post was about my not see it not you or anyone else.
You stated it like FACT, and failed to say "in my opinion" or imply other people might disagree. That being said, they actually have "personalities" beyond being ticked off... I do have a couple of snakes like that, but I also have some who are shy, outgoing, curious, gentle, active, lazy, and many other qualities you'd consider a personality trait. They aren't as evolved as a dog or cat, for example, but WAY more evolved (in that area) compared to certain other species. My hamster had less personality than most of my snakes! If it doesn't scare you too much, take a look at my profile picture to see one snake's personality in full swing.
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I guess it just boils down to how much we love our pets. I don't get into breeding animals to make profit.
I don't either. I've yet to make any REAL profit from breeding, and only do it for the sheer experience and scientific knowledge (I breed mostly for exotic morphs). I have only bred two clutches in the last three years, and kept almost all of the babies myself - only selling a few, to very carefully selected homes. There are snake breeders who do it for profit, but usually just to support the hobby of collecting more snakes. These creatures are uber expensive, once you get into the "designer" morphs and species... some even costing over $20,000!
I'm completely against breeding for profit in most cases, particularly when it comes to dogs & cats, since we have millions being euthanized annually in pet shelters. But we really can't compare that situation to exotic snakes, considering you'd be hard-pressed to find a Bumblebee Ball Python at any shelter in the world.
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I know this if I were a snake person I would make sure I live out in the middle of nowhere to keep them safe and keep the public safe if they were venimous.
You already admitted (earlier in the thread) that I was correct about dogs being more dangerous, and causing more deaths annually than snakes - wild or domestic. So should all dog owners live in the middle of nowhere too? And as a non-venomous snake owner, should I also isolate myself just because you're scared of them? That's kind of a ridiculous idea, especially considering how many Americans own pet snakes.
According to Gallup polls, approximately 2% of American homes have a pet reptile... which is more than the number who own rabbits, and equals around 6.2 million households. Even I didn't realize there were so many of us, LOL.
OMG you are so right about the expense of owning fish and I'll add I think they are called Iguana's and Bearded Dragons. You know whats funny that I learned not to long ago is that fish actually play. Isn't that funny there are games for them to play, LOL. Maybe if people showed snakes play that would help me see they have a personality but I still woud not go near one. I guess some of us are reptile people and some are not. Too bad they can't be domesticated like cats and dogs. I also hate that people feed them live animals for food when that isn't even necessary because even zoo's don't do that anymore.
All animals have some form of personality, and most - even reptiles - have their own methods of entertaining themselves. I have one snake who likes playing with paper, and will "throw" it into the air with his body (when you place a sheet near him). They're also all obsessed with paper towel rolls, and will slither back & forth through them whenever given the chance. You're right that some people aren't reptile people, just as some aren't into dogs, cats, fish, birds, etc. I understand that completely, but try not to judge others for their preferences... that would be silly, and equal IMO to judging somebody for liking or not liking a certain food.
As for the live feeding, there are some snakes who simply won't take frozen prey... believe me, I've been trying forever to convert my collection to 100% frozen, and still have a handful of holdouts. Those who will take frozen mice/rats get them, and I breed a small colony of rats to feed those who won't. Ball Pythons in particular are known for being quite finicky, and will easily go a YEAR without eating if you don't offer live. I'd rather have mine stay healthy and well-fed, and it's not like rodents have some other great purpose in the natural order of things. Live or dead, the fate of most rodents is to end up in the belly of another animal. Ya know?
Snake keeping isn't bad (snakes are probably more appropriate to being kept in confinement as pets than most other animals)...humans just need to be responsible, like all pet owners. Spay and neuter your pets, and don't let them roam free outdoors - it's not just dangerous toward people and other animals, it's dangerous for them too!
disgrace are the clueless ying-yangs who were personally irresponsible and dumped their snakes into an eco system that was never meant to support them.
Have you ever seen photos of people they capture with these exotic pets...more often than not in Florida? A picture is worth a thousand words.
they thought they freeze wiped them out a few years ago but not so.
we gota lota exotic pets in america, eventually they will get loose.
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