Anybody have a snake as a pet?

[Papa Deuce]

I would really like to get a snake as a pet. I have had them before, specifically before I met my wife, and therein lies the problem. My wife is either afraid of snakes, or hates them --- she won't say why.

I find them to be non demanding, quiet, and interesting. I plan to get a rat or a king snake if we get one as these are accepted to be very tame snakes, as snakes go.

If you have or had snakes, can you PLEASE post a note here? I'll show ( print out ) all of your responses in an effort to get my wife to let me have one.

BTW, I'm not "whipped"... I understtand that some people are afraid of snakes and I can respect that.

 

[gr8tpanther]

I want one, but for some reason, others don't see my joy in them. I mention snake as pet and others mention "you are keeping that WHERE?"

 

[NMAmy]

I used to have a friend who had a python and I'd take care of him when she had to go out of town. He loved to climb all over my open bookcase. We called it his Jungle Gym.

Now, I'm terrified of mice so I could never have a snake for that reason! If the mice were in his cage, I'd use big oven mitts to get him out of the cage so I wouldn't have to risk touching the mice. It was pretty amusing to see me doing that, I'm sure.

 

[Mermaid02]

If you want to keep your wife- forget the snake. I'm afraid of them AND I hate them. Irrational? Yes, but I'm okay with that. It's not something I even WANT to get over.

 

[Papa Deuce]

If you want to keep your wife- forget the snake. I'm afraid of them AND I hate them. Irrational? Yes, but I'm okay with that. It's not something I even WANT to get over.

Y'all are supposed to be helping me.... not killing me.

 

[poochie]

You want to get a snake to be kept in your home

I would tell my DH the day the snake moved in I was out.

As a child I stepped on a snake in the corn field and all I could do was stand there and scream while the thing was thrashing around my legs.

Both my father and uncle had to phsically lift me off the snake. Could not stand them from that point on.

 

[Joyciemc]

I have a ball python. His name is Payton. He certainly makes a quiet pet! And I only have to feed him every week or so. He does eat rats, but I buy frozen ones. I don't enjoy feeding him (poor rats!), but I didn't think of that before I got him, and the guy has to eat...

Can you keep the snake somewhere out of the way, so your wife doesn't have to see him if she doesn't want to? And assure her that you'll keep him in a secure tank. Good luck!

 

[Randi]

Enjoy your quiet, non-demanding and interesting snake. I am sure your wife will be anything but quiet, non-demanding and interesting. Hope you can stand it. Is it worth it?
I'm with her on this issue. I have been known to rip out pages in magazines if a snake is pictured. Uh, uh not a pet in my house.

 

[Papa Deuce]

OK, I guess I won't show her this thread. And I have no intention of forcing this snake upon her. I gotta say, though, thanks for not helping me out when I was asking for support,,,,,

read the last line of my original post.

 

[Mermaid02]

OK, I guess I won't show her this thread. And I have no intention of forcing this snake upon her. I gotta say, though, thanks for not helping me out when I was asking for support,,,,,

read the last line of my original post.

I know you were looking for help- and I truly am sorry I can't give it to you... but that's my point... once a snake hater... always a snake hater. It's a weird, primeval, gut wrenching, paralyzing, intense phobia. Now how about a lizard? They have legs, a lizard I could live with.

 

[Papa Deuce]

NO, y'all are right. I know that on these boards people post any opinion that they have. Sorry for sounding like sour grapes, everybody.

I promise I won't force it on her; I just wish that she would at least give a reason. BTW, my kids LOVE snakes. They have one at daycare and the touch it all the time.

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

OK, I guess I won't show her this thread. And I have no intention of forcing this snake upon her. I gotta say, though, thanks for not helping me out when I was asking for support,,,,,

read the last line of my original post.

I have a cousin who had a pet snake while we were both growing up. It was a boa. His name was Joey. The thing started our small and ended up being over 6 ft in length and lived forever. He couldn't take it out of the cage any longer because it was too dangerous. I remember going to the mall with him and he would go by the pet store and buy these huge rats - to take home as Joey's dinner.

He loved the creepy thing. I remember when I was really young and Joey was smaller he would take it out and play with it. I kept my eyes on him at all times. I was always afraid he'd slither away and find me in my sleep.

Sorry, but snakes belong...well, anywhere but in my house. I guess I'm with your wife on this one.

 

[janette]

My 10yo DD wants a snake, I told her she could have it as long as it didn't live in my house I'm with your wife on this one too, I feel the same about anything from the rodent family so it's not just snakes.

She wants to know what's wrong with a snake, my answer is that "It's a snake."

 

[Serena]

Papa D, I've got 2 red-tail boas. Or my daughter does. They are both about 6ft long and are relatively easy to take care of.

It took my daughter 3 years from getting a no way, no how, to "ok" from me. I went to pet stores, I went to reptile shows, I researched online too.
I had an open mind. I gave her the benefit of if you can convince me this is a good pet and safe, and I wouldn't have to deal with it, then we'll see.

I talked to people with snakes, I talked to breeders at the reptile shows and one married couple really impressed me. I spent a lot of time listening to her talk about them and the care she took with breeding them. We eventually bought one from her.

It's in a very secure cage. My daughter feeds it, thawed frozen mice. That is disgusting and I won't watch. She takes care of the cage.

I forgot why we got the second one.

Those snakes love her. They like to be held and such. She's walked through the neighborhood on her own little mission of teaching the kids about them. It also helps keep people away. Overly eager young men stayed at a healthy distance when she carried one of them.

Having a snake brings a "cool" factor for the kids at school. People hear about it and want to talk about it. The kids think you're brave and you know it's nothing, but they don't.

Also, letting it be heard that you have the snakes out all the time, even if you don't, helps security wise.

Anyway, if you or your wife has any questions let me know. If I can't answer it, my daughter should be able to. She's at college, but she loves to talk about them.

 

[Cindy B]

My DH (boyfriend at the time) had a ball python when we were dating. The snake was fine, and didn't have a problem with it. He stayed in the cage, and ate mice (poor mice!).

 

[zukobro]

since ninety percent of the people on here seem to just be diggin you into a deeper hole, allow me to interject...I also got interest in snakes a while ago. I went to some pet stores and did a lot of research on the internet, and you can tell your wife this: there are only 4 snakes in the united states (in the wild that is) that are commonly known to have venom...even though they're common, not a lota people get them for pets...Ball pythons are sweet, curious lil critters, although stupid and sometimes stubborn...many times, they're actually DIFFICULT to feed. Corn snakes are my favorite so far...they are fairly average size, only 4 feet or so on average. fabulous temperment. they love to be held, and only need to be fed once a week...if you do get a snake, I'm sure you will be told do not feed the snake live mice...it risks injury on the snake. you can buy frozen mice and keep them frozen and feed the snake when it's ready. a corn snake or ball python is never agressive towards the owner unless being harmed. The only risk for snakes is if they get over 6 or 8 feet, when you will want to keep them away from your neck. they're probably not gonna try to kill you, but they dont' know they're own strength, and your neck, well...ouch. if you have any questions at all, lemme know.

zukobro @ hotmail

I hope your wife eases a lil because snakes are really great creatures...(and for the people who said people who fear snakes always do...I used to fear snakes too. I tripped over a rattler when I was 5 and was almost bitten...so speak fer yerself.) if you can convince your wife to go to the petstore with you and hold a small snake, she will feel better...best of luck my man.

 

[Chicago526]

I'm affraid of snakes, but I don't hate them. They haven't done anything to me, afterall. They stay in the wild, I'll stay in my house, and everyone is happy! If I stepped on a snakes home, he'd have every right to bite me. If one slithers into my house, I have every right to wack it with a baseball bat.

I won't let DH get a snake pet, (in addition to NOT wanting one in my house) because I don't want a pet I have to feed my other pets to (I want to get a pet rat and/or mouse. Wouldn't feel right feeding a cousin of my pet rat to my pet snake, know what I mean?).

 

[Cindy B]

My DH (then my boyfriend) had a snake when I was dating him. I had no problem with it.

It was a Ball Python.

 

[Megster]

I used to be scared of snakes. Then my senior year in high school I had an anatomy teacher who was a fan of anything reptilian. We had snakes (rattlers, boas, corn snakes, even cobras), spiders, scorpians (basically anything creepy-crawly) in our classroom. He used to let us hold the corn snakes if we had extra time in class. By the end of the year I absolutely loved holding the snakes and really looked forward to it.

I think its something you have to get used. If I didn't have that class than I probably would still be terrified of them today. Maybe try going to the pet store and looking at them and then see someone else hold one and then touch it. Work up to actually holding it yourself. They really aren't that bad!

 

[zukobro]

yes, I'm sure I understand what you mean with the snake...however, that discussion is that of wild snakes, as opposed to tame ones...also, you generally don't feed a snake your pet mice...you feed them mice bought from a pet store, already dead, and frozen...generally field mice, not a mouse you'd keep as a pet. I won't try to convince you to let him have a snake...but I must say, in my life, I certainly feel better havin soemthin to come home to...then again, lol, he's married, so there's probably a mutal love there...anyways, best of luck.