Do reptiles stink? girlfriend being stubborn...

here is my 2 cents worth.

I think one of the most important aspects in a relationship is that you share similar interests and hobbies. Now I am not saying that you have to like exactly the same things, but the more you share in common the better. It also depends on how important they are to you...for example:

I like Nascar. I like fishing. I like live comedy shows. I like car shows. I like sushi.

Now if the guy I am with doesn't care to do these things, well that is ok because I can always go do them with my friends...

I love my dogs. I love my herps. I love country music and to go out "Honky Tonkin" or to a concert. I love my truck....(just a few examples! )

Now if a guy is interested in me but doesn't like animals, hates Clint Black and wants me to sell my truck he can kiss my !!

I know what makes me happy and I won't be with someone that will not except my animals..it is a package deal.

Now don't get me wrong, there are some issues that are give and take as well.. I will put up with just about most of the "Guy" hobbies, but the one thing that would drive me nuts is a die hard sports fan.. ..(Guys..you know
who you are ....) Nothing is more annoying than a man who can tell you who played defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys in 1987, center for the Pistons in 1990 and who pitched a no hitter in 2003, but can't remember your birthday..

So I guess it comes down to what YOU want. What is going to make YOU happy..
Are you going to marry this girl?
Also as someone else mentioned,is it possible that she is scared? Maybe a dragon would be good to start out with and then she could over come her phobia (if that is the issue)

If your house stinks from a boa and a dragon, you should brush up on your husbandry skills.. I mean, for crying out loud! does she realize that snakes don't even crap that often? does she think they have B.O.?

Perhaps she is willing to give in or maybe even learn to like herps.

And FYI...there are A LOT of female herpers out there ( myself being one!) just check out Fauna! Tons of us!

Good luck with your situation!

Well I learned recently (just within the past couple months) that I had been living my life worrying about pleasing others and what they thought of me. (i couldnt stand the thought of somene not likeing me). One night I was slightly buzzed when I had the revelation or whatever, that I need to live my life for me and not conform to the whim of others.

However, I also know life is full of compromises and meeting people half way. Now, my girl technically doesnt live with me, but she spends the night so often and stays here so much time that she probably could claim she lived here if she needed to ha ha ha. I am going to own reptiles, thats not up for debate, I simply would rather ease her into it than totally neglect her feelings and force something upon her. I plan to take her to a local pet store and try to get her feet wet and see how she reacts. I am only 23, so I dont see myself marrying her or anyone else anytime soon LOL. I dig her, but push come to shuve, she will need to accept what I want to do... or move on.

That is good advice for yourself, and a good lesson learned.
I am not an overly "popular" person because I am who I am and don't care who likes it or don't. As a result, I have very few "real" friends. But the ones I do have, I can count on for ANYTHING. (Money, rides in the middle of the night, bail......ANYTHING!)
You'll find it less stressful also to not have to worry about what others are thinking, if they approve of you, do they like you,
Well, for Me it works that way. But I have always been like that since about Jr. High. That's just Me.

Rick

good for you sean! good idea on at least trying to ease your girlfriend to the idea of a reptile becoming a part of your life. there were a lot of things my boyfriend and i had to compromise on when we decided to move in together and have a baby. of course we knew each other for more than 12 years when we decided to try dating. i had to learn to not be such a workaholic and he had to learn to not be such a man(he was the true bachelor before we got together) LOL. between the two of us we have 2 dogs, a cat, 10 bettas, 2 leos, a ball python,a 12 gallon freshwater, a 55 gallon freshwater and a 10 gallon full of betta babies. as long as you take good care of your reptile, your girlfriend shouldn't have a problem with anything.

okay,my iguana girl Lola likes to eat a lot and so will also poop a lot but I clean it up right away.otherwise,we have a plethora of lizrds and turtles and snakes and wto cats and it's the cats that stink up the house.I rather clean a dozen reptile tanks than one cat litter box.

Another two cents from someone who has been married 23yrs..The big Q is how much in common do you two have? If snakes is the only NO she has then maybe you should get a different pet, no big deal.BUT, if your set on it with no give or take... A big Q is if she is an animal person, most animal people will come around to the snake idea eventually(just feed frozen, never live or you might freak her out) .But if she doesnt like animals your Hosed..The boa will get big and will end up in the garage, then it will run the risk of neglect(especially if you ever have a baby)...BTW sometimes starting with a lizard is a less scary way for nonreptile people to get used to the idea that they arent so bad after all....

I've kept various types of animals as pets. A rabbit, hamsters, a ferret, dogs, cats, an iguana, and now my snakes. I'd have to say, as far as poop-smell goes, my snakes rate at the absolute bottom of the scale. Their cages are heated.. which means their poop dries up pretty quickly (usually the aspen substrate sticks to it, making it easy to scoop out). Since their urine isn't usually liquid, but gets passed with the fecal matter, you don't get that "ammonia" smell that happens with cat boxes, rabbit cages, and rodent cages.

Every time I have to get a live rodent for a finicky feeder and open that little cardboard box when I get home, I'm reminded how much more some other pets can smell!

Also of note is that snakes usually don't "go" that often... anywhere from once per week to once per month, depending on size and type of snake. And snakes don't have any "body" smell at all that people can detect!

My iguana was a little messier - eating vegetables, they go more often, and can sometimes track it around their cage if they decide to be boisterous. But still, it dries quickly and is usually easy to clean up, and doesn't smell nearly to the extent of mammal waste. As for turtles and other kinds of lizards, I don't know (turtles, being in water, are a different story I would guess)...

My husband is sensitive to animal smells and he is also very happy with the relative lack of odor. So, like lots of people who haven't spent time with reptiles, you're girlfriend's information is quite exaggerated. Guests who go in the living room have to be SHOWN snakes (most don't know I own them, and their cages are set up in the living room in one corner).

Hope this info helps!

As a rule:reptiles should never have a bad smell.I have sliders and boxturtles and they don't smell because I keep them clean.If reptiles smell then it's time for a clean-up.Now iguanas do poop alot but again:I clean it up promptly.By the way,iguanas hate the smell of their poop and try to get away from it or have you clean it.As such,i am their slave)