When did you start and why?

I have always loved reptiles.. snakes the most! In high school, I would always get to school half an hour early to handle the science room snakes..

I got my first snake as a gift for my 18th birthday from some friends.. They knew I loved snakes, and saw one in a pet store being neglected.. so I got my first snake..

the second one I pretty much MADE the family give to me. It was only a few months old.. had no water dish at all, had not eaten probably more then 2 meals ever.. when I heard it was being abandoned by a kid going to college, I asked about it.. they showed it to me.. skin and bones.. so I told them I would take it, and they said that the kid said he would rather just let it go back to the wild where snakes belonged.. (glad to know the parents did research *rolls eyes*) basically after 2 more weeks of me trying to talk sense into them and them saying no, cuz it was their sons and not theres.. I told them it would die soon, and I would contact "authorities" about their animal neglect..

yeah.. I got that snake.. she was so starved and dehydrated, that she refused to eat.. I had to assist/force feed her for her next 4 or 5 meals before she would eat on her own.. .

.. she is now my biggest garbage disposal :P

I have no clue when I first became interested - I am guessing as soon as I was able to think though I was always obsessed with animals, but specifically dinosaurs and horses. I started finding and catching snakes pretty early on, probably around 6 years old. I got my first "pet" snake around 9 or 10 years old, it's all history after that. I always had a million reptile books, Steve Irwin was my childhood hero. If you asked me what I wanted to be at any point in my childhood my answer would have been "The Crocodile Hunter!"

Originally Posted by Abby

I have no clue when I first became interested - I am guessing as soon as I was able to think though I was always obsessed with animals, but specifically dinosaurs and horses. I started finding and catching snakes pretty early on, probably around 6 years old. I got my first "pet" snake around 9 or 10 years old, it's all history after that. I always had a million reptile books, Steve Irwin was my childhood hero. If you asked me what I wanted to be at any point in my childhood my answer would have been "The Crocodile Hunter!"

Stay away from those sting rays. Danger! Danger! Danger!

Originally Posted by DAND

Stay away from those sting rays. Danger! Danger! Danger!

LOL, no doubt! I still can't believe that happened

Originally Posted by Abby

LOL, no doubt! I still can't believe that happened

I would suggest not wearing the bulls eye t-shirt when swimming with the sting rays. It's just tempting fate and asking for trouble.

Two months ago my mother moved from NC to Tucson into a smaller house. In downsizing, she had to divvy up lots of family "heirlooms". I now have the baby book she kept (about me from birth until I started second grade) that, before now, I never knew even existed.

Here's a passage, "Laurie, at almost 5, loves to a fault all animals including bugs, bees, spiders and the works"

I do remember giving my dad a pocketful of earthworms one year for his birthday - he was probably less thrilled than I, lol.

By grade school, my idea of fun was traipsing the woods, creeks & fields outside our subdivision in search of wildlife and adventure. Poison ivy was my constant companion during the summer months

Originally Posted by LauraB

I do remember giving my dad a pocketful of earthworms one year for his birthday - he was probably less thrilled than I, lol.

My Mom hated doing my laundry when I was a child. She would never know what little surprises I had left for her.

Originally Posted by LauraB

By grade school, my idea of fun was traipsing the woods, creeks & fields outside our subdivision in search of wildlife and adventure. Poison ivy was my constant companion during the summer months

That describes exactly what I did as a little child. Now that I'm a big child I'm still doing the same. I am always itching to get out and look for critters.

I wasn't allowed to have pets as a kid (mom hates animals) and I never had any fasincation with reptiles as a kid (I wanted a cat *so* bad) but I did LOVE dinosaurs! When I was 12 I'd catch frogs that lived in the creek at my mom's condo and keep them in a shoe-box for a couple hours until she got home.

I didn't get into reptiles until 1998 (huge fan of Croc Hunter) when I took my cats to the vet and saw a sign they had up about a corn snake that needed a home, I adopted him and it started from there.

Originally Posted by DAND

My Mom hated doing my laundry when I was a child. She would never know what little surprises I had left for her.



That describes exactly what I did as a little child. Now that I'm a big child I'm still doing the same. I am always itching to get out and look for critters.

Is that why she's afraid to go in the bathroom now Dave?

So that's why their have been baby sasquatch sightings! :O

Originally Posted by Utta

Is that why she's afraid to go in the bathroom now Dave?

Oh there were a few times she found the frogs, turtles or crayfish living in the tub.

Originally Posted by Utta

So that's why their have been baby sasquatch sightings! :O

Until there has been DNA testing done I cannot comment.