QUESTIONS FOR THE FEMALE SNAKE-OWNERS

11. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?

this one I have examples on both sides!

My parents, my dad thinks its cool. He is always asking about them, and was very interested when I got eggs. I brougth a snake up to his house once ( he lives 5 minutes away) and he loved it. He actually caught a wild corn snake when mowing the lawn=- he almost ran it over . And het put it in a box and called me up to tell me. I went up, he thought it was a milk snake, but it was a corn. We oogled over it, then we released it in a more wooded area. Erik, my little brother, enjoyed it as well. My mom repsects my hobby, but doesnt see what the big deal is. When I went on unemployment she was quick to mention to sell the snakes for money...

Freinds are kinda the same- respect it, but don't see the big deal, but not in a mean way...lol. I have a freind who doesnt like snakes at all, but looks at pictures of them, and she says they are georgous- just not a pet she would own ( she blaimes it on her cat, her cat wouldn't aprove, so she cant have a snake even if she wanted one...lol )

Now, my b/f's brothers girlfreind's family are jerks about it. I found out through the grapevine that I am talked about behind my back because of the reptiles. that whole family thinks there is something wrong with me and how idiotic I am because of how many snakes I have. They just don't get why I have so many and all that. And then it rolls into how rude I am and how mean I am because I am not a chatterbox, but instead a shy person. WTH? I am polite and everything to them, but heaven forbids you don't talk much and own snakes, makes you a horrible person. But I avoid them at all costs. But I got them back- b/f's neices came over, and we let them play with the rats, and they went through the 'i want a rat' phrase. So I felt good that they enjoyed my animals, and announced it to their family.

Now, not many freinds come over, not sure if its b/c of the snakes, rats, or just a long drive. But there really isn't much to do here, and our place is cluttered, so I don't care. Plus, I don't want loud parties or anything to stress the rats out, who are in the livingroom. Yeah, I have to yell at my b/f when he blairs the tv too loud. LOL.

10.
Kinda got another one- any single ladies, how do you break the news to potential b/f's? Thi sis something i pondered- what if I had all these snakes and was dating someone... how would they react? I can honestly say if tjhey did not like snakes and did not want to ever be in the same house as one/many, I would call the relationship quits- not to be mean, but ijust don't see how it would work out.

LOL, I wasn't single for very long before I met the hubby, but when I was single I did tend to creep out the guys who didn't know me very well. Granted I didn't own any reptiles at the time, just a budgie(living with roomates terrified of scalies sucked monkey butt), it was pretty much all me or nothing(which was/still is all my weirdness and eccentricities). Only found the one man who was able to tolerate me lol. And I had to import him from another state no less.

11. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?

My close friends think I'm weird, and little demented and just move on with the fact I am obsessed with the scalies(they have their own devices so don't get on much about mine). Coworkers are intrigued that a female would knowingly keep so many snakes, and jaws drop when I tell them I'M NOT DONE!!! I have gathered nicknames from said coworkers, my boss will even call me on the intercom "Julie The Sssssssssnake Haber line 2 please", yeah I get looks and giggles my way, and the customers expressions just crack me up. Then there are the few who are scared *#@$less, but are soooo curious, I think I might be able to convert them , especially this one guy who wants me to take him and his son out herping some night just so his son can see what its like(guess he doesn't fear slitheries like his papa).

10. Kinda got another one- any single ladies, how do you break the news to potential b/f's?

I usually let potentials know pretty quickly. It comes up during the obligatory "So what are your hobbies?" questions. I say, "Oh, I like to read, write, hang out with friends, spend time with my pets." They'll ask so kind of pet... I'll say, "I have two rabbits and a few snakes." Needless to say, I'm still single, lol.

11. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?

I don't really hide it, but I'm not so open about it. I do a lot of snake forum surfing at work so most people have figured it out. One friend is as into snakes as I am, but neither of us have seen each others collection due to scheduling/life. My closest friend thinks they are fascinating and doesn't hesitate to pick one up to hang with while she's over. Her son is the same. While my other close friend thinks it's "weird", but other than asking "How are the face eaters?" doesn't really care.

One of my employees (a little old lady in her 60's) is always asking about the snakes and loves looking at pics. Every time I get a new one I send her a picture of it, and she ooohs, aaahs over it. Some of my other employees and/or co-workers think they're cool, some think I'm weird. Whatever.

Family... My mom hates snakes with a passion, my step-father thinks they're boring and my brothers are fascinated by them. My Aunt/Uncles/Cousins all think it's creepy, but I only see them at Thanksgiving, Christmas and random weddings so it doesn't matter.

Originally Posted by jenneses

Family... My mom hates snakes with a passion, my step-father thinks they're boring and my brothers are fascinated by them. My Aunt/Uncles/Cousins all think it's creepy, but I only see them at Thanksgiving, Christmas and random weddings so it doesn't matter.

Same with my family. Nobody is interested. I wonder where the heck I got my snake-loving genes from. Now that I think about it, I don't know a single person who keeps reptiles. My poor friends/family are getting really tired of my ranting about ball python genetics and bearded dragon anatomy.

Must be how new morphs feel when they look around at all their normal litter mates.....

ahh Maya i know how ya feel...i think my co-workers are ready to kill me....they look at me like im speaking a whole other language when i talk about the differences in my mojave vs. my spider...im afraid if i say bumblebee they will think i want to start a honey jarring company lol

saw a girl wearing a necklace the other day...i said "oh wow thats awsome! hey Tanner come look!"

he said "lemme guess....its a snake..." and rolled his eyes lol

it was a snake, little diamond snake pendant...it was awsome... but i guess im getting predictable =p

(the girl wearing the necklace didnt even like snakes...she got it in while on vacation in hawaii cuz she said it made her look cool lol)

Originally Posted by wlowery88

ahh Maya i know how ya feel...i think my co-workers are ready to kill me....they look at me like im speaking a whole other language when i talk about the differences in my mojave vs. my spider...im afraid if i say bumblebee they will think i want to start a honey jarring company lol

saw a girl wearing a necklace the other day...i said "oh wow thats awsome! hey Tanner come look!"

he said "lemme guess....its a snake..." and rolled his eyes lol

it was a snake, little diamond snake pendant...it was awsome... but i guess im getting predictable =p

(the girl wearing the necklace didnt even like snakes...she got it in while on vacation in hawaii cuz she said it made her look cool lol)

Just about the only jewelry I ever wear is a lizard necklace... I'd wear a snake necklace if I had one, lol.

lol oh i would too...i almost offered to buy this girls necklace off her...it was really pretty hehe

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?
Currently, a motley assortment of kings and milks, corns, KSBs, a gopher, and hog island boas.

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?
As a tomboy, I loved devoting time to catching any herp that had the misfortune of coming within a mile of me, and spending so many summers with them appears to have left me with the indelible impression that including these California natives in my daily life is a vital part of living a normal, happy life. Hogs and KSBs just clicked, and the corns were selected by the brothers and husband I've been trying to drag kicking and screaming into the hobby with me.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?
My husband (Steve) and brothers are not really comfortable interacting with the snakes. I can enlist them as an extra set of hands, especially on feeding days, though. Steve did find a way that he was comfortable pitching in that helps me out immensely--- he runs my feeder colonies.

4. How tall are you? Round about five foot seven.

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?
Age a little bit, within the next decade I think I'd like to spawn. I keep snakes off my list right now that would have a reasonable chance of killing my beagles if they got loose, so I guess I also wouldn't keep anything that would make me paranoid enough to have to run and make sure the latch was done up right 30 times every night once I had a kid.

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?
In theory, but the only ones that I wouldn't feel secure handling/living with haven't been ones that I have felt a desire to own, so it really isn't much of a limitation. I am a little more limited in avoiding ones that would make Steve squeamish, but he is pretty game considering he's not a herp lover.

7. What is your age group?

26-40

8. How many of you have had your love of the scaley ones ruin a relationship?
Eh, they've made guys I've dated get squirrely before, but they've never ruined anything that I found worth putting much effort into.
They have kept my mother in law from ever setting foot in my place, but that has undoubtedly helped our relationship.

9. Do you have an "if I die" list, of who gets, or what to do with the "collection" once you pass
I am still working on my brothers, and they'd probably keep all the corns. But there is a breeder/home business I've selected that would take them in and do with as they saw fit. They've made donations to junior herp clubs and the like before, and I would love that. I'd also be okay with them selling them, though.


10. Why do you keep the species you work with? What are your goals with them?
Most, just for love of the species. I would like to breed some snakes, like the Hog Islands, but my main goals right now are to continue doing library programs and the like to try to spread an appreciation and understanding of them.

11. Kinda got another one- any single ladies, how do you break the news to potential b/f's? In the getting to know you stage, they typically inquire about hobbies, interests, 'what do you do for fun', etc. It always seem to fit quite naturally into the conversations one has when trying to get to know new people. And if he wasn't interested in getting to know me at all, then I wasn't too interested in telling him because he obviously wasn't going to be around long enough for there to be a problem.

12. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?

It runs the gamut from distaste to mild curiosity.

12. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?
I don't have a lot of friends due to the hours I work, and I guess because of the amount of time I spend taking care of my snakes. Or it could be that although I love working WITH people, I'm kind of a loner...anywho...people at work think I'm crazy as a loon, especially when I tell them how many I have (39) and that I breed rats to feed them as well. Right now I work mostly with females, and some of them even hate it when my background pops up on the computer--an RDR Dreamsicle!
On the other hand, my mother is dumbfounded that a roach will cause me to scream like a little girl, but a snake will make me oooh & ahhh. She doesn't want anything to do with them, but will have my sister or niece catch ringnecks & the like. She even loaned me money for a deal I just couldn't pass up! And yes, she has been paid back...
If anyone else is interested in answering the questions in this poll, feel free.
If we're done here, check back--we may have some percentages/figures regarding our stats on this.