QUESTIONS FOR THE FEMALE SNAKE-OWNERS

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?
A western hognose and a rough-scaled sand boa.

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?
Their small size- we live in a small house.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?
No, I prefer to do everything myself.

4. How tall are you?
5' 8"

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?
No, I'd have a dumerils boa if I had the space.

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?
No.

7. What is your age group?
I'm 24.

8. How many of you have had your love of the scaley ones ruin a relationship ?? Friend? Lover?? IN LAW??
None.

9. Do you have an "if I die" list, of who gets, or what to do with the "collection" once you pass ?
Yes. Everyone knows what they and other people get.

10. Why do you keep the species you work with? What are your goals with them?Again, a lack of extra space for cages. I don't have goals with them- they're males of different speces.

11. How do you break the news to future b/fs?
I don't worry about it. I tend to not date people who aren't interested in reptiles.

12. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?
Most also keep reptiles, so they like being able to come over and check them out. Some aren't interested, so they don't care if I have them or not.

13. How long/from what age have you kept snakes?
I've had snakes since I was about 14.

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?

5 corns, a hog island boa, a Brazilian rainbow boa, a red tail boa, and a ghost Honduran milk snake

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?

corns - the variations in color and pattern, plus the nice size and temperaments. I want to try breeding them
hog island boa - the small size and gorgeous coloration
brb - they're very beautiful snakes
rtb - we got him for free
milksnake - finace wants to breed and I like the ghosts so I got one for his project

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?

My finace has his own collection so we kind of help each other out.

4. How tall are you?
5' 9"

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?

Not up to RTB size. Anything bigger will be avoided just because theyre so much harder to handle. The RTB is a workout as it is...

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?

Ehh, kinda. I don't know what I'd do with a cranky burmese...

7. What is your age group?

I'm 19.

8. How many of you have had your love of the scaley ones ruin a relationship ?? Friend? Lover?? IN LAW??

Hasn't happened to me yet. Actually the snakes are what brought me and my fiance together!

9. Do you have an "if I die" list, of who gets, or what to do with the "collection" once you pass ?

Well there is my fiance. But if we both die, no idea what would happen to the snakes.

10. Why do you keep the species you work with? What are your goals with them?

Corns are the only ones I want to breed. I want to play around with the lavender gene and combinations with that. May move on to other genes or possibly other species later on, idk.

11. How do you break the news to future b/fs?

Not something I have to worry about, I hope.

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

I dont have a lot of friends really but most are ok with them if they dont also keep them.

13. How long/from what age have you kept snakes?

I was only allowed to get any once I moved out last year.

Question QUESTIONS FOR THE FEMALE SNAKE-OWNERS


1. What type of snake(s) do you own?
Boas, BPs, Corns, Kings, African House, Gopher, Bulls

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?
A boyfriend, lol . Then it took on a life of it's own. My snakes have been a blessing in my life and my family's. They are all pets, even the biters, lol.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?
Sometimes, mostly no... When I have had help, it's been from my bf or my kids

4. How tall are you?
5'9

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?
Nope

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?
No, it's strictly based on my preference.. .My favorites are my boas

7. What is your age group?
26-40
I'm 37 yrs old.

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?
Sand boas, corns, garters and 1 milk. The milk was a surprise as I'm not really into milks. ( But I couldn't say no to the price! ) He has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.


2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s)
You want the fun answer or the real one? The fun answer: My dad went on vacation to Peru with mom and stayed with a tribe of Indians in the jungle. He brought me back a necklace made from boa constrictor vertebrae. I swear there was a spell on that friggin' necklace because I've been nuts about snakes every since! ( Yes, this really happened! Don't know about the spell part though! )

The real answer: I've never been scared of snakes and I always kinda liked them. But these past few years I decided I really, really, REALLY like them!

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?
No, just me.

4. How tall are you? ???
Too tall and heavy to be a racehorse jockey which was what I really wanted to be as a kid. Shorter than my hubby. He's 6 ft 4.

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?
Sorta. I'm not really interested in the gargantuan breeds or venemous or anything really aggressive. So I guess that makes me a wussy!

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?
Possibly. I find an angry, big, snake really intimidating!

7. What is your age group?
I'm 44.

How many of you have had your love of the scaley ones ruin a relationship ?? Friend? Lover?? IN LAW??
My in laws think that's weird but then, I think they're weird. So there! My hubby could care less. He doesn't like or dislike snakes. I've even gotten him to feed them once or twice. He IS kinda dismayed that I seem to be COLLECTING them and wonders where we are gonna put them all in our tiny house and when, if ever, it will stop. ( I wonder that too! ) My brother and sister are proudly calling me a herpetologist. ( I don't think I'm there yet! ) My friends know that this is just another unique facet of an already unique person. I like freaking out a couple of my snake phobic co-workers with them. And my mother is absolutely terrified of snakes and refuses to come in my house anymore now that each room, even the bathroom, has its own resident snake! Sigh! I really love my mother. I miss her here. Heavier sigh!

9. Do you have an "if I die" list, of who gets, or what to do with the "collection" once you pass ?
No, that's a very good idea. I have several people fighting for their place in line for my dog and my horses but my snakes???? Hmmmm.

10. Why do you keep the species you work with? What are your goals with them?
A Kenyan sand boa was my first snake and I still think they're a great starter snakes, esp. for someone who likes snakes but still might be timid of them. Corns are great snakes! Lots of BLING! to them and generally have great personalities. I LOVE my big amel Draco! He's the bomb! And garters always seem to get a bad rap but they're awesome! All that personality in that little body! And they like buddies in their tank!
I like doing reptile education so all my snakes have to have good personalities. My Kenyan is still the first snake I would pick if a snake phobic person wanted to hold a serpant. He's just so laid back and serene. Always acts like he's meditating.

11. How do you break the news to future b/fs?
He knew I was like this when he married me. This is what you get when you marry a wildlife biologist's daughter!

12. How do your friends view your hobby / deal with your obsession?
I can talk 'till I'm blue in the face but if I can get them to hold one of my snakes, they kinda end up getting it. Now when they come over, they always ask me to bring out one of my----"accessories!" ( In spite of the fact that the last time I took Draco to work, he tied 2 people together! )


13. How long/from what age have you kept snakes?
I brought home my Kenyan when I was 42. After that, I got hooked on reptile shows and well, you know the rest! I ended the year with more than 1 snake. This year seems to be no different.

14. What is your dream snake?
Well, this kinda breaks my "no big snakes" rule but someday, if I ever got the money AND my own "snakey stable" built on the property, I'd like to try an indigo snake. And before my dad dies! He's really fascinated by indigos.

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?
5 corns, one Mexican black king, 3 ball pythons

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?
I like their size and temperaments. Though I like big snakes, I wouldn't want to own one due to the extra needs for more space, larger food, etc.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?
(This is NOT a married/single question! Some of us have snakes & husbands/boyfriends that want nothing to do with them!)
My boyfriend and my 11 yr old daughter are both heavily into snakes as well and we all work together to care for them. Its a family affair for us

4. How tall are you?
5'2

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?
Not particularly.

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?
I know I like the idea of the smaller snakes because I have a young child. And hopes of having a baby in the future. I also have many other pets that would be prey for snakes. A parrotlet, rat, rabbit, cats, and dogs. So smaller snakes are more manageable for us

7. What is your age group?
26-40

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?

I have a 1 year old butter corn snake and a 2 year old ball python.

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?

When I was in the fifth grade we had a corn snake as our class pet I've loved snakes ever since and had my first corn snake a few years after that.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?

Yes, occasionally my roommate will feed or water them for me if I'm away.

4. How tall are you?

5'9"

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?

Indirectly, yes. I'm in college, so my snakes are juveniles of breeds that stay fairly small and don't have demanding care requirements (humidity, trees to climb, etc). I move around often, so my two are in easily transportable, separate rubbermaid tubs with heat mats

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?

Not really. I'm not one to live in fear. I do have a rule about not having any snakes that require two or more people to handle them, so...essentially, nothing that matures at much more than 6 feet, which is about where my comfort level lies at this point. However, that rule is more about convenience than safety.

7. What is your age group?

15-25

8. How many of you have had your love of the scaley ones ruin a relationship?

Not me! Not yet anyway...granted, I only have two, with secret plans for many more...lol!

9. Do you have an "if I die" list, of who gets, or what to do with the "collection" once you pass?

No, but I really need to make one...I want to make up a general will, which I realize is a little morbid, but...I'm 21 years old and my best friend died in a car accident last October. It's best to be prepared...I want all my animals and my belongings in general to be well cared for and to go to people who will love and enjoy them if anything happens to me.

10. Why do you keep the species you work with? What are your goals with them?

I keep the two that I have now (a ball and a corn) because they are extremely low maintenance and I'm a college student who moves from house to house every eight months or so. Once I settle down somewhere permanently or semi-permanently, I will start getting some of the ones I want that have higher demands (such as BRBs and their humidity requirements). In the future, I would really, really love to pursue breeding, but I haven't decided what species I am most passionate about yet! Only time will tell.

11. Any single ladies, how do you break the news to a potential boyfriend?

I'm currently dating someone, but...I just tell them. It often doesn't occur to me that it might be a make or break kind of issue. Usually the first time they're over at my house it'll come up, especially if they're staying the night. To me, it's not a big deal, so it comes up in conversation very nonchalantly...I think handling it that way makes people less likely to spaz out. Don't make a big show about it. "Oh...I have something really important to tell you......My closet is full of snakes in plastic tubs." lol

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

All of my friends enjoy my snakes, but they think I'm insane for wanting to spend money getting more of them...My father almost had a heart attack when I told him I'd bought a second one. What is he gonna do if I start collecting specimens for breeding? :O

13. How long/from what age have you kept snakes?

When I was in junior high "Santa" brought me a baby corn snake. When I left for college I left her with my father. He didn't secure the cage and she got out...we never did find her. Since it was warm weather and my dad was keeping her in his shop/garage, I believe she headed outside. She was extremely nippy and feisty and we live near a forest, so there are plenty of mice! I like to imagine she is thriving to this day

---

Here's my additional question...What other snakes are on your "wishlist"?

My wishlist includes a few more cornsnake and ball python morphs, a carpet python, a leopard boa, and a brazilian rainbow boa.

Originally Posted by JinxtheBP

Here's my additional question...What other snakes are on your "wishlist"?

What a great question!

My wishlist is pretty short now-a-days, used to be much larger:
Tiger ATB (already paid for, just waiting for him/her to show up)
red-phase ATB (will get in 2011)
Black Headed Python (plan to get in 2-3 years)
Cave Dwelling Rat Snake (might or might not get)
Albino Blood Python (might or might not get)

What other snake(s) are on your wishlist?

Bumblebee Ball, Spider Ball, Pied Ball, Axanthic Ball, Charcoal corn, Granite Corn, Sumatran Black Blood Python, Hognose Snake (normal or any morph)

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?
1.1 Eastern Indigos, 0.1 California Kingsnake, 1.3 Boa Constrictors of various morphs, 2.3 Louisiana Pinesnakes...

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?
I've always had an interest in them, but I kinda ignored it for a long time because I lived with my grandma and just the thought of having a pet snake made her shudder so I kinda pushed the thought out of my mind. In highschool I was doing some research on intelligent animals, and somehow I went from King Cobras to Eastern Indigos. I think what led me to them was an article talking about how intelligent they were and how Indigos were sometimes used to play as cobras in movies/television. I'm pretty sure that was it, but I've tried to go back and find that article on the internet and for the life of me I cant. A couple of years later my grandma passed away and I started researching cheaper alternatives to the Eastern Indigo (Let's face it, I was a freshman in college, paying my own tuition and Indigos were out of my spending range) So I started looking up Mexican Black kingsnakes... went from one thing to another and in the end I decided to just wait and save for some Indigos.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?
This varies. Usually I'm the only one who deals with them, but occasionally the housemates want to interact with them. I luck out and time these "interactions" during cleaning sessions. ;D

4. How tall are you?
5'1''

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?
Yes and No. I'm fascinated by all sorts of snakes but even I know my limits. I know that I'm not capable of handling a fully grown Burmese python or Reticulated python on my own so I've avoided adding anything of the sort to my ever growing collection. I have enough trouble hauling around an 8' female boa, I wouldn't feel comfortable handling a 11'-14'+ python. Not that there's anything wrong with them, I just feel like I'm not capable of giving them the proper care they need without taking a few risks. I'm the only one who truly works with my animals all the time, and I don't always have someone around to help me. More often than not I'm alone when working with them.

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?
Most of the time. (My answer to question 5 probably addresses this one as well)

7. What is your age group?
15-25
26-40
41-50
Older than that, but none of your business!
15-25


8. What other snake(s) are on your wishlist?
((These are in no particular order))
I'd like as many non-venomous species native to Louisiana as possible.
Moonglow boa
HighHigh yellow IrianJayaJaguar carpet python
Firefly ball-python
Bumblebee ball-python (or any of the other "bee" morphs for that matter)
Mandarin Ratsnake
Woma python
Black-headed python
Yellowtail Cribbo
Unicolor Cribbo
Blacktail Cribbo
Mexican Redtail Cribbo
Texas Indigo
(Okay, can I just go ahead and say that I'd like to collect as many of the other snakes belonging to the Drymarchon genus?)

Oh, and if I could ever own a snake that looks like FineGreenTreePython's Ella Diablo. Y___________Y Doubtful that ever ever ever happens.

This list is always changing and updated. I can honestly say though that one of my goals in life is to focus on the Drymarchon genus and become a respectable/knowledgeable herpetologist... for now though I think I'll focus on slaving away to earn that itty bitty piece of paper that says I'm somewhat knowledgeable in the environmental science/wildlife&forestry field. (If I don't change my mind again, that is)

9. Do you have an "if I die" list, of who gets, or what to do with the "collection" once you pass ?
Yes I do, actually. If I ever do kick the bucket before I'm ready, I've given someone instructions to donate my Eastern Indigos to a zoo or educational programs who is in need of a pair. The Louisiana Pine snakes will also go to friends who wish to have them. It's also possible that 1-2 of the Louisiana Pine snakes will either go to zoos or any local educational programs wanting/in need of them. Any of my other snakes my friends have either staked claims on or will re-home for me. It should sadden me that my best friend hopes that I'll keel over so that he can have my babies, but at the same time we've both agreed that if the other were to die we get their babies. ;D


10. What is your dream snake?
My dream snake -was- the Eastern Indigo. Instead of spending forever putting around to get one, I saved up and an amazing deal landed in my lap. They are still my favorite snakes of all time and being able to interact with them on a daily bases re-enforces my attachment to this particular species of snake.

If we're speaking of never-going-to-have-it-snake... I'd have to say Ella Diablo from FineGreeTreePython. You know, that amazing blue&black speckled GTP.

1. What type of snake(s) do you own?

I own ball pythons, corn snakes, columbian rainbow boas, brazilian rainbow boas, western hognose, kenyan sand boas, B.c. constrictor & B.c. longicauda

2. What sparked your interest in the particular snake(s) you own?

I got into snakes first through my love of middle eastern dance(bellydance). I began using them in dance routines years ago and then it kind of exploded from there. My first snake was a normal ball python male that I still have, and then I wanted to try boas for dancing, not realizing that my size would be kind of limiting with the average sized columbian red-tails..B.c. longicaudas & rainbow boas are much more appropriate for my size + dancing.. LoL.

3. Do you have help with your snake(s)?

Occasionally, but rarely. Due to the in-cage temperaments and size of my two red-tails, I usually wait until my boyfriend is home to get his assistance getting them out, cleaning, water dishes..etc. Most of the time I do everything by myself with the exception of the two snakes that are 6ft+.

4. How tall are you?

I am 5'1" and 3/4 inches tall. Yes, it matters =p

5. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your size/age?

Yes - I love burmese pythons...but due to limited time/space and my small size, I've never gotten one as a pet, and I've lusted after the granites for a long time. I just don't think it's feasible for me to keep something that I can't maintain on my own.

6. Does your choice of snake have anything to do with your security/safety factor?

Same answer as above.

7. What is your age group?
26-40