How do you feel about snakes?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
Snakes as pets. What do you think?

I had a 6 foot boa when the kids were little. I LOVED that guy! Named AC, short for Alice Cooper, because of the markings around his eyes. AC would hang around my neck and dip his head in and out of the soap bubbles when I washed dishes. I didn't much care for the feeding part :( but I dealt with it.

More recently, my daughter Paige became the proud owner of two small snakes...a young corn snake and a calico ball python.

Technically the corn snake is her son River's. He really really wanted a snake, so Mom and Dad told him if he saved up enough money, he could buy one. He saved every single bit of his chores money, asked Mom for extra chores so he could make more, checked books out of the library, watched youtube tutorials on snakes, rearing, care etc., and was so diligent for so many weeks that they decided to match his savings so that he could get one sooner than he would have otherwise.

Meet Candy Corn the corn snake:
84008850_10159398942204408_6566176255874433024_n.jpg

84878227_10159396271839408_7177889399663755264_n.jpg

And then Paige became so enamored of Candy Corn that within a few days she decided she wanted her own snake, so she and William decided to give each other the Valentine's day present of their own pet!

Meet Puppy aka Puppers, Pup-Pup, Pupster (I made the mistake of mentioning that his sweet face looked like a little puppy and it stuck!!!) He's a calico ball python

85092954_10159432053234408_5632454647806427136_n.jpg

86462533_10159436897949408_8833528257807646720_n.jpg

Given the reaction of Paige's friends both in person and on facebook, there seems to be a very black/white reaction to snakes. You tend to either love 'em or hate 'em. Personally I think they're so cool!
 

I've held a small one, but not fond of snakes at all.

I remember when wife and I went into a store that sold snakes and other venomous creatures. I walking by a row of small snakes, in glass containers, and I heard a "rattling" noise coming from one on the bottom row. I looked down and "low and behold" it was a rattlesnake with its head and rattler up shaking. I looked at my wife and said "time to leave, NOW!!" I remember seeing a sign on the door that read, "This is not a zoo! These reptiles are dangerous and require a license to keep."
 
From what I've seen, snakes in movies are always portrayed as "danger". I seen that movie, Snakes On A Plane, and it sure looked freaky. Samuel L. Jackson starred in it.
 
I just knew I should not have even peeked into this thread.....now that I have seen the pictures it will be nightmares for nights on end.

A snake tempted Eve....that does it for me, I simply don't like them :unsure:
 
We have some black snakes, and garter snakes that we often spot around the yard. I leave those alone, as they do a good job of keeping the mice population, etc., under control. Occasionally, I see a Copperhead, which are poisonous, and I take a broom, or stick, and scoot them away...again because they, too, help control rodents.
Insofar as having a snake for a pet....No Way!!!!
 
Not a fan. One of my sisters has an extreme snake phobia. These photos would freak her out. We did have our share of garter snakes when we lived in Alberta, and they're small. Anything bigger, uh-uh!
 
I’m ok with them. They may startle me but I’m not the least bit scared of them. As far as having one as a pet? I prefer the furry kind myself but find snake lovers on the eccentric, exotic side which I find interesting.
 
When I was a little kid I was terrified of snakes. My mother became so tired of my screaming and crying she picked up the snake, and while explaining to me that a snake is just another kind of animal, had me hold it and pet it. Of course she told me there were venomous snakes but most garden snakes were harmless. After that I was fine with them. Never felt people should have them as pets though. Let the snakes be free.
 
rkunsaw said:
I really like having rat snakes and king snakes around because they eat poisonous for lunch.

But having snakes for pets is crazy. Just look what former pets have done to Florida.
Click to expand...
Uh....just a bit of info: The Burmese Python problem in Florida is the fault of thoughtless, inconsiderate people who decide they no longer want the snake & just release it.
 
Lee said:
I just knew I should not have even peeked into this thread.....now that I have seen the pictures it will be nightmares for nights on end.

A snake tempted Eve....that does it for me, I simply don't like them :unsure:
Click to expand...
That's the irrational reasoning behind most people's disdain for snakes. Rather ironic, because, if you're religious & believe in God, guess who created snakes?
 
People fear what they don't understand.
I had several pet snakes as a kid. They are fascinating. As an animal lover, I did have a problem with how they eat, but I eventually realized that all carnivorous beings are the same in that respect. We disguise animals before we eat them by cooking, seasoning, etc. And we have someone else kill & cut them up for us. Animals can't do that. How do wild dogs & cats eat? (coyotes, wolves, lions, tigers) Snakes are no different.
One of my pet snakes was a Boa Constrictor that was 3 feet when I got him. When he reached 13 feet & 80 lbs, I was faced with feeding him larger food like rabbits. I didn't want to, so I gave him to the zoo. They had the right size enclosure for him & he also had a girlfriend.
 
No snakes for me but I am in favor of anything that helps young people overcome irrational fears, bias, prejudice, etc...

Good for them!
st_patrick-ireland-irish_immigrants-american-st_patricks_day-animals-CC41043_low.jpg
 
Being raised in rattlesnake country-kill 'um.
Black snakes are good, as are most other snakes, but you DO NOT LET
SOMETHING THAT CAN KILL YOU LIVE, IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE.

Rattlesnakes are hell on livestock.

I find those that keep snakes peculiar, probably not exposed to poisonous
snakes.
If you want to play with your pet snake, well I just don't know what to think about that.
 
Last edited:
As a child I played with harmless snakes. Hognose snakes play dead and can be very entertaining.
Hognose snake.jpeg
Though not afraid of snakes generally, I do respect them and give them wide berth until they are identified as poisonous or not.
Living in the country in poison snake territory, we hold a live and let live position. We have rattle snakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads on our land. Snakes sometimes get in the house through the cat door. I remove them. Long reach grabbers come in handy.
 
Rosemarie said:
As I have guinea pigs and rabbits as pets, I'm very aware that they are often bought by snake owners to feed to their pets.....eaten alive! That horrifies me. How can anyone sit and watch a live creature being devoured by another?
Click to expand...
As sadistic as it sounds, some snake owners purchase snakes for that very reason; to watch them eat. It’s beyond belief but fact.
Humans have the ability to be heartless
 
Rosemarie said:
As I have guinea pigs and rabbits as pets, I'm very aware that they are often bought by snake owners to feed to their pets.....eaten alive! That horrifies me. How can anyone sit and watch a live creature being devoured by another?
Click to expand...

How do you think animals in Africa survive...….eating each other. Same goes for national parks in the U.S. where wolves live.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top