What do you love most about keeping reptiles?

[SarahScales]

In light of a recent thread discussing a loss of passion with keeping reptiles, I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to start another on why we do what we do.

Why do you enjoy keeping reptiles?
What particular animal, pair or genus keeps you interested?
What moments excite you most in general care?
If you could do it all again, would you change anything?
Enclosures, animals, breeding or other: What makes you tick?

What is it that keeps you in the hobby and keeps you interested? Lets reignite those flames and love for what we do! Sometimes just talking about it reminds you why you got so excited in the first place...

No arguing, judging or contests in this thread. Only positivity here!

 

[harlemrain]

I think this is an awesome idea

I love taking my babies outside and watching them explore the outside world and I hope to one day afford and albino Darwin carpet or have the resources for a scrubby

 

[saintanger]

i enjoy spending time with them, i enjoy every bit of owning them, i have been into reptiles since i got my first ones wen i was 4.
my jungle, childrens, beardies and geckos keep me interested the most.
seeing my beardies recognise the cricket box or meal worm conatainer and come running and scratch the glass all excited.
no i would not change anything.
nothing makes me tick in a bad way except wen hubby doesn't help.

i stay in the hobby for the love of it, seeing my snakes look so much better after a shed. a full belly after a feed. messuring how much they have grown.

 

[Pythonlovers]

I just read your post on the other thread haha!
What keeps me going is walking into my room everything time and having a look where my gtps are chilling and seeing what there up to when the light turns off haha. Me and girlfriend will turn the light off and go to bed but then go oh the water bottle so ill get up and when I get back ill have a quick look and it always makes me happy to see where they are? Or are they moving around? Or are they just chilling and we recently just got a hatchie bredli and Two marble velvet geckos ( they are the girlfriends haha) and watching the geckos at night is so amazing as well!

ps; had a smile the whole time I was writing this!

 

[nicole279]

everything

Our reps are a constant source of joy and amusement to our family. Whether its time to take them outside or feed them or clean enclousures its something that the kids are definately involved in. Miss 4 takes great pleasure in sitting quietly by the feed tub watching the snakes feed, my boys 5 and 9 yo prepare the greens for the lizards not because they are made to but because they enjoy it
I guess the best part of our reps is that its a familly passion

 

[Pythonlovers]

Oh another thing haha, when my nieces and nephews come around they always love staring at them when I'm feeding and are so interested my them! And the way they say silly things about them just makes me laugh and happy

 

[Timmeh103]

I keep reptiles due to their understated beauty, amazing evolutionary status and ability to be left alone for a week and they still love(tolerate) you just the same

Mostly my albino darwins keep me imterested in how their colours change with growing, it takes me by surprise each time they shed

I get excited by cleaning their enclosure, adding something new and watching them explore and smell it, and rearranging their enclosure !!

I would chage one thing, I would have gotten straight into Morelia spieces rather than starting with the beloved Antaresia :/ just not my cup of tea.

One of my biggest enjoyments in this hobby is the DIY, being able to create something and watch it used (and work) is amazing, I love creating new ideas and enclosures, drawing up plans and then putting them together (bunnings is my heaven).

 

[Barrett]

Why do you enjoy keeping reptiles?
I am just fascinated by snakes in general, used to keep lizards when I was a child and they are just awesome to watch and to let slither around
What particular animal, pair or genus keeps you interested?
I love my woma girl. When it comes to pythons my favourite species are Green Tree Pythons, Olives, Scrubbies and a few of the carpet python sub species. Though, it is the elapids that really keep me interested. My De Vis should arrive next week and I'm very excited.
What moments excite you most in general care?
Feeding is always fun and getting my snakes out for a slither around the yard.
If you could do it all again, would you change anything?
Maybe, though I'm not sure exactly what I would change
Enclosures, animals, breeding or other: What makes you tick?
I really have come to enjoy building enclosures for my current kids and future ones. Breeding is something that I would love to do, though it will be a couple years, at least, until I head down that road.

 

[=bECS=]

I grew up 2 houses down from a big native bushland reserve.
As kids my older cousin and I spent all day every day there and return home when the street lights came on.
We waded through the creeks seeing where they went to, he taught me how to find and catch guppies, tadpoles, frogs, turtles, geckos, blueys, dragons, water skinks.
He taught me about snakes and to avoid elapids like browns and rbbs.
We would watch them basking on rocks.

I also learnt about birds, blue bowers ( they were my fave their nests were always amazing), cockies, galahs, lorries, rosellas etc and raised many baby birds.

Ive kept all sorts, from when i was a kid bringing lizards home for a few days before I was made take it back (I was a little kid and it was the 80's..... dont hate)
I was speaking to him one day years ago when he told me he was getting a snake and if I knew about licenses you had to get now to keep reptiles etc. I already had a bird keepers license so looked into it and we both ended up getting a reptile one.

I kept snakes, monitors, beardies after I got my license and bred quite a few very nice animals.

Then I had my second child and sold up.

Now I have some Spencers monitor's again as they were always my fave, second to the bhps.

The hissing, flaring and acrobatics of my largest spencer at feed time is the most fun. Hes such a clown, the biggest bluffer and the hatchies are developing personalities of their own too.
Its true they are the puppy dogs of monitor's.
Nothing better than making him chase a mouse on the tongs and leaping to catch it mid air then hissing with it in his mouth like a dog growling over its bone!

 

[longqi]

Why do you enjoy keeping reptiles?
the unexpected things that just happen

What particular animal, pair or genus keeps you interested?
most snakes
What moments excite you most in general care?
saving a crook one

If you could do it all again, would you change anything?
would have got into more rescue work earlier

Enclosures, animals, breeding or other: What makes you tick?
other, particularly conservation which is not as applicable in Aus

 

[jbest]

I love how it keeps the mother in law away

 

[Mroads75]

Love keeping reps because I think they are seen as not having a personality by people who don't have anything to do with them, but my reps all have great personalities and are so different.
i enjoy the one on one interaction with each of them and how they love to explore
wouldnt change anything
great idea for a post too

 

[Nellynake]

Why do you enjoy keeping reptiles?
The weird looks you get when you take them out the front of the house and how unique they are haha.
What particular animal, pair or genus keeps you interested?
No snake or lizard keeps me interested, it's the achieving goals like Wanting a GTP but working your way up to it with other snakes.
What moments excite you most in general care?
Feeding has to be my favourite part, dodging strikes when you aren't prepared get's hectic haha.
If you could do it all again, would you change anything?
more research of what I would need if I wanted more snakes such as breeding and breeding rats.
Enclosures, animals, breeding or other: What makes you tick?
the animals themselves are awesome. I see a lot of people stop and look at my snakes when i'm out the front which is good.

 

[ssnakeboyy]

My favourite thing about keeping reptiles is taking my snake out side and getting pics of her and seeing her happy outside. I really enjoy making enclosures (cabinet conversions) as i like to see my animals happy in a nice big enclosure.

i think every reptile keeps me interested.

it gets me excited when my bearded dragon eats vegies haha and when i see him drink for some reason.

if i could change anything id get more reptiles

 

[borntobnude]

although the interaction is less than most other pets -- but more than with my Finches -- We seem to spend a lot of time just observing them . All of our reptiles are unique and when you think about the habitat they come from and the reasons for their behaviour it makes it even more fascinating .

the thing i would change is having had lizzards as a boy and not allowed snakes i would get the snakes as soon as my parents ran away instead of waiting for our daughter to ask for one at age 8 !!!!!

 

[pythonmum]

Why do you enjoy keeping reptiles?
I am fascinated by all animals and grew up in Arizona, which had many reptiles. My parents wouldn't let me have snakes, but I had a banded gecko and a box turtle. I am fascinated by their amazing efficiency, the way they move and the variety of colours and forms.

What particular animal, pair or genus keeps you interested?
When I got my albino Darwin girl, she totally captivated me. The albinos remain my favourites. I still love to watch the colours pop when I take them into full spectrum light. The inquisitive, calm personality just adds to the appeal.

What moments excite you most in general care?
The sloughing process is always interesting to watch. It is like getting a new snake when they are fresh and crisp-looking again. My work colleagues also take my sloughs to use as natural possum repellent.

If you could do it all again, would you change anything?
Not particularly.

Enclosures, animals, breeding or other: What makes you tick?
Building enclosures out of cabinets is fun, but the most fun of all is the breeding process. I takes so long, that you get months of fun and interest! I like seeing my animals in top condition doing what comes naturally and providing them with the right conditions to do so. Ad the moment when those little heads poke out of the eggs is magical! It makes up for the hassle of getting the little mongrels feeding.

 

[montysrainbow]

Why do i enjoy keeping reptiles?

because they dont demand! they r pretty to look at and they keep my mother inlaw away lol.

What particular animal, pair or genus keeps you interested?

just my gorgoo at the moment - coastal

What moments excite you most in general care?

i love watching him eat and explore the backyard, poop (yes i still watch him poo- lol dont know y) and most of all i LOVE watching him grow!

If you could do it all again, would you change anything?

i would have got one sooner!

Enclosures, animals, breeding or other: What makes you tick?

enclosures for sure lol i am constantly browsing ebay and gumtree....or designing builds for hubby lol.

 

[Woma_Wild]

So far, I've enjoyed the entire process. The purchase, buying set up, watching my baby grow.

So far, I only have my woma.

I love it all really. Feeding her, cleaning her enclosure, taking her outdoors and love the shedding part also.

Would I change anything ? Hell yes. I'd get rid of my X and buy my python much sooner. Like 20 years ago.

I'm a bit like monty. I'm always looking at gumtree so see what's available