Favorite Herp-Related Things...

[KLG]

This is a topic I posted in another forum a year ago & it was a lot of fun...just thought it would be interesting to hear more perspectives from folks over here.

Some of my favorites...


The smell of eggs hatching.

Really, really, sinfully red blood pythons.

Finding 57 timber rattlesnakes in one day.

When it’s late at night & all I want to do is finish things up at the shop & go home, and then I see a little chondro caudal luring and forget about wanting to go home, and just watch the snake twitch his tail for 10 minutes.

A big, friendly Borneo short-tailed python that is perfectly content to hang out on my lap.

Hearing Tokay geckos calling late at night.

Rhino iguanas that share a slice of watermelon with me.

The big, googley eyes of Trans-Pecos ratsnakes.

Having a significant other who likes the same things…or at least understands why I “just have to keep this one to see what it’s going to look like in a year!”

...and a year later saying to the same significant other "well, remember how cool that other one turned out? I think this one has a lot of potential too, so let's just keep this one to see..." and watching him roll his eyes, but walk away smiling.


Sometimes it’s too easy to get sucked in by all the drama that tends to happen in this hobby/industry…too easy to get so caught up in lusting after the next animal on your wish list that you forget how cool the animals in your collection already are, no matter what color, what species, how expensive or inexpensive. Go into your herp room RIGHT NOW, and think of just how awesome it is to be a part of something so amazing as herpetoculture.

Ok. Now what are some of YOUR favorites?

K

[faze]

Sometimes it’s too easy to get sucked in by all the drama that tends to happen in this hobby/industry…too easy to get so caught up in lusting after the next animal on your wish list that you forget how cool the animals in your collection already are, no matter what color, what species, how expensive or inexpensive. Go into your herp room RIGHT NOW, and think of just how awesome it is to be a part of something so amazing as herpetoculture.

thats one reason i've become very picky with my collection especially after having my shop.... i got to the point where it was "just another pretty snake/lizard"and it became more of work then a hobby i still loved it non the less but in the mean time i got worn down on it goin through the supplier's rubbermaid he brought in on a weekly basis goin "i'll take that that and that"
(im sure kara and kevin know that feeling)but there is one thing i can say...i never lost my respect for the animal... cages where always spotless never housed together and fed regularly...
things i love about my animals
there distinctiveness...(there special markings color variations etc)
there personalitys(the way each of my animals react differently to what and who is reacting around them)
there interaction(the way specific ones act when being held,talked to etc)

[LowerGround]

How about the joy of seeing baby boas break through their birth-sacs and taking their first breath...

Or watching a baby corn snake pip...

Seeing the snake you've worked so hard to get eating, which everyone else has told you to give up on, begin eating all on its own...

Listening to my mourning geckos "krik" at each other at night...

Watching the reaction on some people's faces when they ask me what I do besides college and I reply about my snakes...

My best satisfaction is helping someone with their questions about reptiles, sometimes to the point of helping them find the perfect reptile, even if it means I don't sell them one of my reptiles, and instead refer them to someone else, but the customer gets what they are looking for, and comes back to tell me how happy they are and how much they appreciate my help...

[cagecrafters]

My favorite thing about herps is the amount of thought that goes through your head when you drive past someones trash heap and think, hmmmm... I bet I could make something out of that for the reptile room.

Oh and hatching anything! Yeah that to.

Did I share to much? ;)

[BallPyFan]

Having my new snake kick back and totally chill in my hand last night as I help him shed out with a washcloth, the only things moving on him were his tongue and eyes as he watched the cats play. I have had him a week today, and he trusted me that much already. Too cool! Or seeing my WC girl not only coming out of the hide (and not fleeing back in when I peek in to check on her) but to have her finally eat. And lets not forget the fun of looking at the blushing on a lot of my snakes, or the contrast of the white in my high white normals, or the funky peach colored scales on Peachy's tail and spine, now starting to appear on her front half. Or comparing Peachy's skinny pictures to the happy robust BP in my hands. Or, if I really want to be mezmorized for several minutes, watching Oscar's sclaes in the sunlight (he's my BRB). I am far from jaded, worn down, or any of that yet LOL

[Apython]

The look on an unsuspecting family members face when they visit my house and decide they need an ice cube and all I have in my freezer are rats and rabbits. lol

That feeling of relief when a ball python finally takes a rat after a 5 month fast.

[Schlyne]

Watching my ball python (first snake) cruise around in his cage at night.

Watching the sweet, cute crested geckos "get fierce" and snap up feeder insects (usually the crickets).

[JERICO]

Walking onto a shop and spotting a herp that you have been searching for forever.

Picking up a snake that usually wants to rip shreds out of you to find its had a brain transplant and now loves being handled.

Watching boids shed, you can see it a thousand time, but as soon as that boa starts rubbing, your like a hawk.

Getting a big slough in one piece.

Watching snakes change / loose colour as they grow, every day i look at my 04 burm and say ''wow look how the white is taking over the orange and how fast she is growing''

When crappy feeders decide they want to eat everything you put in front of them :)

Theres loads more, but i dont wanna take over the thread :twisted:

[JTrott]

Some of these have been said already, but I don't mind duplicating them:

When the Ball Pythons starts eating on its own.

When a picky eater takes off and eats anything you put in front of them.

When a flighty/bitey snake finally calms down so you don't have to carry a bucket of water and a roll of papertowels into the snake room to get the snake off and clean up the blood.

When you work so hard to get a snakes burns/bites/rubs gone, and the snake sheds 6 months later to find that the burns/bites rubs are gone and the snake is beautiful.

When you open up a tub and all you see is the white belly of a female ball python.

The sound of rat pinks in my closet, knowing that I will not have to buy feeders for a couple more days.


I guess that is about all for now,
Jason

[bogwan]

I love to watch the faces of my two kids as they handle and interact with our stuff! They are so intense. They remind me of when I was a youngster starting out. Their thirst for knowledge and wanting to know everything about a particular species.The way my daughter talks to her bearded dragon and brings him in her room for tea parties!
My son's never ending search for more information on reptiles and the way he holds something and gets that glazed look in his eye.
And of course the look on their faces when we do get something new!
For me the feeling I get on feeding day when everybody ate and no one got picky! Or the look of a newly shed animal so bright and iridescent.

[Kitt]

... That undeniably satisfying "SLAM!" of a really strong feeder.

... Or the gently greedy grab of a feeder who knows the rat is dead, but wants to make sure you know she's going to eat it anyway:

... A snake's unique personality.

... Having a really fun photo session with your snakes, then getting to look over the pictures afterwards and marvel at what beautiful creatures you get to work with.

... But my favorite thing of all is just handing my snakes, knowing how cool they feel, how simple yet powerful. It's such an exotic, awesome feeling that, sadly, many people will never know due to fear and squeamishness.

:smt035 Rock!

[rcrowley]

The mystified look from people when they walk into my office and see photos of my "children" and me hugging a 9ft alligator named Bubba and then asking me if I am "in to reptiles",....duh!

The site of a freshly laid clutch of eggs and the site of a pipped egg!

The joy I see in others who either got an animal from me that is doing well or a once sickly animal that made a turn around after the owners learned what they were doing wrong after talking to me. I really love helping other perpetuate the interest in herps.

[PadraigC]

1. explaining bites to the ER crew as a sewing mishap knowing theyll admit you to a padded room when they here the truth......

2. growth, i love seeing growth wheter its a baby ackie finally nailing a 1/2" cricket or finally switching that balll over to rats

3. the aggreements,disagrements and info that frquent forums such as this hopefully not that many disagreemnts on this particular

What I dont like......
Politics- "Lets ban everything and raid so and so because they have _____ (insert something)

[Adam]

the fresh smell of a f/t mouse

[#1ReticLover]

~When I walk by Raja (my retic) and she sticks her head out of her hidey hole to say HI! :smt031

~When my friends make a dash for the door if I even look at my Raja's cage as if I was going to open it!! :smt005

**Most of all** When I bring my "babies" to NERD and hear the OOHHH's and Ahhhh's!! *blushing* :smt053 I can't wait for summertime to that again...!!!


Hugs,
Mary

[Beardo]

My favorite thing about my herps, besides the herps themselves, is talking to like-minded people, hearing about different experiences, and making friends who truly understand my passion for these awesome creatures. :D

[Sherry Howell]

Mine is going home after a particularly stressful day and getting a hug from one of my snakes.

[BallPyFan]

Another fun day at the office again, Sherry? If it gets too bad you can stop by and get Peachy hugs :)

[Adam]

you found 57 timbers in 1 day? thats unreal

[whiteghostmonkey]

i always say ahhh! when i see a baby ball, they never stop being cute.

One of your sub-adult females puts on an amazing growth spurt :smt023

When a normally coloured snake turns a weird colour :smt017

When you put hets together get 5 eggs, 4 of them die and the one that hatches is a 90% white pied male! (happened to someone i know)

[Sherry Howell]

Yeah, Katrina, I still have the key to your house. It's close to work....maybe good for a lunchtime hug with Peachy.

Shoulda seen Ralph in the bathtub last night. Donnie just doesn't understand the concept of giving a snake a bath. He doesn't seem to realize that the snakes are SUPPOSED to trash anything in the vicinity of the tub while they are there. Ralph wrapped around Donnie's arm and wouldn't budge after a bit. I finally took over and we had a nice time until at one point he zoomed out of the tub and went nose to nose with me. With those orange eyes staring straight into mine, I wasn't sure if he was cussing me out or telling me he was about to bite or asking if, since I was already pretty wet, I wanted to climb in the tub with him. :smt017 I stayed out of the tub and he resumed his playtime.

[vipergecko]

my favorite herp thing is all the people i meet and talking about herp stuff with them :smt025

[Detoured4now]

Of course caring for my captives...

BUT I truly enjoy "rescuing" a 15 inch long snapper from the double yellow line on her way to lay eggs. Who put this damn 2 lane highway here anyway?

Going to look for mudpuppies and spending 3 hours lifting 50-250 lb rocks in th middle of a river with landscaping tools only to come up empty handed. Then to walk on the shore and find a pair of adult wood turtles. What did I interrupt?

Giving advice and information to my coworkers' children and neighbors about new pets. "Hey can I ask the reptile guy some more questions?"

Getting to catch up with my buddy Adam and use Latin with someone who actually understands and appreciates what I'm talking about.

A million others will come to me.

Chad S

[DwCp05]

The part that I like the most is the research and proving it. I think that is the best part of keeping anything, My parents always told me children dont come with hand books, but all of my animals do/will.

The most important thing to tell anyone is read, and when you are done, read again, then ask to find out what others think.

[foxytaz2000]

handlin my snakes and watching the babies hatch

[Podo]

Sometimes it’s too easy to get sucked in by all the drama that tends to happen in this hobby/industry…too easy to get so caught up in lusting after the next animal on your wish list that you forget how cool the animals in your collection already are, no matter what color, what species, how expensive or inexpensive. Go into your herp room RIGHT NOW, and think of just how awesome it is to be a part of something so amazing as herpetoculture.
K

First off, I was going to cry reading that...mainly because of how true it is. :DD

I am not sure what my favorite things are. I guess some of mine would have to be with my green iggy he loves to have his head rubbed and I love sharing oranges with him (also how I have been bitten a few times :newredbi: ). Then some of my other times would have to be watching my Tokay Gecko eat and to listen to him make nosies at night. Then I love when ever I just lay down and spend sometime with any of my herps. I know there alot more but this is just a few of my favorite.

[Podo]

My favorite thing about my herps, besides the herps themselves, is talking to like-minded people, hearing about different experiences, and making friends who truly understand my passion for these awesome creatures. :D

Amen!

[RhacBreeder]

-Receiving a green iguana from a co-worker that never heard of uva/b or vitaman supplement, watching the iguana struggle to pick his head up, not being able to chew...and seeing that same iguana now running wild, eating everything and head bobbing when I look at him!! The relief of knowing that I DID save him, even though I was damn sure it was hopeless...

-Flipping old garbage cans in Pa's backyard as a kid and tailing "HUGE"(I was little!) eastern garters and not caring that they pee on me.(like I said I was LITTLE!)

-Waking up to that first hatchling and calling out of work to make sure the baby is doing OK!

-Waking up to my female green iguana sleeping on my pillow with me.

-Falling asleep to the sounds of crested geckos and crickets.

-Being home alone, watching all of my reptiles, and forgetting about the rest of the world...if only for a moment.

[ball21]

Some of my favorite things are........
- Completely changing someones elses opnion on snakes. My Aunt hated my snake and after a month to see the smile on her face as she looked into the eyes of my Ball. I got a wierd feeling liek this is what its all about.

- As said many times already, after totally hitting the boiling point on that picky ball and trying one more time and all goes well.

- When my brother was moving back p he had to stay in an apartment form a couple of months while his house was being built. All his snakes were at my house except for his 15' male burm and his 18' female tiger retic(hes like a little girl with a teddy bear!) sneak out during a cage cleaning and have a old lady pointing down the hall saying " are those snakes your heading down the hall and then 5 minutes later having a 20 person photo phest!

- And last but not least, waking up at 2 am and seeing my ball curising looking for a way out, and then letting her curse under the covers for hours and then realizing i have school in an hour!

sorry i was going through old posts and couldnt help it! sorry :biggrin3:

[JeffG]

The one thing i love the most is waking up in the middle of the night, turning on the tv, and seeing my geckos exploring their cages. I could watch em roam around forever.

[diablodragon]

EVERYTHING! everything about reptiles is great!
I love to see the little babys pop out of the egg
letting Alucard (boa) cruse around and just WATCHING him move and explore
taking one of my snakes outside and seeing a new spot, pattern anomily, or something new
Putting Angel (bp) around my neck and knowing hes going to go strait to behind my ear and drive me crazy my tickling me
having someone walk into my store upset because they have a sick, or the wrong reptile and I help them out to get things fixed.
having guys walk in and their jaws drop to the floor cause a five foot nothing girl has a ten foot boa on her lap! :evil4:
theres a million more things!

[JDouglas]

I enjoy building stuff for my snakes like cages, rheostats, incubators, etc. Its funny how you can walk through Walmart or Hardware store and everything you see could be a water bowl, a hider, etc.

I also enjoy skipping work if eggs are being laid or babies are born. Work will be there the next day right! I just call and tell the truth and they are so shocked they don't even mind.

I also enjoy having goals with snakes and finally meeting them and starting over again with something new! Breeding reptiles is a true test of patience!

[JShelby]

Waiting for my wife to et off of work at the pet stoe she woks at and end up selling a baby striped albino kingsnake to a young highschool aged guy. This was after he and his friends listened to and hung on every word I had to say about starting off with a first reptile.

Being in the reptile house at the Houston Zoo telling my own kids about the different animals there and realising there is a crowd of about 20 other people also listening, and one of the young boys asking if I worked there.

Just sitting and watching each animal doing there own thing in their cages, and realizing just how beautiful that normal BP really is.

Jay

[vipergecko]

NERD

[ItsJustJosh]

getting a group of centralian pythons dirt cheap because they haven't taken a meal on their own, only to have all of them eating rat pinks 4 hours after coming out of the shipping box

talking to someone for three hours about even the most common herps

having a non-reptile person stare in awe when they realize how beautiful snakes really are, and then they name it

knowing my mother has realized it isn't just a phase, even though she'll never admit it

[snakecharm]

That restless feeling when winter is finally on the ebb and spring is on its way, baby season is around the corner and it's time to add to the collection again.

The ultimate softness of baby snake skin against your cheek.

The fierce thrill of satisfaction when a snake goes for the kill. Definitely a moment of sympathy among predators.

Amused pride when one of the smarter ones figures out that f/t rat is already dead and just starts gulping it down without further ado.

Watching your fierce, proud little ratsnake trying to defend his territory in his 'I'm big, I'm bad and I'm a rattlesnake, see my tail rattle!' way.

Opening up the tub and seeing just a nose and eyes peeping out at you from the substrate.

Being stretched out in the recliner with the TV on and a baby blood python chilling out on your chest.

That look of horror in the eyes of others when you tell them that, yes, you keep snakes, and yes, you have more than a dozen of them. :twisted:

I think there's about a thousand more... because dammit I love my babies, and I love this hobby. =) =)