# has anyone ever thought about giving up reptile keeping?



## tom1400 (Jan 21, 2007)

Well the title says most of it, but has anyone ever thought about giving up reptile keeping because one of the reps died, like one that you really did love. This all come to my mind when my beardie arnie died last month. I really did feel like giving reptile keeping up. 

Has anyone else thought of it.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

if you have entertained the idea, then it's not for you...just a passing fancy.


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## MissHayho (Mar 17, 2007)

actually alot of people feel like this its perfectly normal ,because you hurt so much when arnie died your scared it will happen again and even if you are not aware of it deep down this is why u feel this way.

Its really hard to get over losing a pet, especially when it was one u were so attached to


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

then again, i'm not normal!:lol2:


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

I have done but not because of one dying. I came close to chucking it all in the other day because of rumours going around but i didnt i must admit I came very very close. But I had my kids talk me out of it also my other half. The way i see it now is if you enjoy something do it. I love reptile keeping its not a hobby anymore its a passion as been for many years. My friend actually gave up reptile keeping after 28 years because of all the hassle he got when he told everyone he produced the first UK bred Diablo Blanco leopard geckos but once he announced it he had so much hassle from people on other forums and classifieds he just had enough of it all, but he gets to see all he's leopard geckos when he wants because I bought the lot from him. It was heartbreaking for him to do give up all his reptiles which he loved and cared for, this might seem silly but reptiles are like my children. They can not feed themselves they depend on you.

My two cents


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i've went for periods of time witout keeping critters. i always came back. if it's in your dna, you'll always miss not having herps and things.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I lost a few corn snakes a number of years back and I really did think about throwing the towel in, and I did take a break and do a lot of travelling, but ultimately, if it is your passion, you may take a break.. but you'll always come back to herping


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

when i lost that emerald recently, i didn't bat an eye. i'm in deep!:lol2:


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## captaincaveman (Nov 6, 2006)

I did actually give up years back when my favourite carpet died, that and the backbiting in the hobby, i think i last 6months before getting back into it though, it wasn't a bad thing cause i re-assessed what i wanted to keep and thats helped me move forward

If think that, if the bitching etc that goes on in the hobby annoys me, i'll just go underground and keep in contact with certain people(if you know what i mean) rather than giving up. There are quite a few people out there who keep more(and nicer) species than people realise, but never advertise their prescence outside of a select few:no1:


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## ratboy (Jan 10, 2007)

Giving up keeping them no... But forums often make me think about not breeding them.


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

When our two favourite leo females died this year, I certainly considered SOMETHING along those lines - not giving up keeping, but certainly not breeding leos next year and maybe not breeding leopard geckos again.

It just hurt too much to lose Celaeno and Keid for me to want to risk the other girls. Maybe in a year's time I'll decide that no, I do want baby geckos after all... or maybe I won't.


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## pixie_bex (Jul 1, 2006)

when Obi got really sick last year i thought about it, I felt like it was my fault *it wasnt * and I had a moment this year that due to illness i had thought about it but when it come down to it I just couldnt...


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

I got ot the point wher eI was so fed up of the b**ching and stuff off forums nad whatnot that I felt like giving everything up - internet useage, reps and everything.

I did give up reps for a short time while I got my sewing room up and running but got bitten again when I saw hoggies for sale so no it is just me, the family, the hoggies and some rodents lol For now anyway hehehe


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

get a gtp or etb......you'll be hooked for life....


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## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

I had a health scare a few years back ( heart ) and decided then to cut down so my girlfrind would not be stuck with all the animals if anything happened to me.
I even asked a friend with a shop to take all the animals, if anything happened to me, and sort out the money for Moira later.
I am fine now and have built the collection back up to be better than it was before, but most of that is due to all the new morphs available now.

Stephen.


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## Lee N (Aug 31, 2007)

I think it's always going to be a trauma when you have your first pet die, because u normally get really attached to your first one, i've had loads of pets over the years its like a zoo here lol, got budgies, rabbits, mice, snakes, tarantulas, my mum breeds miniature shetland ponies and theres everything going on, but i havent experienced anything like that with my reps yet and im not looking forwards to it


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## poizon (Jan 7, 2007)

I dont think i ever would, as much as i would be be completly devastated if something happend to one of mine, the others would still need my love and care. i think of mine as part of the family so tbh i dont think the thought would ever cross my mind, the only time it would is if i was unable to proved the care they need.


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

Not been without a herp of some kind in the last 36 years and was dabling as a kid before that.

They will probably bury me in a nice white contiboard viv with a UV, heatmat and stat :lol2:

Natrix


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## Fangio (Jun 2, 2007)

I've thought like that when I've had deaths. It makes me feel like I'm the worst keeper in the world and shouldn't be in charge of animals etc.etc. Lots of people feel like that it seems. It goes in time when your head becomes more rational


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I haven't yet, but since I got a home of my own more years ago than I care to remember, I've never had just 1 pet. If 1 dies, the other or others still need my attention and I've still got something to care for.

I've cried buckets over the years for all the ones I've lost, but then I think of all the pleasure they've given me and I realise it was all worth while. I just couldn't not have _something_ in my house. 

Also, if you've a pet you never come home to an empty house, you've always got something to talk to (even if it can't answer back or even hear you!) :lol2:


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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

I was close to giving up on pets when my little CF royal died. I only had him a month or so.
Perhaps goes to show how attached I get of thing.


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## hermanlover (Jul 8, 2007)

i know it sounds sad, but pets are the best friend you can ever have. i have a king snake that is like a person. she comes out every nigh and sits on my shoulder and cuddles into me. with my snake collection growing rapidly, and me thinking about getting geckos, i dont think there would be any chance of me selling up. I have a weekend job just so i can afford my reps. they mean the world to me!!!


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## snickers (Aug 15, 2007)

I stopped keeping reptiles a few years ago. It was no single thing that caused it, just a really bad summer, one thing on top of anopther. Basically I ended up with too many snakes and not enough time to keep on top of things. We scaled down first, selling off or giving away all the ratsnakes. Finally we decided to give up the pythons too. Giving the carpets and childrens away nearly broke my heart. I finally gave all the kit to a local reptile rescue.
We really missed the carpets and finally decided to get a pair again. But it will only be Carpet pythons and only a pair.


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## Daredevil (Jul 10, 2007)

I've had no reason to think about stoping keeping reptiles. However, when i'm older and i might have expanded my collection if a potential wife asked me to down-size my collection i would, but i wouldn't get rid of the 2 Corns i have at the moment just because there my 1st and 2nd snakes!:no1:


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## shiva&kaa123 (Jul 20, 2007)

Haven't lost a rep yet *touch wood!* but I can't see it being something I would ever give up-I love it too much-it's my passion!:smile:
Ben


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## cornmorphs (Jan 28, 2005)

i often feel like it, and am still not 100% sure of if i will or not this coming new year


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## spider_mad (Mar 8, 2007)

HABU said:


> i've went for periods of time witout keeping critters. i always came back. if it's in your dna, you'll always miss not having herps and things.


 
Yes I went through a period where I didnt have any arachinds but it crept back in and ended up with a collection. It's like a tattoo its stuck with you for life


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

To me i love my reps to much to give them up if somethin untoward should happen to one. One of mine n the other halfs best friends , lost her snake last year and won't buy anymore snakes as she was so hurt by it..she recently lost a lizard to n is down to her last..swears she won't buy anymore as it hurts to much

each to their own i suppose. Life and death is all apart of keeping the animals we love, and if people can't cope with that..then fair enough, but maybe pet/rep keeping isn't for them.

of course if i lose an animal i'm devastated..my animals are my life..lost my cat this year who was 16 years old n who we had hand reared...was gutted. But it hasn't put me off keeping cats.


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## asm1006 (May 5, 2007)

I've had a bad year snakewise, I lost my first ever snake as well as another one a month later! Then my rat snake lost an eye...it made me take stock and think is it me etc... etc...but after a bit of tlc from reptile keepers I know I have come to terms with it and have had to put it down to a bad year. Giving up. No.:smile:


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## brian (Oct 22, 2005)

YEP ME 


But when you buy an animal you have a commitment to that animal and for personal reasons it would be hard for me to give up at this moment in time (but I would like to)


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## pam b (Mar 3, 2005)

ratboy said:


> Giving up keeping them no... But forums often make me think about not breeding them.


Same as you really Steve, i've concidered it a few times but theres animals that i cant part with, we did however vastly reduce our collection to a mear handfull, at the start i did want to breed but forum life quickly educated me to the fact thats not something that im willing to do.
Its not the animals that bother me, its the mentality of some of the people that keep them.
I however do understand the tradgedy of a death, it hits hard


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

PAM Why aint you in the BAR


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

ratboy said:


> Giving up keeping them no... But forums often make me think about not breeding them.


Whys that? If forums are so bad and make people want to quit the hobby why do those people just not quit the forums and keep the hobby? Seems the sensible option to me. The internet is not what the hobbies about IMO, it is just part of it and should be fun :smile:


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## SuperTed (Apr 19, 2007)

Diablo said:


> PAM Why aint you in the BAR


because it sucks!


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## SuperTed (Apr 19, 2007)

Andy said:


> Whys that? If forums are so bad and make people want to quit the hobby why do those people just not quit the forums and keep the hobby? Seems the sensible option to me. The internet is not what the hobbies about IMO, it is just part of it and should be fun :smile:


pretty much what ive been trying to get at in a way if your that passionate about your reps how on earth could an INTERNET FORUM make you stop wanting to keep them or breed them? i must say if you really are that passionate about them then all that should matter is your reps and your rep projects nobody else and nothing else should get in the way.


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

Thats it the hobby is about the reptiles not about what goes on over the internet. If the internet is what makes you want to quit the hobby IMO you have your priorities mixed up. Unplug your PC and spend a bit of time away and get back to what the hobby is all about, the animals.:smile: (shouldnt be saying that as a moderator but i know that they will come back to forum one day!)


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