# So what started your interests in Reptiles?



## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

Im interested to know what made people interested in keeping reptiles?
Mine was due to the fasination with them and the fact that they are a bit different from pets such as hamsters etc... I started off with 3 leopard geckos about ten years ago and now have hundreds of reptiles. I am the sort of person that gets bored with the things in life very easily but with reptiles I find I learn something new and interesting with them daily. I have many years experience of keeping and breeding herps but love the fact that I am constantly learning something new and sometimes they are a challenge and keep me busy and on my toes! I love hearing from other reptile keepers and enjoy sharing the my passion for all things reptile with others....  
How about you guys????


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## Simon (May 10, 2005)

It was a trip to a new pet shop that opened up in my town. They had a Burmese and some Royals there. I was adamant to get a Royal as they scared the shit out of my parents. Wasn't allowed.... moved out... got 8 reptiles now.


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## cornmorphs (Jan 28, 2005)

a lad i knew from when i was doing work experience at school. he had a corn, so i got one after a saw his.


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

I really love my big snakes and before I owned my first boas and pythons they used to fasinate me but scare me at the same time as I knew nothing about them and had no experience of keeping them back then. it was a really big adrenline rush when I got my first one and I remember the first time I held a big snake it took my breath away....I'll never forget that fabulous feeling and have been hooked ever since.... :snake:


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## daughterofthedarkness (Nov 21, 2005)

My interest started from a very young age, i'd always been interested in animals of all kinds, used to bath earthworms in my tiny tears bath when i was 3 lol.
When i was about 8 this big kid (about 15) was tormenting a grass snake down my street, swinging it about, so i kicked him in the shins and he dropped it so i picked it up, and ran like hell!!!
My mum and dad would put up with me taking allsorts home, hedgehogs, pigeons, sparrows etc, the amount of times we'd get up to find an injured bird that we'd put in a shoe box, wasn't injured anymore and was flying round the living room sh*tting on the tv!! But although as a kid i had gerbils, dogs, and even terrapins at one point, snakes were a definate no no.
So once i left home, that was it, there was no stopping me, my mum & dad quite like my critters now :lol:


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

daughterofthedarkness said:


> My interest started from a very young age, i'd always been interested in animals of all kinds, used to bath earthworms in my tiny tears bath when i was 3 lol.


That sounds like me when I was a child, i used to pick up anything creepy crawley wise and put them in my pockets. I was such a grubby child! :lol:
I feel sorry for my poor mum who used to have a heart attack nearly everytime she emptied out my pockets!


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## SilverSteno (Feb 12, 2006)

Absolutely no idea :lol: 

I like reptiles, but especially snakes. Wasn't till I went to mexico in 2003 where there were wild geckos that I developed a fascination for those though (and so I'm hoping to get some geckos sometime). I was interested in reptiles long before I ever thought about owning one.


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

I love going abroad and seeing reptiles whilst Im out there. We went to italy and stayed in a cottage in the middle of knowhere and it was swarming with little geckos, wall lizards and the odd snakes. I was in my element!


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## daughterofthedarkness (Nov 21, 2005)

hullreptilelover said:


> That sounds like me when I was a child, i used to pick up anything creepy crawley wise and put them in my pockets. I was such a grubby child! :lol:
> I feel sorry for my poor mum who used to have a heart attack nearly everytime she emptied out my pockets!


I remember my mum totally freaking one day when i brought home a wounded hedgehog, wrapped in my brand new denim jacket. She was mortified that it would be covered in fleas and that my jacket would be ruined :roll:


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## chocolatecolubrid (Apr 1, 2005)

I always thought only specialist people could keep reptiles and I never really bothered with them figuring I wasnt specialist enough till my mate got a water dragon and i seen that it wasnt as hard as I had thought. Then I seen a frilled dragon in one of my locals and had to bring it home... and ive been non-stop since!!


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

one reptile is never enough is it... :lol: 
My collection is huge now, My home is full of reps, I own a shop full and have just kitted out the rooms above the shop for more of my own reptiles as well as having a dedicated breeding room. I'm gonna need a bigger shop!


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## Ace (Feb 20, 2006)

always loved animals wanted a pet but allergic to small furry ones. became interested in geckos age 9 my mum told me couldnt have a lizard till i was older (she thought it would be a passing phasse, just goes to show you she didnt know how bad the reptile bug had bitten me). age 14 was allowed one leopard gecko (for my birthday) by which point i had read every bit of literature about them going. age 15 did my work experience at a reptile shop (reputable one, not disclosing which but its on the recomended list in another thread) finished work experience and was offered a job (guess they saw my passion). worked there up untill uni and have been expanding my collection at a rate of knots ever since that first leo. its very fair to call it an addiction especially considering i shelled out 235 quid for a captive bred pair of adult uroplatus lineatus yeasterday.


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## gillsboy (Jun 8, 2005)

always had animals as long as i can remember and wen i was 4 ma step dad brought me n ma sis a corn each and then a leo each and i bin keepin reps ever since


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2006)

Well for me it was a friend with a kingsnake when i was a kid.I went and looked at snakes then got my first corn.I then went on to own about 30 when i got married to then move on to holding a friends 12 foot green burmese and knowing i had to have one.I later bought the pair from him and then opened the reptile shop.Along the way i had kept bearded dragons leopard geckos and water dragons along with common boas and rosy boas.Now all i actually keep is burms and tarantulas and my wife keeps corn snakes but i am sorely tempted to start keeping beardies again


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## beckys_dad98 (Jan 23, 2006)

For me, I always been interested in lizards and snakes as far as I can remember... I used to live in England (Upper Hale, Farnham, Surrey) when I was a kid and there was this place behind the Estate we used to call the Common. I used to catch lizards and slowworms there all the time and basically piss my Nan off, lol. Then when I was 10, my family moved to Canada and I had fish, frogs and newts for a while but always wanted a snake which my parents would not let me have. Then when I moved out on my own I worked in a petshop for a while and used to look after the animals cleaning cage, feeding them etc. This was nearly 20 years ago. One day the boss got in this lil hatchling Miami Cornsnake and I was the one that looked after it, feeding it, and stuff. Anyhow after 3 months it was still there so I bought it. I still have it to this day and my collection has grown since then with several other Cornsnakes, a couple Kings, some Ratsnakes and a Boa. I even had a Ball Python at one time but I traded it for some tattoo work, and also had a couple of Chinese Water Dragons, but they have both died since. One died of old age, the other had a seizure. 
My daughter is also very interested in the snakes, I've had them longer than her, lol, she's just going on 8 in a couple of months... But everytime theres a show and sell on, she wants another snake, so hoping....
Steve


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## Bev (Sep 7, 2005)

i grew up surrounded by the fuzzy animals my mum keeps and just love all animals in general. had the usual hamsters dogs cats gerbils mice etc..... even had a poony, but all along i wanted a snake. i wasnt ever allowed one and then even when i moved out my other half said no. then he got a huge tv that i said no to and he bought me a corn to make up for it as he knew how much i wanted one, that was in the beginning of october last year (2005) now i have 7 snakes and 2 leo's and im constantly trying to restrain myself from getting more lol. ive been dead good and havent got any since december.............. although i did say id have this one that i got offered for free.............................................


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

Greenphaze - What tarantulas do you keep? :lol:


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2006)

At the moment i have a female G.rosea and an unsexed juvenile B.smithie .I lost my P.murinus(RCF) about a month ago along with my Nhando sp.I am looking to get and couple of P.regalis and P.subfusca this year along with L.Parahybana and possibly another P.murinus(RCF) and T.blondie as well.

I would love to own a couple of P.metallica but will have to wait untill they are more readily available

I would also like to own B.vagans,C.cyanopubescens,C.fasiata and H.lividum


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

Greenphase - when you are ready to add to your T collection give us a shout as I might be able to help you out with some of these  
I already have quite a few of the ones you mentioned in stock and will make sure you get a good deal on my inverts. 8)
Also, ca you sex tarantulas? If not, When your smithi is a bit older if you want it sexig you can post the skin to me and I'll sex it for you. Hope this is of help to you....


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## stacie (Feb 13, 2006)

A 1 1/2 ago i started an animal management course where my first section was raptors and exotics so..... first snake i dealt with was a 14ft python so thats where it all started. 
it wasnt all nice thou had to rip day old chicks legs ad heads off kill pinkies etc that was the worst bit but got used to it... kinda!!


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## Andyman (May 16, 2005)

I started my interest in reptiles doing my animal care course in colege, i had originally gone for the aquatics section, but because the colege was so un organised, i ended up managing all Aquatics, Reptiles, and Rodents, i slowly started to learn more about reps off all my friends. For all the advice and help i gave my friends on the aquatics, the more they returned the favour on all the help and advice on reptiles, once i'd learnt as much as i could i purchased my beardie


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## stacie (Feb 13, 2006)

omg not another unorganised college!!!!!!!!!!


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## Andyman (May 16, 2005)

Trust me, ive learnt ten times more on here than i ever did in colege, all i learnt from our colege is whatever my mates told me lol end of the day i got my qualifications tho !


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2006)

Thanks for that Becky i will keep you in mind when i am in a position to aquire some more T's.As for sexing i am fairly confident on my skills but it is always handy to know that there is backup if needed


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## Andy (Jul 27, 2005)

when i was about 9 or ten this kid in school used to catch adders :shock: and bring them in and sell them for 50p but my mum wouldn't let me have one thankfully as looking back what a stupid idea!? :lol: :shock: but then my da looked after a pair of royals for someone when i was a teenager and i was fascinated by them. Then I met someone who kept a Burm which was also fascinating. Then I went and did my bit for queen and country and the reptile thing went on hold for a number of years but since leaving the army I have got into it with gusto now having a few snakes and hopefully a lizard soon.


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## little_chrissy (Aug 21, 2005)

iv always been fascinated by reps then made friends with a guy in wales who runs a rep rescue service and he introduced me to my first royal and iv been bonkers ever since!


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## Shane2 (Nov 3, 2005)

At primary school the zoo or some organisation brought some animals for us to see, sitting in the assembly all i can remember seeing and touching was a snake. I have no idea what type/colour/size it was, but i just remember that being the first time id ever seen and touched my first snake and loved it.

Kept & bred mice, hamsters, canaries, zebra finches & fish.....also had a my own dog & cat when i was younger. My sister had her own cat, dog, pony & gerbil, my brother only wanted a dog.

My dad kept loads of hens, some geese, ducks, cats, budgies, cockateels, pigeons, all my friends said it was like living at a zoo lol


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## stacie (Feb 13, 2006)

zoo...thats what every1 says bout my house!


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

My nephew got a water dragon after watching Godzilla a couple of years ago, suffice to say he got bored with it after a few months, so softie here took it home, and BANG I'm on the slippery slope to herpdom!


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## Daniel (Jul 28, 2005)

wel..... for me it all just sterd into place i loved all animals i kept 65 differnt animals in my room at one piont its now down to 43 and then i got my fish lol ilove them all and so did my dad he wanted a herp as much as me so i got one and my dad always wanted a snake so he got me one to share lol(he dosent no i no that lol) and it all just fell from there i now have my 3 leos and my baby my corn
dan


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## Steve_Leo (Mar 10, 2006)

My interest started when I was about 8, my sister had loads of guinee pigs and rabbits but i was never interested in normal pets like that. 
A friends brother had just got some terrapins and salamanders and suggested i take a look in the pet shop he bought them from. After a lot nagging my parents gave in and let me have a lizard. 
I bought a five lined skink but was miss informed on how to care for it and it died about a week or so later 
About 8 years ago I adopted a salamander and a strange frog from some kids who'd given up looking after them. They lived for about a year.

So brings me on to my gecko. I bought her about a year ago and she's doing great, about a a year and four months old. Im getting more and more interested in owning other lizards but lack of space is the only problem im having at the mo.


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## pie_man (Oct 1, 2005)

my interest started about 8 or 9 months ago when i started working in an exotic pet shop


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

Is that Pemberton Pets, Bazza?


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## tazzyasb (May 4, 2005)

one of my ex stafs boyfriend has a pet shop and one day when i was in the shop decided to hold a snake cos i was scared of them. Held a royal and decided to buy it that was about a year and a half ago now have nealy 30 snakes. Not had any new ones for a while so I am sure I deserve a few new ones. My obsession is corn snakes I love the fact there are so many different morphs. My other half likes his boas.


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## NNY (Feb 2, 2006)

It must have started when i was about 11. We went to a zoo and they put a 14ft burmese around my neck. After hearing the whole "they're all slimy" comment from everyone i was proved wrong. Since then i always thought about getting one but i decided to start learning and keeping them when i knew id have enough money and was old enough to actually take care properly. Hence why the collectin has just started and will be growing very quickly :lol:


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## hull-beardie-fan (Mar 26, 2006)

hullreptilelover said:


> Im interested to know what made people interested in keeping reptiles?
> Mine was due to the fasination with them and the fact that they are a bit different from pets such as hamsters etc... I started off with 3 leopard geckos about ten years ago and now have hundreds of reptiles. I am the sort of person that gets bored with the things in life very easily but with reptiles I find I learn something new and interesting with them daily. I have many years experience of keeping and breeding herps but love the fact that I am constantly learning something new and sometimes they are a challenge and keep me busy and on my toes! I love hearing from other reptile keepers and enjoy sharing the my passion for all things reptile with others....
> How about you guys????


mine was on my work experience with "hul pets and gardens" i loved the week i worked thier so much i plucked up some courage to ask to a week-end job, i got 1! lol now 6 months on i have 2 bearded dragons 2 corns 1 adult 1 hatchling and a tarantula. Reptiles are ACE!


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## blizzard (Mar 27, 2006)

*wot made me intrested in reptiles*

i supose what first stared me of was when my dad left my mum he stayed with a friend who had a realy realy nice well planted panovarium with anoils, usa frogs, variouse toads etc... and i love them all so i did a bit of resurch and got my self a leopard gecko and hear i am 7 years late still buying, breeding and takeing in info on them.


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## Duzzie (Dec 22, 2005)

Hmmmm what got me started on reptiles....

Well i grew up in Zimbabwe on the edge of town, surrounded by creepy crawlies. As a kid I used to go hunting round the rocks, turning them over to look for scorpions. If I found one I would catch it in a jam jar. We found lots of snakes in the garden so i was used to having them about. Some were nasties and not things to play with but we respected them and gave them space so never had problems with them.

Since I have been living in Ireland, I have had fish, lots of them. The fish shop also does reptiles and i used to nose around at them. I fell in love with the beardies and knew I had to have one.

Duzzie


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## Testudo Man (Aug 3, 2005)

Hey the reptile bug hit me, when I realized how much coin could be had!!! :lol: because basically its all about the benjimens right???!!! :shock: 

Ok now for a sensible comment, I had the fortune of growing up in *Australia* (*hence my sence of humour*!!!) great place for Reptiles mate, there was no corrigated sheet left unturned but the young eager T.T. 8)


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## warren82 (Mar 31, 2006)

hi all have had animals of all sorts all my life cant even begin to imagine what its like to have any pets. anyway having always loved dragons as a child when i found out you could actually keep lizards as a pet instead of all the fluffy stuff i begged my dad to let me have one no was his answer. so i snuck some oriental fire bellied toads in just to test the water already had a hugh selection of furry friends. he never noticed so a few months later a got a water dragon he was not very pleased but what could he do. i got most of my animals this way even my dog was only supose to vist for the weekend i worked in a rescue home but as usual i got my way and still have him today. the thing with reps is you can always learn somthing new, keeps my mind active. never had a snake as my mum is terrified of them and she would never visit, my dad has a tortoise though he needed a home and i have no grass he really loves her.mel :2thumb:


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## Darky (Mar 5, 2006)

*My reptile intrest started when ....*

Well I've always loved watching documentrys anything intresting or strange always intrigues me I love to readup on species & learn about them... I went to Oz a few years ago & found it amazing to find various reps just wandering around in your yard... And then I saw spike 'berdie' when he was on his joureny to yorkshire... It was almost like looking at something prehistoric so utterly amazing ..but something I respect for ....

And now I have BeRt...

James


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## nicky (Jul 13, 2005)

i got in to it because of my son, i've always loved them but never really thought about getting any but my eldest son is autistic and has an obsession with anything creepy crawly, we started out with a wildlife pond then having the frogs out side was'nt enough he wanted indoor ones, hence we have been keeping fire bellied toads for 4yrs now, going to the rep shop for food for them i kept looking round the tanks and the rest is history his obsession has become my obsession, i also tend to try and rescue reps rather then buy from shop, both my tort and tarantula were from the sspca....   great subject by the way cant beleive i missed it until now?


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## leopard_gecko_fanatic (Oct 16, 2005)

i was also one of them kids who loved animals and would be fascinated by them it was my cousin about two years ago who got me into lizards though my mum and dad were horrified i wanted a lizard but after about year they gave in and i now have a leopard gecko and hoping to get another.


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## AilleantSian (Feb 7, 2006)

My love of reptiles started young as most in australia at taught about snakes due to the poisonous nature of the ones around in aus quiet young. As I have always loved animals I started helping out with wildlife resuce in my teens then I took on mainly reptile section of rescue and release programme we had.


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