# ok not seen this question anywhere else.....



## manda (Mar 18, 2005)

"why do you keep reptiles"
i always get asked this and my reply changes everytime yes they cost alot yes they are hard work but u cant cuddle up to a dog like the way i cuddle up with my waterdragons
the electric costs sooo much and so does the food and to set a new viv up bankrupts me but i still do it 
was just wondering if anyone knows of a sure reson why they keep reptiles because i can think of a hundreds reasons but not just one special one
manda xx


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## Apoca6 (Aug 30, 2006)

because we are all sick grunge loving makeup wearing hippy trenchcoat wearing weirdos? lol (this is a bad joke, DO NOT MOAN AT ME!)

i have no idea, its all down to your point of view. personally i think people who keep anything with more than 4 legs is insane! but i have friends who love icky spiders  that think im insane for my beardies.

some people like dogs, some like cats and some like reps its all good as long as them and the pets are happy it doesnt really matter  

ramble over :? 

Rob


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## purejurrasic (Mar 18, 2006)

Apoca6 said:


> because we are all sick grunge loving makeup wearing hippy trenchcoat wearing weirdos? lol (this is a bad joke, DO NOT MOAN AT ME!)


Hey, I didnt know that you knew me !! :lol: 

No, not really like that !

I keep mine cos I find them interesting, fit my lifestyle, and get hours of enjoyment from them. Many of them you can intereact with, they do develope a personality and lots of people are interested in them also


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## scarlettvegetable (Jan 4, 2006)

Plain and simply they fascinate me, and I plan to learn as much as possible about them inside and out :lol:


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## solidius (Aug 15, 2006)

scarlettvegetable said:


> Plain and simply they fascinate me, and I plan to learn as much as possible about them inside and out :lol:


id agree with that good answer 8)


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## boa-stu (Jul 12, 2006)

honestly?? i dont know...but they are fasinating to watch.i've had dogs,cats,and other furry pets..lol...but i like the reptile's because they are different.when ppl come in they see a cat or dog and say"oh a cat,or does the dog bite".when they see the snake's,lizards,frog it's a different story..it's "oh can i touch it,i've never held a snakebefore,lizard...what size do they get too,what do they eat..the snake skin is slimmy".but once they hold the snake they actually relise they feel dry,warm so i guess keeping reptile's is a good thing for me so i can show people that they ar not the horrible reptile's film maker's make out.everytime i get the snakes out my little boy who's 17 months always say's"awwwwwww" and he touches,holds them.just 4weeks ago we had half the street in our garden touching and holding the cali king snake.half didnt want to touch him at 1st,but after a while they all wanted to touch it.

so like scarlet said i want to learn more about the reptile's and teach people that they ARE good pet's to have and not the horrible,slimmy,cold reptiles they make out to be.


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## mark67123 (Jun 11, 2006)

It's my mums fault that I'm into snakes - she's got a major phobia of them, she can't even look at a picture of one! 
So, obviously, that resulted in me always being fascinated by them as a kid - constantly trying to show her snake pics, putting rubber snakes in her bed and worrying her sick by disappearing into the reptile house for 5 hours every time we went to a zoo.
I liked the idea of keeping them but never really looked into it as I assumed it would be very specialised and complicated, until I bumped into a bloke in a shop who bred corns, and got my first one off him.

Basically, they fascinate me - there's always something new to learn and something unexpected happening. I also like the challenge of keeping their environment as it should be and the challenge of making my own vivs.


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## Nat (Jan 26, 2005)

Ok when i was younger a bloke i knew across the street had a huge burm and boa and mum bein mum went in2 a fe=renzy wheneva he got em out and would not let me anywhere near them....even tho they were dog tame and i was fasinated.

Told my partner bout my fasination with reptiles when i move out of home and he was suprised but we went to our first reptile shop....2 days later he suprised me with my first beardie, and that was that, i was hooked!!


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## Elaphe (Jul 17, 2006)

its like story time :lol:


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

thats a tough one.
Initially, when i was younger i think i liked the thought of something that was in a sense in its own enviroment inside mine, i had previously kept a lot of tropical fish but the hole "water" thing pissed me off lol.

Now though, I liek caing for things to be honest, keeping reptiles allows/demands you to cater to the every need of said animal.
They are also fascinating, nice a quiet mostly, and its a learning experience.
Anyone can tell me why our kittens meow [they may be wrong but they think they know] most ppeople havnt a clue whats going on when a beardie turns black and starts to bopp [i dont purposely make them mad honest]
Mainly though, right now, plain and simple cos I liek them and I like to think they like me, and its a good place to start and see what happens from there.

Oh ps they are cool 

Dean


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## asnakecalled? (Apr 9, 2006)

i don`t realy now how to answer this. its one of them questions - why do people do any think? because they like it

i keep reps because they are fasinating to watch and keep as pets, i think its great when people find out i keep snakes and you teach them that they are not slimy or poisenise and they all have there own personalety and people start to ask more questions about them and you change there way of thinking and they realise they do meke good pets. 
i hope that reads the way i was thinking it


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## SelinaRealm (Sep 16, 2006)

This is a really interesting question for you to have asked. I have loved reading everyones replys/stories so far.

As for myself, I have always been facinated by reptilies and insects although I never had a thought of actually keeping any myself. Just over 3 months ago I rescued a young corn snake from rubbish conditions. Yes! It was expensive to set everything up that he needed, but once that had been done and with monitoring of his conditions regularly I have got to say he is one of the easiest pets to look after that I have ever had.

I have a little zoo going on in my house, cats, birds, hamsters, fish etc.. My little snakie is just fantastic and now I have found myself hooked. He is really quite, and most imporanty doesn't make a mess, not like any of my other animals...lol.

So, I have to say I stumbled apon reptile keeping by chance and I am so glad I did. Will definately be getting more in the future.


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## leogirl (Oct 1, 2006)

when i was really little i was facinated by dinosaurs and then my great uncle got a snake and a lizard. my grandad told me they was like little dinosaurs. so being the nerd i am i started looking at pictures in the library and pointed to a leopard gecko and told mum thats what i wanted. but mum being mum said no because i wouldnt look after it blah blah blah. so yeah like 10 years later my mate took me into cold blooded in rainham and not long after my girlfriend bought me my first leopard gecko for our one year anniversary. so its all down to my grandad saying one little sentence  shame he never got to see them


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## carlos18 (Oct 30, 2006)

Interesting stories

Mine i spose came about by luck,I was about 14 in my parents car and we were having a drive about,was probably going somewhere,can't remember now it was years ago.ANYWAY,we see a sign for a reptile show that was 5 minutes away and went there instead,I had always liked the look of reptiles but had never got up close and touched one before,the first thing i saw was a stall selling Tokay geckos.Now me liking colours that stood out thought straight away "i want one of those".Then the guy kinda said they can bite so,that made me think otherwise.BUT next to him was another table that had leopard geckos in,and i was hooked,I bought everything i needed for one there and then and bought my first lizard.Unfortunetly my little one died after a couple of months but a year ago i started raising them again and now i have 3 beautiful leos,each with their own personality and different colours. NOW i can't stop going into Cold Blooded and seeing what new morphs they have in.

Bit long :lol: 
sorry


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## Emerald Serpent (Nov 15, 2006)

Hard to say really :? probably because when I was little I always had jars of insects, I also had more pets then St Francis of Assisi :lol: . You name it I have probably had it so I guess Reptiles were just a natural progression on from 'conventional' pets and since I have never seen either of Irelands 2 reptile species and we have no snakes it just made my interest keener.


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## Art_Gecko101 (May 6, 2006)

haha i really like everyones stories... but i must say, mines kind of boring!!! 

I, being a geek, love dinosaurs, and being a biologist, evolution and the way that some animals appear unchanged for millions of years while those around them have changed beyond recognition amazes me. I've always been interested in reptiles, i remember trips to the zoo when i longed for a waterdragon and geckos but i knew my mum would never stand for having crickets in the house so i kind of put it out of my mind.

I finally pursuaded her to let me have tropical fish, and as my interests changed, i got into crabs and shimp, basically the stuff no-one really keeps but their behaviours fascinated me! My mum is terrible with my fish tank, and while i was on holiday most of my fish died and knowing i was going to uni in a few months, i decided to get something even she couldnt fail to keep, a nice big emporer crab. The shop that sells them in town also does reps, and the guy suggested me getting treefrogs. I knew mum would never have thatm as they need crickets too, but after i went to uni i realised... hang on! i can get what i want now!! So now i have 3 whites tree frogs and im breeding cresties in the new year! Funny thing is, mum now loves them and likes plumed basiliscs!!

sorry for the ramble.. awefully boring i know.
I like reptiles because i like the way they look prehistoric, i like the way peoples reactions to my treefrogs change from eugh, to awww when they hold them and i like looking into their eyes and seeing them watch me back. I also like the fact that i can simulate their natural habitati n my lounge with a mini rainforest! so much more enjoyable to see them play in that than a hamster in a pink plastic wheel knawing on the bars to get out.


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## captaincaveman (Nov 6, 2006)

scarlettvegetable said:


> Plain and simply they fascinate me, and I plan to learn as much as possible about them inside and out :lol:



that about sums up my reasons, plus i think reptiles are gorgeous as a whole


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## trese (Oct 2, 2006)

i like reptile because they are different, they are unique, and wonderful animals they are a learning experience that will never end everyone knows why cats and dogs do this an that but reptiles behaviour are still unknown, they require our attention almost 24/7


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## LizardFTI (Dec 2, 2006)

I got my first exotic when I found an injured slowworm in my backgarden (hes been got by a bird). I couldnt just leave him to die, so I took him in, nursed him back to health then release him back where I found him, and after that I just had to get something else to put into the empty tank, else it would have been wasted :roll:


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## carl24bpool (Oct 26, 2006)

Well my initial reply would be they fascinate me and are one of the oldest creatures on the planet. Kinda like mini dinosaurs (especially some of the lizards).

The other things are the fact that they are quiet, cheap to feed, look good on display in a good viv and I find them theraputic to watch. Well snakes anyway.

I also prefer an animal that has retained a lot or most of its wild instincts. Unlike a dog or cat which is domesticated and can often be far too smart for its owners like my nans dog who manages to extract 5-6 walkies a day out of her per day just by making wierd noises at her.

lol


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## Kerry1 (Jul 17, 2006)

My boyfriend got me into reptiles :roll: 

They have such great characters, especially leopard geckos and cresties. It's their big goggly eyes, the way they stalk they're food, the way they look like they have a permanent smile on their faces.

The feel of a snake sliding through you fingers is ace too. They're just so much more pleasurable than a hamster or rabbit etc. They always do something to make you giggle like stand/sit on each others heads. My cali king puts his mouth to the vent holes and sticks his tongue through them :lol: 

There's always something to learn about them and they demand the utmost respect. I love watching my snakes eat. Think it's something I'll never get bored of watching.

And they're probably less likely to bite you than something furry, or at least not as badly :lol:


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## Johelian (Nov 25, 2006)

For me, I love the fact that they arent messy, arent noisy, arent smelly, are low-maintenance and are incredibly interesting to watch.

Dont get me wrong, I love most beasties (though I would rather give the invertebrate ones a wide berth where possible) and I would really like to get a dog some day as, lets face it, reptiles arent the most loving and demonstrative creatures out there. Ive had loads of pets since I was very young, from frogs to hamsters and rats, from fish to dogs and cats, to quails and budgies, and I dont think Ive even been so happy just to sit and watch an animal since I got my lizards. I think theyre great pets for my lifestyle now, as I dont always have the time after work to spend hours entertaining an animal that I did when I was younger. Of course, there is the regular misting, cleaning and food prep, but really it doesnt take too much time, and its all worth it ultimately  

Of course, an animal that isnt adverse to being handled is always a plus; my beardie and tegus have no qualms with human contact, and it can be very relaxing having them chill out with you on the couch. The skinks sadly hate people, but make up for it with their interesting antics.

I think the fact that we dont know these animals inside out (probably anyone could tell you a number of facts about dog behaviour, but very few could make a valid comment on reptiles) makes them so fascinating. Every day it seems that they do something else that I havent seen before, and I find it very exciting to be witnessing this firsthand. I also feel incredibly pleased when a reptile first makes use of something you've put in its cage...its probably a bit sad, but I always feel chuffed when they use a hide Ive put in etc!


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