# How long have you had your animals?



## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Seems like everyone who owns a few exotic pets has them for just a few years, then when the novelty wears off pass them on.


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## MissCat (Mar 9, 2009)

been keeping normal furries all my life my current ones are relatively young cos my previous ones got old and died 
moved onto rats about 17 years ago, likewise as the above, my oldest is about 3 and I bred him myself.
then i started on T's, two of which i have had for 11 years.
I got into reps about 5 years ago, but then i was made homeless, managed to temporarily rehome all my pets (which i now have back) apart from my reptiles (bearded dragons at the time).
Been all sorted and keeping reps again for 18 months.


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## gypsy-666 (Apr 17, 2009)

ive had my two big leo girls for 8yrs now, had them since they were 3 months old


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## tanzaniterose (Oct 18, 2009)

Cranwelli said:


> Seems like everyone who owns a few exotic pets has them for just a few years, then when the novelty wears off pass them on.



They're nicknamed "butterfly" keepers for the way they flit from one species to another. Not something I or other ethical animal keepers really approve of lol.

I've kept all of my animals from start to finish ever since I was 8.


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## TheMetaphysicalNinja (Aug 18, 2009)

I haven't had mine long, but I love them all to pieces! I wouldn't give them up for the world. I don't understand how anyone could get bored of them. :gasp:


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## Ian.g (Nov 23, 2006)

its not always a case of the "novelty wearing off" i have been keeping for over 22 years, and will freely admit i have not kept many individual reptiles their entire lifespan...the thing is there are different types of keeper, some that (like myself) enjoy keeping lots of different species, there are very few species of herps that i would not like to keep....but alas room isn`t endless! i dont agree with keepers constantly buying an animal and then selling on within a few months, but as long as there is no undue stress on the individual animal that does get sold on then i see no problem with changing your collection around from time to time, i love reptiles with a passion! but i will say these are not affectionate animals that bond with us (except some of the more intelligent lizards to a point) they dont care where they are or who is looking after them as long as all their needs are being met correctly, as i say i dont agree with the animals being moved on constantly from month to month, but see no harm in changing your collection around...i am in the process of doing this myself at the moment.


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## madshawty (May 17, 2009)

For as long as i can remember we've always kept pets in the family, and we kept them for the whole of their life span... even when i was first born mum and dad had a dog.


Ive only been keeping reps for about a year but would never pass them on to someone else just because i was bored of them, would have to be a very extreme circumstance to make me give up any of my animals!!

The oldest pets we own at the moment are the dogs who are both 3 and have had both of them since 8 week old pups :flrt:


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## Ian.g (Nov 23, 2006)

madshawty said:


> For as long as i can remember we've always kept pets in the family, and we kept them for the whole of their life span... even when i was first born mum and dad had a dog.
> 
> 
> Ive only been keeping reps for about a year but would never pass them on to someone else just because i was bored of them, would have to be a very extreme circumstance to make me give up any of my animals!!
> ...


dogs and cats etc are different...they actually bond with us, my current dogs are Storm 8 year old EBT i have had since 7 weeks old, and Maverick 5 year old staffy i got at 18 months old...both will stay with us for life, we have had two children since having Storm and one since having Maverick.....as i say cats and dogs really are a totally different thing IMHO.


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## TEENY (Jan 4, 2008)

I have been keeping for a couple of years but the scary thing is in the last 8-9 months my collection of pet has gone from a few to the 30 odd stage :gasp::gasp:
Will be keeping all snakes and tort but spiders will come and go if male etc


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## bluejon91 (Sep 1, 2009)

been animals in our house for 18 years so my whole life basically but been this year when i have my own snakes personally


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## Molly75 (Jul 10, 2006)

kept animals my whole life 34 years Dogs cats fish rabbits birds usual culprits LOL and kept reptiles 25 years some of my snakes have been with me from the start many bred and passed here of old age my oldest girl ball is 28 and I got her when she was a few years old  

Paula


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Well I havent had the ones I have now for very long but ever since the age of 7 I am 19 now there has been at least 10 animals within my parents household.

Mostly rehomes from rescue centers.


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## madshawty (May 17, 2009)

Ian.g said:


> dogs and cats etc are different...they actually bond with us, my current dogs are Storm 8 year old EBT i have had since 7 weeks old, and Maverick 5 year old staffy i got at 18 months old...both will stay with us for life, we have had two children since having Storm and one since having Maverick.....as i say cats and dogs really are a totally different thing IMHO.


To me a pet is a pet, and if i get a new one i intend to keep it for the full length of its life regardless of the species.


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## arwen_7 (Oct 21, 2009)

I've had my parrots for around 5 years now, had rats before them and a dog. Both my parrots are rescues and I would never dream of rehoming them, not only because they are my pets, but they both have there own little 'problems'....


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

It'll be two years come February 2010 but many years of research proceeded this, casual and not. We're up to nine now and very happy with them all. 

They're all pets and we have no intention to sell. We may breed - by design or otherwise. Either way we'll approach it properly.

Golly - don't I sound pompous! *goes in search of beer*


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

had skunks for not far off 2 years..........2 of them i got aged around 11wks another was around 6 months old when i got him and my other was just over 8 wks old............


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## Javeo (May 4, 2008)

I agree with Ian.g, I have sold or rehomed very few 'higher' animals, eg parrots, ducks and chickens, but they went to better homes ie the fowl to a farm and parrots to breeders or people with large aviaries. We had a rabbit that we rescued from a petshop coz it wasnt selling, had him for 6 years, now we have an 8 year old budgie we've had for almost 8 years and lost a 6 year old budgie with french moult that the vet said would only live for a few months. A 6 month old dobie is the newest addition and he will be with us always, I honestly couldnt say that about the herps/inverts as although I enjoy keeping them I have no emotional bond with them whatsoever.


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## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

Snakes 11 years. Skunk 3 years. miscellaneous 29 years. always had animals.


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## EP1 (Jun 27, 2009)

had animals all my life been keeping snakes 15years now i still have my first snake


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## Ian.g (Nov 23, 2006)

madshawty said:


> To me a pet is a pet, and if i get a new one i intend to keep it for the full length of its life regardless of the species.


good for you, (and i don`t mean that sarcasticly although it does sound it) i never buy something with no intention to keep it...but as the years go by my interest in species changes, and different situations arise, if i ever have to let something go i would always choose a herp to go before a dog or cat etc...dont get me wrong, as i said...i absolutely love my reptiles! but i KNOW they don`t love me back...so like i say, it makes it a bit easier selling them on if needs be.


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Random, but what is the first snake in your signature Ian?


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