# How can i get my parents to let me have a corn snake ? :)



## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

Hi, i have wanted a corn snake for a while 
and they seem like the perfect snake for me
but my parents are not particularly fond of snakes

help please 


Thanks :2thumb:


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

My advise to you would be, do extra jobs around the house, show your parents that you are responsible, show them caresheets and information that corn snakes are not a massive danger to anyones life, not do there bites hurt if you (on the rare chance) do get bitten.

Get a baby snake to start off with, many people who fear snakes will be willing to hold a baby and as the snake grows so will your and the parents confidence.

Do extra jobs or tell them if you can you will pay for its food etc with your own pocket money.

: victory:


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

thanks for the advise dude 

it was hard enough for them to let me have leopard gecko's :lol2:

but they know i am very responsible with them and i always put them first, even if it means not going out with my mates or things like that 

and the frozen mice that i have seen are pretty cheap i think you can get 4pinkies for £1.49 or something like that , and i will probably be feeding the babies on them for a while i assume , well until they need bigger anyway 

thanks again  : victory:


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## kitschyduck (May 30, 2010)

How old are you? ust wondering how long you'd have to wait for your own place! 

Saying that, I was in your shoes while I was at college and managed to convince my mum to let me get my first snake (and first reptile) five years ago.

Showing them a caresheet might work and I think it's a good idea.


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

im 14  so got abit of a while to go 

but my bro is going to uni soon so im going to be really lonely so they might let me get one then 

and thanks , i will show them the care sheets and some vids on youtube 

im going to doncaster reptile show on the 26th so il keep hinting towards it :lol2:

& thanks again


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## merritt (May 22, 2010)

If in doubt go for the guilt trip "but mum and/or dad *insert bros name* is going to uni and i'll be really lonely a corn snake will help take my mind off of it. :whistling2:

But on a serious note it may be an idea for your parents to handle one in a shop first, my mum will not hold any of my snakes in my flat but will always ask to hold the albino boa in my mates shop when we visit she see's it as safer.


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

hehe , always works  :lol2:

yeah im hoping at the reptile show they will have a tame adult corn snake that i can show them that they are a safe snake and are suited to me & show them how much i want one :no1:


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## RachaelBee (Feb 1, 2011)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> My advise to you would be, do extra jobs around the house, show your parents that you are responsible, show them caresheets and information that corn snakes are not a massive danger to anyones life, not do there bites hurt if you (on the rare chance) do get bitten.
> 
> Get a baby snake to start off with, many people who fear snakes will be willing to hold a baby and as the snake grows so will your and the parents confidence.
> 
> ...


This, although babies can be skittish, my Mum screamed her head of when one of my youngsters jumped as she didn't realise snakes were fast :bash: they might prefer it if you showed them a nice calm adult. Bu you know your parents better than I do.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

I was going to suggest something similar. If a friend or local petshop has a tame one, especially a baby, it might help them to realise snakes aren't so scary after all :2thumb:


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## bigjizzyd (Apr 27, 2011)

*could work*

Try slipping some Rohypnol in there drink, then ask them. just a thought:welcome:


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

hehe , my mum screamed when my leopard gecko jumped out of her cage . and yeha if i showed them a calm adult it would probaly change there minds


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## snakesandscales (Oct 6, 2009)

Explain how similar they are. Snakes are decendents of early lizards and through evolution, lost their legs. A corn snake cant kill you, eat you, attack you. They're harmless and make great pets!

Also, theres a video on the subject on SnakeBytes TV on Youtube. Go on their channel and try to find the video. Its got more tips.

Good Luck!


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

thanks dude 

and yeah i watch SnakeBytes every week 

cant get enough of it !!!!


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## Dustcart (May 31, 2008)

I took a friend who was poop-scared of snakes of ANY kind, to a reputable rep shop and asked to see baby corns. She fell in love there and then and now has three!! Show your rents some seriously cute babies and see how you go.

I would however, from now on, become super-lovely-ideal child to your rents........make sure that nothing is too much trouble for THEM......then........drag 'em down a to a good rep shop/RFUK breeder with loads of darling cute babies and.......Bob's yer uncle, Fanny's yer aunt, thank yer mother for the rabbit. You should be walking home with a baby corn!

Or sort something out with a local breeder on here!!


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## Dustcart (May 31, 2008)

As an update!

I have been the perfect boyfriend for months now and it paid off.

I had a baby corn reserved on here, but went to Noah's Ark on Canvey Island yesterday where my son bought me a baby Amber Corn as a fathers day surprise.........The missus fell in love with it straight away and i now have two snakes. But, i feel no amount of good behaviour will allow me to get a third.:whistling2:


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## SteevoKidd (Dec 12, 2010)

find one in the street, thats what i did. my mum and dad let me keep it as soon as i got it back from the reptile shop.


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

I just kept telling my parents that i'm getting a snake, until my Dad said "whatever" and I kinda ignored my Mum's refusals to have one in the house.

Then last Sunday I told them that I was going to a reptile shop to buy one and just turned up at the door with it hah.

My Dad now kinda likes it and likes watching him eat pinkies....and my Mum just says "Ew, get it away from me" :lol2:

I am 21 and in the middle of sorting out moving out soon though....:whistling2:


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## Baby_DJ (Sep 24, 2008)

Hey,

My dad hated snakes when i first got mine.

So i went to the pet shop when i was 16 and bang i just brought one there and then ( i already had everything set up obv course) and when the baby is there they have no choice on the matter 

Could try being good first though


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

Baby_DJ said:


> Hey,
> 
> My dad hated snakes when i first got mine.
> 
> ...


 
:lol2: Yeah the being good and doing stuff around the house lots could help with persuading! You never know! It's probably the fact that i'm 21 that helped me get away with just turning up with one so i probably wouldn't recommend that unless you know for definite you'll get away with it! ...although i darent turn up with another! My parents would kill me...i really want another though


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## RhacodactyBoy (Jun 19, 2011)

i kid you not i was in your position last week and im 21 ! lol and a week later i have my first corn 

All i did was show my mum some vids, a couple of caresheets i drew up, the food etc how i will keep them, where my corn will go etc. 

As long as your confident in what you say and give your parents as much info as possible im sure they will say yes. As long as you can display knowledge, confidence etc of looking after a snake im sure they would be proud and say yes lol

Good luck bro


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## AboutLee (Jun 20, 2011)

I had a massive argument with my mum about this very thing some months back. She kept pointing out she didn't like them even tho shes never seen or touched one. I got to the stage where i said "You never come in my room anyways so you wouldn't know its there".

Tables have now turned as i have a GF now who also doesn't like snakes :lol2: Arguing with two females won't get me closer to getting a snake haha!

With past animals ive had or got ive always said "Ill walk it!" I own two dogs and two ducks, ive used the same line on when i had rats. :2thumb:


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## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

i wanted a lizard when i was living at home, but my mum always said no, i never convinced her, had to move out before i got my first lizard 

i spose you can try convince your parents, but if i was a parent, if i didn't want it, i wouldn't let them have one haha

but yea, if you can convince them, go for it.


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## scalestails&shells (May 29, 2011)

Is it just the snakes that they dislike, and is it dislike or fear?

I ask because my mother was reluctant about me getting a bearded dragon because of the expense of feeding them, and the relative complexity of housing them (compared to my other animals). I got around that one by demonstrating that I knew how to care for them, and guaranteeing that I pay for all the food.

That might help with your mother, especially as she won't even have to see the snake. Not so sure about your girlfriend, although I'd be inclined to say, 'my life, my snake, you know where the door is if you have a problem with it'... but that's just me!

If it's a fear issue, that might be harder, as fears aren't rational and take a lot of work on the part of the frightened person to overcome. When I briefly lived with a ratphobic person while having rats, the 'rules' they imposed were that they weren't to see them (the rats were in my room, so not an issue), and they weren't to escape. If your mother or girlfriend are actually frightened, that may help, although you may be fighting a losing battle.

If it's just dislike, then that's theoretically much easier to work around.

Hope some of that helps, anyway.


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## Cutter (Dec 12, 2010)

Geckodude97 said:


> Hi, i have wanted a corn snake for a while
> and they seem like the perfect snake for me
> but my parents are not particularly fond of snakes
> 
> ...


This doesn't work ot applt to everyone, but when I first started, I sat down and said

"Look, I have found a passion in life, and I want to fulfill it. This is the perfect thing for me, easy, yet challenging for being a new pet. There is so much help out there for me if I have any problems."

The thing that ALWAYS come up is "OMG IT;S GOING TO EAT ME/DOG/CAT/FISH/RABBIT/NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR" etc etc

Tell them a little bit about what corn snakes are like, why they can not swallow a human whole, and what thier temperament is like. 

Tell them you've done your research, on keeping, lifespan, feeding, husbandry, temperament etc.

Be truthful about WHY you want a snake, and why it is important to you.

Tell them you are willing to pay for this yourself, you want to save up and be able to achieve this yourself.

Hope this helps.  :2thumb:


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm not suggesting you do it... but I never told my mum and dad I was getting one... 6 months on they still don't know I have one...


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## Cutter (Dec 12, 2010)

hippyhaplos said:


> I'm not suggesting you do it... but I never told my mum and dad I was getting one... 6 months on they still don't know I have one...


Thank God someone else did it!

I definatley wouldn't suggest doing it, I don;t know how strict your parents are, but we hid our first corn, then when she found out, she eventually gfot over it, then we hid two beardies and two royals, and then we hid two kings, and now we;re hiding a jungle carpet python, a scorpion and 3 tarantulas!

It becomes a lying addiction, haha, When you get them, they soon realise that it's not as bad as it seems..


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

Cutter said:


> Thank God someone else did it!
> 
> I definatley wouldn't suggest doing it, I don;t know how strict your parents are, but we hid our first corn, then when she found out, she eventually gfot over it, then we hid two beardies and two royals, and then we hid two kings, and now we;re hiding a jungle carpet python, a scorpion and 3 tarantulas!
> 
> It becomes a lying addiction, haha, When you get them, they soon realise that it's not as bad as it seems..


haha I'd be homeless if she found out

I started this time last year with 2 tortoises... hid them in my room for months in a 4x2 viv(hardly discrete). By August I had a pygmy hedgehog, again hidden. By November I'd added a crestie and 2 leos. I got found out in December I think it was... she went mental, but got over it. I now have even more, and I'm getting my first spider this week


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## Adams Corns (Aug 5, 2010)

get a hatchling and tell them its a colourful worm, i remember my brother telling his teacher i liked painting worms red :blush: :lol2: just because i like my amels


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## kaaathx (Apr 20, 2011)

my parents say no to everything but with a little persuation its fine. i came home with a leo a year ago and said it was my boyfriends and i was looking after it. a year on i still have her and a completely new viv... haha
but 3 days after buying the leo my dad went out and bought me 2 baby beardies and the setup. still have thoes. told him last night that i was getting a triple stack for cresties an he goes "nah" so i set up an amoon to argue with someone he was arguing with an he let me ^.^ so now its an ongoing project to get cresties =], but i have a fulltime job and pay for all my reps and electrcity =]


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

Do you research, present it to your parents. Get them to have a mooch around on here. Let them ask us questions. You are much more likely to get a yes then if they are fully informed.


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

scalestails&shells said:


> Is it just the snakes that they dislike, and is it dislike or fear?
> 
> I ask because my mother was reluctant about me getting a bearded dragon because of the expense of feeding them, and the relative complexity of housing them (compared to my other animals). I got around that one by demonstrating that I knew how to care for them, and guaranteeing that I pay for all the food.
> 
> ...


Its a fear thing 
my dad has quite a bad phobia of snake and cant be in the same room as one , even if its in a cage


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

Nix said:


> Do you research, present it to your parents. Get them to have a mooch around on here. Let them ask us questions. You are much more likely to get a yes then if they are fully informed.


Thanks


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Geckodude97 said:


> Its a fear thing
> my dad has quite a bad phobia of snake and cant be in the same room as one , even if its in a cage


the best way to over come fear is to face it, I used to have a phobia of spiders, my aunt (who I used to help) allowed me to take a chilean rose tarantula home, from then on I began to become facinated by them, I can quite happily say I am not scared of them, some house spiders still make me very wary though.


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## Geckodude97 (May 25, 2011)

AboutLee said:


> I had a massive argument with my mum about this very thing some months back. She kept pointing out she didn't like them even tho shes never seen or touched one. I got to the stage where i said "You never come in my room anyways so you wouldn't know its there".
> 
> Tables have now turned as i have a GF now who also doesn't like snakes :lol2: Arguing with two females won't get me closer to getting a snake haha!
> 
> With past animals ive had or got ive always said "Ill walk it!" I own two dogs and two ducks, ive used the same line on when i had rats. :2thumb:


Hehe , this made me chuckle :') im sure we will both get there one day


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## Shaun563 (Jun 21, 2011)

Should try & do what i did, said i needed to get food for budgies (which are dead)
then say to the bloke running the shop "can i have a look at your reptiles" then just slowly say what you like and introduce it to your parents


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## Michaela93 (Jun 16, 2009)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> the best way to over come fear is to face it, I used to have a phobia of spiders, my aunt (who I used to help) allowed me to take a chilean rose tarantula home, from then on I began to become facinated by them, I can quite happily say I am not scared of them, some house spiders still make me very wary though.


I agree with this, I used to hate spiders... After my boyfriend bought a tarantula, I completely got over this and have no worry about her being around. In fact, I really like her.

Actually... I still hate spiders... I'm just ok with tarantulas.. But that's beside the point :2thumb:

I know it's not quite the same, but my parents hated the thought of me getting a lizard when i first wanted one. Now my mum doesn't want me to take my beardie to uni, and I live with multiple reptiles :2thumb:

Keep persisting that you're serious, you can look after and be responsible for a pet, and try and help your dad understand there's really nothing to fear!


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## candycane1 (Jun 18, 2011)

say they don't bite and they feed once a week.


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## MarkNI (Jun 19, 2011)

I would say the best thing to do is to convince them to come with you to a store (even just your mum, your dad if you can convince him). 

Then they can speak to the staff, who will be able to tell them about how harmless these snakes are, and what nice pets they make. Ask can your mum hold a younger corn in the store, this will show her first hand that these animals are not the dangerous monsters that some people believe them to be. 

I remember at 14, my parents did not want me to get a mx bike. Took them to a few races, and a few months later both my dad and I each had one! Experience is the best way to get though to parents, sadly they usually dont listen when you say you have done your research!

Good luck dude.


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

im 15, got my first snake the beginning of this year when i was 14 and my animals are growing and growing :2thumb: my parents werent fond of it, i did extra jobs around the house and saved up for the snake and RUB and mat and stat etcetc, and i showed them care sheets and dragged them to pet shops :lol2: it worked in the end and even though my mum still doesnt like them my dads over the idea of them not being nice, he didnt like them cause they ate mice/rats but now hes seen them hes kinda forgotten


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## RepCal (Jun 26, 2011)

Best thing to do would probably go down to your local reptile shop with your parents and have a look at the Corn Snakes, let them handle/hold it then if you become particularly fond of one have that one. : victory:


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

I'm 20 and am still not allowed a snake :lol2: My mum has a genuine phobia of snakes - I think it cruel to make her face that just so I can get a pet. By all means when I move out I'll get one as I'll be living under my own roof, but until then, I'm happy to wait 

If your parents are just not educated in snakes, it may be worth showing them that they're not as bad as people make out. But, at the end of the day, it is still your parents' home and so you live by their rules. If they're adamant they don't want you to get one, that's their decision and should be respected  Not what we all like to hear, but by obeying them you are showing discipline, responsibility and patience - which in time may help them realise you're ready for a pet!


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