RAD House
04-08-16, 12:59 AM
First the main point of this thread is to show off the new snake I did not mean to buy, but I also want to relate something I have been humoring myself with for the last week. So if you don’t feel like reading a novel, please skip to pictures on at the end. To start my getting into snakes happened to coincide with some big changes in our relationship, mainly marriage. From the vows to speaking with guests our wedding was filled with cliché advice about having a good marriage. Recently trying to make herp based decisions that will not ruin my marriage, I began to see many similarities to the counsel I had been given.
About a year before our wedding, I out of nowhere I decided to get my first snake. Even though I saw no other appropriate path, looking back I am sure it at least crossed her mind that I had lost my marbles. She has admitted it seemed a bit strange. Had she been any less amazing she could have gotten out before taking the big plunge. The first timely lesson being that true love does not run even if you decide to fill your cozy domicile with man's worst friend.
Upon acquiring the second snake she began asking if this would be the last snake, and as a good husband I of course told her maybe. The snakes kept coming and she kept calmly asking. Twice I have gotten to the point where I thought for sure I was done and told her thusly. Before this newest snake I even told her no more for an entire year, which in actuality only lasted two months. In all honesty in each moment I truly meant to uphold my word, but she was never gave more than an eye roll. She knows me better than I know myself sometimes. The second cliché of course is that to love is to understand.
With all the snake madness going on, somewhere along the line I decided that I had some interest in breeding. Looking into it I deduced that this is not only something I would really enjoy but is also very doable. There would be a significant time and financial investment. I was quite worried about telling the wife about this new distraction. I began to think how I would rationalize it to her. After a great deal of scheming I finally mustered up enough gumption to tell her. I started with a straight forward description of the hobby spread over several conversations. As if she didn’t already know what I was buttering her up for, I expressed my intention. I fully expected her to blow her top and that I would quickly need to follow with my justifications. She very calmly said she thought it was a good idea and she was glad that I found something that I could apply my long time interest in animals and genetics. This caught me entirely of guard as this had been part of my planned reasoning to her. Her support seems so like the clichés, that if it I had to read about it happening to someone else it might make me puke a little.
Nevertheless at the end of the day I consider myself lucky for meeting such an amazing person and finding a hobby I enjoy so much. Now to story of my week of bad decisions and nearly catastrophic ones. As I stated earlier I was not looking on adding a new snake and looking at the normal for sale outlets this was not an issue as all the prices for the snakes I wanted were out of my budget. Then I made the mistake of checking out an auction on Facebook. This particular auction has a member who has outbid me on a few snakes in the past. I saw a gorgeous coral glow male that he was going to win for much too cheap, so I did the reasonable thing and bid him up. I thought for sure there was no way this animal would go for this cheap so I went about my day. I forgot about the auction until much later that night. I went to check and what do you know my conniving made me break a promise to my wife. Damn auctions. Really it was no big deal as I really enjoy this gene and I got him for a great price.
That weekend was the local Repticon and I knew I shouldn’t go for fear of divorce, but my faith in my weak self-control prevailed. Generally the snakes at these shows are not interesting to me or overpriced. Well this time was different. A local guy had a gaggle of beautiful eastern indigo snakes, according to him his stock was purchased by Black Pearl to build theirs. He let me hold one of the larger ones he had left. Not bad for the first time seeing one of the snakes on my dream list for the first time. I passed the snake off and told him I wished they were in my price range. He thought for a second, looked at me and gave me a crazy deal on a juvenile with a hardly noticeable kink below the vent. I showed incredible self-control in the form of an abrupt good bye and nearly running out of the place.
As a reward for putting up with my ramblings I introduce Pretty Boy Floyd the male coral glow Python regius.
About a year before our wedding, I out of nowhere I decided to get my first snake. Even though I saw no other appropriate path, looking back I am sure it at least crossed her mind that I had lost my marbles. She has admitted it seemed a bit strange. Had she been any less amazing she could have gotten out before taking the big plunge. The first timely lesson being that true love does not run even if you decide to fill your cozy domicile with man's worst friend.
Upon acquiring the second snake she began asking if this would be the last snake, and as a good husband I of course told her maybe. The snakes kept coming and she kept calmly asking. Twice I have gotten to the point where I thought for sure I was done and told her thusly. Before this newest snake I even told her no more for an entire year, which in actuality only lasted two months. In all honesty in each moment I truly meant to uphold my word, but she was never gave more than an eye roll. She knows me better than I know myself sometimes. The second cliché of course is that to love is to understand.
With all the snake madness going on, somewhere along the line I decided that I had some interest in breeding. Looking into it I deduced that this is not only something I would really enjoy but is also very doable. There would be a significant time and financial investment. I was quite worried about telling the wife about this new distraction. I began to think how I would rationalize it to her. After a great deal of scheming I finally mustered up enough gumption to tell her. I started with a straight forward description of the hobby spread over several conversations. As if she didn’t already know what I was buttering her up for, I expressed my intention. I fully expected her to blow her top and that I would quickly need to follow with my justifications. She very calmly said she thought it was a good idea and she was glad that I found something that I could apply my long time interest in animals and genetics. This caught me entirely of guard as this had been part of my planned reasoning to her. Her support seems so like the clichés, that if it I had to read about it happening to someone else it might make me puke a little.
Nevertheless at the end of the day I consider myself lucky for meeting such an amazing person and finding a hobby I enjoy so much. Now to story of my week of bad decisions and nearly catastrophic ones. As I stated earlier I was not looking on adding a new snake and looking at the normal for sale outlets this was not an issue as all the prices for the snakes I wanted were out of my budget. Then I made the mistake of checking out an auction on Facebook. This particular auction has a member who has outbid me on a few snakes in the past. I saw a gorgeous coral glow male that he was going to win for much too cheap, so I did the reasonable thing and bid him up. I thought for sure there was no way this animal would go for this cheap so I went about my day. I forgot about the auction until much later that night. I went to check and what do you know my conniving made me break a promise to my wife. Damn auctions. Really it was no big deal as I really enjoy this gene and I got him for a great price.
That weekend was the local Repticon and I knew I shouldn’t go for fear of divorce, but my faith in my weak self-control prevailed. Generally the snakes at these shows are not interesting to me or overpriced. Well this time was different. A local guy had a gaggle of beautiful eastern indigo snakes, according to him his stock was purchased by Black Pearl to build theirs. He let me hold one of the larger ones he had left. Not bad for the first time seeing one of the snakes on my dream list for the first time. I passed the snake off and told him I wished they were in my price range. He thought for a second, looked at me and gave me a crazy deal on a juvenile with a hardly noticeable kink below the vent. I showed incredible self-control in the form of an abrupt good bye and nearly running out of the place.
As a reward for putting up with my ramblings I introduce Pretty Boy Floyd the male coral glow Python regius.