my intrest for herps is getting small

[snakelover111]

Well.... this just sucks im loosing my love for herps. i used to have over 15 herps but now i only have 4 and im not planning to get anymore. has this ever happend to someone be4?

Jake...:medsly:

[CDN-Cresties]

Nah sorry man, the only thing that stops me is lack of $$$

-Steve-

[daver676]

Got tired of the maintenance of my fish tank, so I gave it to a friend and got a snake. But there is so much more to a snake, I don't think I'll get bored of it soon. I'd have more snakes if I had more dough!

[XxRachxX]

just curious....how long have you been in the hobby?
i do it alot! with alot of things!
like bands! i will go mad, learn all the lyrics, go to the concerts, buy the cd's.... then the interest slowly fades away.
but with animals i know i cant just give them away or sell them, because they are like children to me. Even if i start to lose interest i still have to love them and care for them. i wouldnt be able to get rid of them..

i probably didnt help much... O.o

[Vanan]

No worries man. You're not the first to lose interest in herps.

[snakelover111]

just curious....how long have you been in the hobby?
almost my whole life time but the love for herps is dissapearing

[Skink Keeper]

a friend of mine lost interest in herps aswell, he went from almost 200 herps to about 15, he just started interests in other stuff and then the interest in herps came back about a year later, and he started the collection again. maybe u just need a break.

good luck

[cpt_retic]

almost 200 , whate was he a doctor, that must cost a fortune.

[Edwin]

Everyone suffers from burnout once in a while. There are times I get frustrated when the snake poops just minutes after cleaning its tank out and I am running late, but overall, my interest in the hobby has grown.

[Slannesh]

Happens to all of us at one point or another i'm sure. Even with a small collection you sometimes just can't find the time to do everything you should. I've had my ball python for 6years now and there have been times when she didn't get much thought in my day to day life. But sure enough you go and check on her and there she it, usually curled up in her hide. ;) The one cool thing about reptiles in general is while they do require attention and care they just don't have the constant needs that some other pets do. They pretty much fend for themselves, so I would suggest giving it some time before you do something rash like getting rid of your entire collection. Maybe trade some of it away for species you haven't owned before?

[reverendsterlin]

lol, over 35 years I've sold/given all away several times. A couple of times were just from being bored with it and others were moves ect(military is hell on pets). Better to get the animal to a place that wants it than just to keep it out of some idea of obligation.

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

As Edwin said, everyone goes through burn-outs. Ive done it, and I'm typically in the stage now, but its a selective burn out. The thing I notice with alot of burn outs is that most people are only keeping them, and learning the basics. Get a deeper image of the herps you keep. Go beyond the keeping and feeding and breeding routin. Learn why and how they function, whats the purpose, and stuff like that. That's how I was saved. Xain

[Sunrunner]

Herps saturate ever moment of my life as it is both my hobby and my job so I can understand a bit of burn out. Maybe what you need is to try something new. Redisghn all your cages, learn more about the complexities of your animals or maybe just a herp that is new and different is what you need. Also a good herp society is great. Being able to share your hobby with other interested ppl is great fun. Or maybe you just need a break. Just be sure even though your interest is lacking your still taking good care of your herps. Don't neglect them like alot a novelity owners do. I don't think you would but often enough lack of interest translates to lack of care.

[Simon]

I too went throught this.
Thought about giving out everything I have. Just once in a while everyone loses interest and then comes back.

I always give it a thought and then the next day when I take them out again I feel re-energized. Like everything was new again and my love for them starts all over again.

Its definately gotten me....so take a break and then you'll feel fine again~ don't give up!

[MistyDaze]

Yeah I copped it. I didn't lose interest (certainly not my fascination with reptiles) but my urge to own every and all reptiles possible wore off. Now I only keep a handfull of old favorites. I thought this was sort of normal.

[Linds]

It happens. Some people lose interest. Happens with more than just herps. I personally haven't and would be shocked if I ever did. They are my kids. I sometimes get a little overwhelmed and wish for a split second it hadn't acheived these proportions, but then reality comes back and smacks me in the head and I remember how much I love it all and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world :D

[snakelover111]

Maybe trade some of it away for species you haven't owned before?

well, i may get back into the hobby though and go back to tons of herps but im gonna always keep at least one herp ;)

[lordkovacs]

i went throught that a while back. then i had the idea to take my corn into school to show the kids (i'm a school teacher). now i am very much into spreading the good word aobut herps, and trying to dispell myths. it has given me the motivation to be excited about it again.. cause i see how my students are excited and I can relate.

[RachelS.]

It's called "burnout". You get a bunch of herps and then just start losing interest because you devote all your time and money to them. I've gone through this phase a few times before, but it goes away after a while and when I chat with my herper buddies and such. I know people that get rid of all their reptiles and soon go back to them. If its your true interest you will stay with it or go back to it, if not that's okay... it doesn't mean your a bad person. Maybe you'll get over it, who knows.

Oh well, I probably didn't do much, but I tried *rolls eyes*

[Phox]

Originally posted by RachelS.
It's called "burnout". You get a bunch of herps and then just start losing interest because you devote all your time and money to them. I've gone through this phase a few times before, but it goes away after a while and when I chat with my herper buddies and such.


Ditto on that! I tend to burnout on things that I get overly obsessed with too quickly. Its definately important to spend time with your herps, but dont spend ALL of your time with them. Devoting all of your time to anything is, IMO, why alot of people burnout.

[reptilesalonica]

Well, it only happened with my crickets. Two times i get new colonies and both times all gone. Suddenly i started to loose interest breeding crickets.
With herps once time i felt that way (then i had 50 herps) the time was not always on my side (plus that i keep and care for mealworms, crickets 3 spp, mice, rats).
So, i sell of some of my collection but i kept those first or/and "big loves" :)
I cannot imagine myself without herps and music.
They say i'm not hooked with drugs but i think they're lyin!
I'm surely hooked on herps and music! :D
~Greg~