When was the last ........

Rdean1 · 01-18-04, 03:07 AM

Well as the title says "When was the last" time you just sat back and lost all track of time watching your reptiles. Now for those of you with only a few herps this may not apply but more for the ones with larger collections, you know those with say over 30 or the really big ones over 200. Tonight I was doing some spot cleaning and started to watch one of my emeralds moving throughout his enviroment. The way he moved , explored, and even checked me out was well a little overwhelming almost. Before too long about an hour and a half had gone by.
Some times we get so involed with cleaning, feeding, and making sure all the little things are taken care of that maybe we tend to forget why we love these creatures and invite them into our lives.
I don;t know maybe i'm just losing my mind but if I am what a way to lose it.
So from me to you, just stop and watch, remember, enjoy and oh ya listen to that little kid inside us, you know the one LOOK AT THAT SNAKE DAD I WANT ONE THEY ARE SO COOL.
Dean

Tim_Cranwill · 01-18-04, 04:37 AM

Nope, you haven't lost your mind. They're really cool to just sit back and watch!

Jeff_Favelle · 01-18-04, 05:23 AM

That's funny you should mention that because I can totally remember back about 17 years ago when I had my first "purchased" snake that wasn't a local capture. All those years of reading about them and seeing pictures in books, and I had one in my care!! It was literally like meeting a celebrity. That's the closest metaphor I can think of. I mean, I spent my whole childhood obssessing about their natural history and where they were from, what they did, what they ate, how big they got, etc etc, but when I finally had one in my room (it was a Texas Rat Snake) I was in heaven. I couldn't believe I had one of those "famous" snakes I always read about. The very snake that farmers mistook for rattlesnakes etc etc. It was weird to finally have one as a pet.

And then it just took off from there. Kinda weird, but I wish I could go back. I seemed a lot more excited to get that snake then, than I do getting any now. Its not that the allure is gone, its just that there was nothing like the excitement of getting that 4-foot snake that I had only read about as a kid.

Oh well, such is life. Things are ALWAYS better in retrospect.

gonesnakee · 01-18-04, 05:24 AM

I can totally relate, thus all the pics I took over the last few days. Sometimes it seems that its all about feeding & cleaning, but heck them are some of the best times we have. Snakes don't talk back or make fun of you when ya laugh at your own jokes. Just the odd tag now & again to keep ya in line LOL. Much easier to satisfy then our human counterparts I'd say. See what happens when ya go out & just stand & stare at people. Oh & its not losing its LOST but happy LOL Mark

sapphire_moon · 01-18-04, 08:26 AM

even people with tiny collections, like myself! I only have 3 but one time I was late for work because I was watching my BP just roam around and sat there for a good three hours, on the end of my bed, like he had me hypmotized (sp?). I know what you mean Jeff_Favelle.

Althought I didn't do any research before I got my first snake, and admittadly was not keeping him right (till I found this wonderful website and learned better). It was like meeting a celebrity, after all the years of begging my mother to have one she finally let me get one after my step dad convinced her of it!
She actually thought f/t mice would come back to life if you microwaved them! lol

beth wallbank · 01-18-04, 10:02 AM

oh I do know the lost time thing all too well. Doesn't seem to go over too well with those who are waiting for you to show up at a certain time somewhere. They just don't seem to understand how taking an extra 1/2 hour out to watch a python eat a huge rat qualifies as acceptable tardiness. The one that I still chuckle at is when I was told one time that keeping herps is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness.

DNA Reptiles · 01-18-04, 10:39 AM

I sure can identify with "taking time." My favourite time of the "herp day" is watching the crested and vorax geckos in the evening time - there is so much going on between them all. Just last evening I witnessed two of my juvenile cresteds eating peach baby food together from their dish (where was my digital?!!). I am still waiting for my vorax to communicate vocally with one another (Lowell I am putting their cages opposite one another today so am expecting much chat!!).
Andrea

Darren179 · 01-18-04, 11:09 AM

my collection is up to about 15 but I have only been involved for 6 months and they have been great I started with one, one turned into 2 into 3 into 5 into 9 into 11 into 12 into 15 and this paycheck everyone is getting brand new tank set ups and me im getting another incubator. I would have to say my favorite to watch are my bearded dragons they will keep you amused all day

retic · 01-18-04, 11:30 AM

i spend have my night in the snake room cleaning, feeding adding more units etc. etc., between work and snakes i have no time for anything else, and i"ve only got 15, i love to watch my jungles tour around, can"t wait to get more, morlias are awesome

SerpentLust · 01-18-04, 12:26 PM

Haha the LAST time? Yesterday, and I only own two snakes. My Spotted Python came out of her cool hide for a drink and to try to escape like usual. And I watched her for three hours.

Jenn

Invictus · 01-18-04, 12:38 PM

I make it a point to watch my snakes almost daily, although the last time that time had just flown by was about 3 nights ago. My big sucky baby Hades, the 7' stair-climbing boa, was out for a little exercise and handling. I took him downstaris, and sat on the couch with him, and he's usually pretty active - but this day for some reason, he just curled right up in my lap and didn't move a muscle... he was just being SO good! next thing I know, well over an hour had passed.

BoidKeeper · 01-18-04, 12:40 PM

The last time fo rme was about two weeks ago. I like to lose track of time if my ATBs are doing something cool but for the most part my snakes don't do much. It was my male leo the other day that got me to sit down in front of his cage and watch and even call my wife into the room. Heck I even took a picture of what he was doing.
I had him on paper towel for the longest time and finally I put him on dried eco earth. Now he moves all the time and has even started to dig in it. I had never seen a leo dig before so I just sat down and watched until he stoped and moved on.
Cheers,
Trevor

gfisher2002 · 01-18-04, 02:51 PM

I also have got lost watching my aniamls. Sometimes I think we get so busy that we change their water and feed them and forget to stop and appreciate what's infront of you. Whenever I get the time to sit back for a minute or two I try to spend time with my herps. Even my Red Ears can be very personable. Some times you just forget how pleasing it can be to just watch them.
Ahh, you got me all emotional now. lol
'sniff' 'sniff'

Cheers,
Garrett

BWSmith · 01-18-04, 05:29 PM

I actually got in trouble with that before. I told my roomate I was going to feed the venomous. One of the Eastern Diamondbacks was a problem feeder and she struck at the mouse. So I decided to lay real still and watch her eat. Needless to say i was laying motionless for so long ont he floor that I eventually dozed off. My roomate was not pleased to find me sprawled out ont he Hot Room floor

But I generally spend a couple hours a night just walking around watching all the herps. I finally got a red night head lamp so I can go in with all the lights off and see all the nocternals crawling around. Amazons are alot more active than they appear