Epiphany - (awakenings)

[infernalis]

Sid - I was blessed as a child, my mom was addicted to Garter snakes already, and I think she was the first one to introduce me to them.

But that was back when she used to take us out in her Buick convertible with the top down, jamming out to the in dash 8 track

Luckily, she got to see and hold Xena a few times before she suddenly had a heart attack and passed away.

We moved out of the rental, and as a new homeowner now have the freedom to add as many snakes, lizards, mammals and whatever we want.

Mom had this "extra" living room, one that no one ever "lived" in, well after my sister decided she needed all the display items from out of there, Dorothy and I decided to make it into a reptile room.

Some day when it is close to finished, I'll back up and take a big picture.

[ssssnakeluvr]

hmmm..I was always catching them when I was a kid...finally in 1980, my freshman year of high school I built a big snake cage....I acquired my first garters then and have had them pretty myuch since then, along with numerous other herps.

[count dewclaw]

Well, I never really had a chance as a kid. Then my husband and I bought this old farmhouse with the "magic basement" and I started escorting snakes from the basement back outside. One spring day we noticed a bunch of garters sticking their heads out from around the old artisian well (no longer used by people) beside the house. We were picking them up and showing them to the kids, but we put them back. Later that summer we caught another garter and decided to keep it for a few days so the kids could watch it more closely. We let that one go. Then this year I decided I wanted to keep some of the pretty Easterns from our yard, but found out that's a no-no in NYS, so let them go...so now I'm looking for Pugets (actually have a lead on some, if they ever get born).

Mom had this "extra" living room, one that no one ever "lived" in, well after my sister decided she needed all the display items from out of there, Dorothy and I decided to make it into a reptile room.

Does it make me a bad mom that I'm already thinking of converting the kids' rooms into snake rooms as soon as they move out? My oldest will be a senior in high school next year.

[infernalis]

Does it make me a bad mom that I'm already thinking of converting the kids' rooms into snake rooms as soon as they move out? My oldest will be a senior in high school next year.

My kids are already sleeping on the lawn, so I guess your not a bad person.

[anji1971]

And mine are still in grade school, and have already been warned that the decision to move out had better be well thought out and definite, because they won't have a room to come back to!

[anji1971]

As far as keeping snakes, it's not something I "planned" to do growing up. I always liked them, but was told repeatedly that they "needed to be left outside".
I remember going for walks with my dad, in the very same area I go herping in now, and catching them to hold and examine. My dad was very clear about the fact that he "really didn't like snakes much", but he always showed enthusiasm to match my own about them. And one day when I had a snake in one hand, and something else grabbed my attention, I just kind of thrust the snake at Dad, said "Here, hold this!" and went running to catch the other critter. I returned to find my father, still holding the snake, with a look of pure shock on his face. But he kept holding it, and to his dying day told everyone that he loved me so much, he'd even touch a snake for me!!
A few years ago, my kids found a garter in my mom's backyard, and they wanted to keep it. And rather than using the old "No, they belong outside", I decided to give it a go.
So there began the journey of snakes as pets, and I've never looked back.

[Garter_Gertie]

Does it make me a bad mom that I'm already thinking of converting the kids' rooms into snake rooms as soon as they move out? My oldest will be a senior in high school next year.

No. It makes an intelligent, far-thinking, reasonable adult and *good* mom to realize and want a life seperate from her kids.