How Much Has Your Life Changed?

[Condawg]

Simple question -- Since you got into reptiles, how much has your life changed?

I'm getting my first reptile (a leopard gecko) this Saturday, and I'm looking forward to every bit of it.
It seems like it will add a while new part to my life, and it will be cool.

 

[lytlesnake]

Leopard geckos are really cool, you'll enjoy having one. They have really interesting personalities, something you wouldn't necessarily equate with a reptile.

As long as you don't get way too many reptiles like I have done, you'll be fine. I'm a wreck now! :main_yes:

 

[Kellyr]

I agree, I have 17 now.. take it easy :main_yes:

 

[Condawg]

Oh, I don't plan on overdoing it
I couldn't handle all of that.

I might start breeding after a year or two if I'm still really into it, which I do think I'll be, but the numbers still probably won't get too high.

 

[Eureka]

I'm getting my first reptile (a leopard gecko) this Saturday, and I'm looking forward to every bit of it.
It seems like it will add a while new part to my life, and it will be cool.

I know exactly how you feel! I'm getting my first ever Leopard Gecko this week. I'm so excited! I've always been into reptiles, ever since looking for snakes and lizards outside as a child. My passion faded but now it's back and strong as ever. It's helping me to be more open socially.

 

[Amber7399]

well aside from some.....errrr most of my friends thinking i'm a little "off" LOL
I only have two Geckos (for now ) but I have met some really awesome people, Since getting into Gecko's/Reptiles like Jess & Mike (fallen_angel) Whom I bought Griffith from. there are some really cool people here on GF [especially the Arizona People] ha ha ha j/k, everyone else is really super nice too .

 

[sushikam]

My life has changed, but for the good . I started with one gecko last August and thought that was it...then got another in October, and now, a little over a year later, I've got 10! Which that isn't much compared to many others, but it's a lot of work considering I'm very busy with school and work.

Just be prepared to get addicted! If you have good will power, then you won't go overboard, but I don't, so that's where I went wrong :main_rolleyes:. They are an awesome pet to have, and are even more fun to breed! They have just made a really exciting addition to my life and have led me to a bunch of great people!

 

[gothra]

My whole life is dedicated to my leos! I even re-arranged my house so they can live better! My family thinks I'm insane.

 

[eyelids]

I'd say the greatest thing about keeping them has been meeting so many awesome people from all over the world... Individually we're all so unique, however, we commune together thanks to these delightfully pleasant beasts (lol)...

 

[italipinos8]

I thought i wasnt going to overdue it. I started off with 1 little baby leo. That turned into getting more leos, then a couple beardies, a crestie and a chameleon. Like Kristen said, you must have will power.

 

[T&KBrouse]

In 2001, I was diagnosed with MS. My whole body was rebelling. I had memory issues, muscle tremors, some paralysis, vision problems and chronic pain. I was put on medication that took the edge off, but MS was still a very prevalent part of my every day life.
Then we got a baby ball python. He was so precious, we got another one. Then my brother brought us a red tail boa that was very sick and on death's door. We nursed him back to health. The rescues kept coming so we kept on loving them and caring for them. Now we have a pretty good size collection (25 snakes, 6 lizards and 8 tarantulas). As the last few years have gone on, the need for medication has lessened and lessened until a few months ago, when I was taken off the medication all-together. I'm in complete remission. The doctors are amazed.
I know exactly what caused this disease to turn around. I get to look at those sweet faces every day. They depend on me to care for them. These aren't just pets, they're "kindred spirits" I guess you could say.

So has having reptiles changed my life?
Heck. As far as I'm concerned, it saved my life.

 

[lytlesnake]

That's a great story. Glad to hear about your improved health!

That reminds me, I saved a tarantula yesterday! It was crossing the road. I tried to save one a few weeks ago, but just after I pulled over, a truck smashed it! So yesterday, I immediately pulled off to the shoulder, grabbed a cup and a piece of paper, and ran out to the tarantula. It was not happy to see me, it raised it's stinger like it was going to bite me. But I managed to get the cup over it, slide the paper under there, and carry it to the side of the road. I let it go in the bushes a few feet off the road, on the side it was traveling to. I didn't want to put it back on the side it came from for fear that it would try to cross the road again.

Yeah, I've got over 30 king and milk snakes, and probably like over 60 geckos right now. Plus there's feeder mice (still too many), crickets, worms... It's pretty exhausting at this point. My back has been kinda sore lately, and I have to drag myself off the couch to do chores. I keep thinking how simple it was when I had half as many snakes and only a handful of geckos.

So I really mean it when I say don't do what I've done! The desire to breed a ton of different morphs or subspecies got me into this situation. I now realize how it's probably better to have a small amount of animals on a hobby level. With a small collection, there's plenty of time to sit back and enjoy your animals. With this massive workload, it's a lot different. I still enjoy the animals, but it's more work than play.

 

[T&KBrouse]

Yeah, I understand those days, too. It can be very overwhelming especially when they decided to have a group poop and smear campaign, and you're the only one with the dedication to clean 'em all up. (You ever notice they usually do this all at once? I swear they have meetings)
Sometimes it gets hard to enjoy them when you're so focused on taking care of all of them.

Congrats on saving that tarantula! That speaks alot to your character that you would stop to rescue a little bug from harm's way. Thats really cool! :main_thumbsup:

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I, too, am disabled with a rare auto-immune/neuro-immune disease that causes me to suffer from severe chronic pain and debilitation. I was once a Chemical Engineer with a great future and and even better salary. When I could no longer work, I spent an entire year in denial and despair.

I had my geckos, and focused on learning as much as I could about them... and remember very well the first babies that ever hatched. I sat in the middle of the floor and cried like a baby I was so happy!

It's been almost 14 years since my first geckos, and I can say without a doubt that I would not be living today if it weren't for having them in my life to give me a sense of purpose and joy. I cannot imagine my life without my animals.

I have also made so MANY wonderful friends in this community! I am somewhat reclusive here in my house, and I treasure and value the deep relationships I have established with many of you. You all ARE my social life!!! I feel very Blessed to have such a great circle of friends surrounding me that share the same love and commitment I have with my geckos.

 

[lytlesnake]

Congrats on saving that tarantula! That speaks alot to your character that you would stop to rescue a little bug from harm's way. Thats really cool! :main_thumbsup:

Little bug? Hah! This was one big ass tarantula!

 

[T&KBrouse]

LOL! Okay... I was trying to be dignified and sympathetic.
Even though he may have been big enough to take down a suburb in Tokyo, I was speaking metaphorically...
Dangit! Just take the compliment! LOL

 

[LadyGecko]

Like many others in the reptile keeping hobby-I also have chronic pain and depression issues that tend to make me isolate myself from people where I live
Actually my physical problems are what got me into the hobby in the first place
I switched from keeping fish to lizards when the water changes of multiple fish tanks got to be too much for me to do

Over the years -I have met many, many wonderful people in the reptile community and this forum has the best people on it
:main_yes:

I have found that caring for and especially taking pics of my various lizards has always put a lift in my spirits

There are times when the pain seems overwhelming and I force myself off the couch or out of bed and once I get started cleaning and feeding and just enjoying each and every lizard that I have-I feel 100% better

I love taking pics and I am constantly amazed at some of the shots that have come from out of the camera into the computer
:shocked:

None of those shots are really planned and those are the ones that show the "personalities" of each individual lizard the best

I started out in the hobby with one Beaded Dragon and then acquired 2 normal Leopard Geckos before there were albino's available on the market

I stayed at 3 lizards for quite a while and then "the reptile bug" bit me bad

Right now-I have 39 Leos-4 Beardies- 2 Blue Tongue Skinks-7 AFT's-6 Crested Geckos-3 Leachies and 3 Gargoyle Geckos -oh and 1 Tokay and 1 Box Turtle
:main_laugh:

Do I have a favorite lizard?
No-not really
They are all so beautiful and unique that i enjoy each species and each individual for what they are

I am at maximum capacity for cleaning (well maybe just a few more Leos-lol) and I do different tanks/tubs on different nights -rotating until it's time to start all over again

I will do Blue Tongues and Beardie tanks on one night-all of the Rhacs on another and the Leos and the AFT's on yet another night

I do usually have a day or two off in between so that it does not become a chore and stays more of a real pleasure

I also like to take some pics every week so it takes longer than just running through the tanks/tubs but I have found that having a stool next to my work table lets me sit and really observe each individual lizard as I am taking pics of them and watching them hunt down insects
I have gotten some priceless shots of them hunting down supers


I have found that since I have moved most of my Leos into tubs that the cleaning us much faster and easier and I try and make up for the inability to not be able to observe them in tanks with the time spent sitting and watching them as they hunt down their food

I would love to eventually get the "Isis" tubs-I hear that they are much clearer than the Sterlite ones

The Crested tanks are the hardest to clean with the constant battle of cleaning poop off of the sides of the glass-messy lizards-lol

But their antics and beautiful faces more than make up for the scouring of their poop off of the glass while I am muttering under my breath-LOL

I have found the Leachies to be fascinating and I am blessed to have 1:2 and I do have plans on breeding them in the future

I have not got into breeding the Leos as I thought that I would when I first started out with them - partly because of the bad luck that I seemed to have had and partly because I seem to have all hell break loose in my life every single time that I pair a couple and I end up missing the eggs until it's too late


I have only put a few pairs together each year and did not end up getting any hatchlings out of the eggs that made it into the incubator -except one quite a few years ago and sadly-it died

I have gone over all of my husbandry and supplements and I can't figure out why the eggs are not hatching

Maybe next year will be different and it will only be a couple of pairs placed together again


Anyway-I sure can ramble on :main_rolleyes: and I do have to say that my lizards have given me a reason to smile when I had no other and they sure keep me going

Sandy

 

[Starwild]

My favorite thing about keeping herps (besides the herps themselves, lol) is that it really gets people's attention when you say you keep lizards and snakes. Some will freak out, some will be interested, but in any case it's a great ice breaker.

I agree with the warnings about it being addictive, I got my first gecko in May '07 and now I have another gecko and a ball python. Space, money, and time permitting, my ideal collection would include another few leopard geckos, an albino ball python, a high-red albino western hognose, a couple of corn snakes, a bearded dragon and a blue-tongued skink. THANKFULLY I'm a new graduate and don't have the money to go and get myself into trouble, but yeah, I can see myself having a special "herp savings account" in a few years.

I think they're so addictive because once they're set up with the proper environment and you understand their care, up to a point it's no more difficult to care for three herps than for one, and not really much more expensive if you get food in large quantities, or breed your own. Of course I think that kind of goes out the window once you get into "I need to get a rack for all these herps" territory. LOL!

On the other hand, having just a few means I can really hang out with them and devote lots of time to my babies. That's my *favorite* part, enjoying holding my geckos or walking around the house doing chores with my snake wrapped around my neck.

 

[hoppslover]

I will also have to say that they are very addictive. Start out with one and then up to 14 in no time. I love them all, and this is coming from a person that didn't like reptiles at all about a year and a half ago. When my nephew got his first reptile I told him he was nuts, and now I love them. Maybe one day I will get over my fear of snakes. It is a very stress relieving hobby. Unless you have my Male TBB. I think he hates me. lol I wouldn't trade these guys for the world.

 

[geckoqueen]

Gecko's

Now I have to feed my Gecko's everyday, they are babies still and mist their hides and make sure the cage is clean and the temps are right. I never had to do this but since I have gecko's I must take care of them everyday even if I am feeling lazy. . I can't have lazy days anymore.

I also used to be afraid of being bit but now I am used to it. I mean when I place my hand in the cage so my gecko's can get to know me. Ninja will bite, never used to, not hard though. The other one knows me better and will sometimes bite, or lick my hand, whatever he is in the mood to do.

So I have learned it's ok to get bit and I have to take care of my Gecko's daily.
That is how it changed my life. And now I have someone to talk to. ..My gecko's...and they listen to what I am saying.