I don't remeber where I found this (author unknown), but in the light of some recent "questionable" reasons for one poster wanting to sell his snake, have a look at this:
1. Why do I really want a snake?
(a) to impress my friends
(b) keep burglars out
(c) easy to care for
(d) because I think they are neat
2. How much research have I done, about different kinds of snakes & their care?
(a) none
(b) read a little
(c) did a lot of reading, asking questions, visited other snake handlers
3. What do you think of killing little furry critters? Such as mice, rats, and cute bunny rabbits.
(a) no way!
(b) ok with the mice & rats, but the rabbits
(c) no problem everything must eat
4. Do I have any small children, or plan to have any in the next 10 years or so?
(a) sure it will make a great pet for the kid
(b) not for another 5 or 6 years
(c) all kids are bigger than me/I don't plan to have any
5. How many friends do I have that handle snakes?
(a) none
(b) the guy next door
(c) several that's how I know I want one
6. How much room do I have for the snake.
(a) plan to keep in the corner
(b) the whole house/apt
(c) a spare room
7. How much can I afford?
(a) less than $200 year
(b) less than $300 year
(c) I'm rich
True or False
1. I can always breed them and make money.
2. If it gets too large I can sell it or give it to the zoo.
3. Snakes are easy to take care of.
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If your answers were "c" all the way down and said false to all, good for you. If not, you need to give this some thought.
1. If you want to impress your friends take them out for a night on the town. If you feel unsafe at your home either move, or buy a burglar alarm system. You will meet your goal, and save money too. Snakes are great creatures, HOWEVER they are wild animals!
2. Would you buy a car/truck you didn't know anything about? Of course not, you ask around about it. How much is maintenance, any known problems, miles per
gal, resale value, etc. Snakes are much the same, there are many different kinds, with different needs.
3. Snakes must eat. They don't eat Purnia Snake Chow, they eat other animals. With any luck your snake will eat pre-killed food. Depending on what you get, do you mind a freezer with a case of dead rats? Some snakes will only eat live food. This must be done with supervision, every time it feeds !!!!! Can you sit there and watch him kill and eat the Easter Bunny.
4. Small children love to get into everything. One "opps" can cost a child his/her life. Safety must be first on your list. There are many small snakes that WITH supervision make good pets for kids, but many should never be around children.
5. How big are you, and what is your experience level? Just as with children an adult can also be injured or killed. As a rule of thumb, 1 experienced person for every 5 feet of snake. If your snake will become large, be sure you have enough friends to help.
6. Baby snakes are just like puppies. Some will stay small others will become very large. Snakes also grow fast. Make sure you the room now, for when it becomes full grown. A snake should NEVER be left to roam the home unsupervised.
7. Well let just see what it will cost. Of course these are rough numbers. Much depends on what kind of snake, and where you live. Also many times you can get used items. Also there much cheaper and better ways to keep your snake warm and happy. This is only to give you an idea of some of the hidden costs.
Item cost per cost 1st year
1 cheap healthy snake that will stay small (ball python) $50.00 $50.00
1 cheap tank that won't hold water $20.00 $20.00
1 lock-down top $30.00 $30.00
1 light fixture, to hold heat light $10.00 $10.00
1 heat bulb $10.00 $120.00
2 mice a week $2.00 $208.00
electricity for 100 watt hat bulb 18 hours a day $.90/day $328.50
1 vet visit a year $40.00 $40.00
TOTAL for first year $806.50
There are some snakes that can be bred for profit. However there is an over population of many species just like cats & dogs. Think about it if it was easy every one would be doing it.
Many snakes loose their value as they get larger. Every one wants a baby. Most zoos have more than enough snakes, and won't take one even for free. Many snakes are abandoned, or killed because someone didn't think before buying that "Cute Little Guy".
Snakes are like any other living creatures. They require care.
So you still want a snake, hit your local library or bookstore and start reading. Call a local collage or university to see if there is a Herp Club in your area. Meet some other people. Check out one of the Snake lists/newsgroups, to learn even more. Than go and find the one that is right for you.
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(rights reserved by the author)
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