Favorite "Herp Things"

[KLG]

This is a topic I posted in another forum a few months back...just thought it would be interesting to hear more perspectives from folks over here.

Some of my favorites...


The smell of eggs hatching.

Watching snakes act like snakes – like when I peek into cages after feeding & they’re all hanging out on their basking spots & staying warm…you know, doing what snakes do.

When a picky feeder finally turns on & takes off.

Walking downstairs only to see a smiling alligator sitting in the middle of the hallway.

Baby ball pythons that eat like retics…even if it means they mistook my hand for the rat.

When it’s late at night & all I want to do is finish things up at the shop & go home, and then I see a little chondro caudal luring and forget about wanting to go home, and just watch the snake twitch his tail for 10 minutes.

A big, friendly Borneo short-tailed python that is perfectly content to hang out on my lap.

Hearing Tokay geckos calling late at night.

Rhino iguanas that share a slice of watermelon with me.

The big, googley eyes of Trans-Pecos ratsnakes.

Having a significant other who likes the same things…or at least understands why I “just have to keep this one to see what it’s going to look like in a year!”

...and a year later saying to the same significant other "well, remember how cool that other one turned out? I think this one has a lot of potential too, so let's just keep this one to see..." and watching him roll his eyes, but walk away smiling.

Finding 30 timber rattlesnakes in one day of field herping.



Sometimes it’s too easy to get sucked in by all the drama that tends to happen on these forums…too easy to get so caught up in lusting after the next animal on your wish list that you forget how cool the animals in your collection already are, no matter what color, what species, how expensive or inexpensive. Go into your herp room RIGHT NOW, and think of just how awesome it is to be a part of something so amazing as herpetoculture.

Ok. Now what are some of YOUR favorites?

K

	Iguana Iguana

[LdyDrgn]

Thank you, Kara. I'll post my faves when I can think of them with a clear head.

[KLG]

Hang in there, girlie girl!!!!

(((((LdyDrgn)))))

K

[Ed_r]

Great post Kara!!!!

I think many of us need to go to our herp room and rethink why we have herps. Myself included. I definately need to spend more time with my herps. I'll post my list later too.

[telefrag]

I dont know about you guys , but the smell of eggs hatching.... is kinda gross.

But in a GOOD way

well for me my favorite herp things are:

watching a baby snake that hatched out of the egg before my very eyes grow into a robust healthy adult (yes, I keep most of my babies these days)

The smell of wet sphagnum moss

having one of my 6ft + bullsnakes shed in a complete piece and me get to it before they have a chance to crawl all over it and rip it to pieces

peeking into a nest box to see a happy mommy coiled around her eggs

going in the field and flipping a board/rock/tin with the anticipation that there maybe something under it , and who knows what it could be!

running into other herpers in the field without planning too

road crusing and seeing herps, but NOT A SINGLE DOR

road crusing for herps and seeing the car infront of you actually move out of the way for a snake/turtle. (it does happen)

getting a call from a neighbor who wants you to come get a snake out of their garage and knowing you are into snakes, they leave it alone and dont kill it, but wait for help.

there are many more, but its hard to think of them all at one time.

[Ace]

Last night I took my snapping turtle out of his home to take some pictures of him, When I placed him on the floor and kneeled down to get a picture of him he ran straight at me and tried to eat the camera. Then i relized what I like about Herps, that is there ability to survive and the way they rely on their instincts. They have been around for so long and have survived so much. I love my herps!!

[toker]

Sometimes it’s too easy to get sucked in by all the drama that tends to happen on these forums…too easy to get so caught up in lusting after the next animal on your wish list that you forget how cool the animals in your collection already are, no matter what color, what species, how expensive or inexpensive. Go into your herp room RIGHT NOW, and think of just how awesome it is to be a part of something so amazing as herpetoculture

You are so right. I was sitting on the couch last night after setting up Kandy's new cage and just watching her look around. I was so out of it I didnt even hear my wife calling my name.

I wish I could list things, but you know I havent found anything I didnt like.

[NicoleRussell]

I particularly like the rhino eating the watermelon---what a cute picture

[Amiechan]

A few of my favorite things...

The sight of newly hatched baby geckos when i'm just checking on the eggs and not expecting them...

Watching all the geckos/snakes press their little faces up to the side of the sterilite boxes when it's feeding time...

Listening to the thump of my huge blizzard leo pounding his nose on the side of his enclosure when I walk by his cage in the bedroom.. It never fails.. he does it every time..I'm guessing he thinks he's big enough to eat me

Seeing my cat -Pinky- hugged up again the large leo breeding tank asleep.. then seeing Psyche (my largest female gecko) come out of her humidity hide to stare at the cat like she wants to eat her. Eventually Psyche will lie down and doze off.. even though I have seen her standing in the same spot staring for over an hour before.

I could go on and on...

[MythsBishop]

This was an excellent post. I have loved reptiles (especially snakes) my entire life. I have always wanted one. Unfortunately, I live in an area where people normally kill any snake they see in the woods.
I am the exception =)
A few of my favorite things:

When my BCI, Aphrodite, ... does anything actually LOL



I have just recently been able to get a snake, so I am not very experienced. I love Aphrodite and was very lucky to get a snake with such a great temperment. She hasn't even nipped at me once.


But really, it takes a different kind of person to keep and love herps... It is normal for people to love a nice little furry, warm animal that readily shows emotion. With our pets, it is just different. I love my snake like some people love their dogs or cats or whatever. I can understand keeping dogs, we have 2. But most people you encounter think that keeping a snake is outrageous and just insane.

All in all, just remember that when you go back to your herp room, whether it be 1 boa or a room full of hots like in B.W.'s case, that we all go against the norm. That you should treat all of your herps with the love that they truly deserve, because chances are that without us, they would be treated with hatred and fear.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.