How can I convince my mum to let me have a snake?

[LizardLover820]

None of this will work :\
btw i didn't mean 'force' my mum to get me a snake, i just don't know how to explain it. anyway she knows snakes arent dangerous and everything, ive been giving her so much facts, she just cnat look at them, same with anything that looks like snakes (worms and all that EVEN BLUE TONGUES!) but it doesnt matter ill just wait and hopefully ill get one, im getting a bearded dragon tomorrow anyway
thx everyone for ur help

[Becceles]

It sounds like she has a very real fear of snakes. If you hassle her about it you can make it worse. Phobias are very real and often debilitating, and one in eight (from memory) people have a phobia about snakes.

How about looking into other non-snake-like reptiles? How about geckos? I am currently setting up for a N.Amyae because they require little space and are just adorable. I think you should research some other options and you might find something else you like just as much.

[Nighthawk]

None of this will work :\
btw i didn't mean 'force' my mum to get me a snake, i just don't know how to explain it. anyway she knows snakes arent dangerous and everything, ive been giving her so much facts, she just cnat look at them, same with anything that looks like snakes (worms and all that EVEN BLUE TONGUES!) but it doesnt matter ill just wait and hopefully ill get one, im getting a bearded dragon tomorrow anyway
thx everyone for ur help

Beardies are pretty damn awesome; as far as a consolation prize goes you're getting a good one We love ours!

[akarsha]

This thread made me lol. I agree with what Sax said and would like to tell the OP he isn't being disrespectful at all. Most of the posters in here need to take a chill pill. STAT!

[akarsha]

He has not been disrespectful! He was asking how he can get his mum to allow him to have a pet which he and his family want. It would be disrespectful for him to go out and just get a snake but it is absolutely not disrespectful of him to try to talk to his mum about the animal in order to educate her and hopefully make her realise that the snake won't be of any danger to her. I really fail to see any disrespect on this young persons part other than him having a poor choice of words in the thread title.

God forbid this young person try to talk to his mum about something! Or even try to get her on his side. Debate is not an unhealthy thing and unless he's being a complete little ********s about the situation, which I don't believe he is, then there is nothing wrong with him trying to change her mind. In fact I believe she is being unreasonable by not even looking at a picture if a snake.

Good luck in getting your snake mate.

[Colin]

Wow some of you need to relax. It was obviously a poor choice of words in the thread title but to me he/she just wants to know how to help change her mind. I see nothing wrong with that. I've been in a thread almost identical to this where people get their backs up saying "her house, her rules. Stop being immature blah blah blah". To me that attitude is ridiculous. Being a parent doesn't make someone an all powerful dictator. I think if a few parents acknowledged this the world would actually be a better place.
Irrational fears are called irrational for a reason. Maybe education is all that is needed and she would come to tolerate or even enjoy them as well. I have friends who were scared of them and thought all snakes were all out to get them until they came over and played with a couple of mine.
So instead of having a go at the OP for bad word choice maybe try to help out. Who says helping the mother overcome an irrational fear is a bad thing?

I agree with saximus.. so many ridiculous posts in this thread and 99% offer no help whatsoever only critisim of the OP and other posters.

firstly Id suggest joining a herp society if your not already a member, maybe even encouraging you mum to take you or come along to hear from people experienced with reptiles. some education can change peoples minds and cure phobias, some times not. Your getting a beardie I saw in a post so thats a good start. show your mum you have the knowledge and responsibility to care for reptiles and also that you respect her views and fears. slowly she may come around and once you have the beardie tell her about them and get her interested in them. It surprising that once an interest forms and if she starts to learn more it may change her mind and attitude. explain that when kept responsibly in escape proof enclosures snakes or any reptiles wont escape and wont pose any danger being non venomous to her or your family. and maybe take her to see some breeders or an expo and get some first hand experience seeing that many snakes are quite docile, handle well and are not as scary as she may imagine. all of the above may not work but at least she may have a new respect for snakes and it may reduce her fears a little. thats a good thing in itself. best of luck.

Im changing the thread title from How do I force my mum to get me a snake??
to How can I convince my mum to let me have a snake?

as the title has obviously started WW3 in an innocent (but badly titled) thread

[J-A-X]

Now you have your beardie it's the perfect time to ease mum into seeing that scaley pets aren't all bad
Don't expect to win her over in a month, it could take her a year or more, but any progress is a step in the right direction. A woman I work with had the same view as your mum, and her son was like you, he was desperate for a snake, already had a beardie and green tree frogs which he alone cared for, for 6 months, never asked mum to help so he proved he was responsible, I met up with him one weekend and asked a few questions about why he wanted one and what sort and he came back with very knowledgeable answers, he wanted something small because he didn't think he could physically handle an 8ft adult (he figured he'd be doing it on his own) he knew all the husbandry and knew he couldn't push mum into it.
Long story short, I chatted to mum off and on over the the next six months about how much I enjoyed my snakes, squashed a few myths for her. her son now has a stimmie that his mum will now hold.
You need to find someone with snakes that can do the same for your mum, not sit and lecture her as to why you should have one, but just casual occassionan conversations that will help ease her resistance.
Good luck and be patient, it may pay off

[Grogshla]

Take her to a reptile expo. Once she sees how cool they are she will let you for sure

[J-A-X]

Take her to a reptile expo. Once she sees how cool they are she will let you for sure

LOL if she won't even look at a picture of a snake how is he going to get mum to an expo

[Rocky]

How is the beardie going mate? Got her yet? Love to see some photos

[reptalica]

Has the title of this thread been edited for accuracy???

[LizardLover820]

I dont think this post will be much use now ._.
i just made a war lol, anyway i'll post some pictures of my beardies soon im getting them in afew hours cant wait!

[Colin]

Has the title of this thread been edited for accuracy???

I edited a badly titled thread to something more appropriate to stop the whinging in the hope members will HELP a fellow member instead of criticising them and fighting with one another in this thread.

[sherlock]

I’ve been thinking about your problem and I thought up a few tactics:
1 - promise her a BIG present at Christmas/mothers day/birthday - or better yet really buy her a big present.
2 - Clean your room and keep it clean until she says ‘yes’ to having a snake.
3 - Do extra housework.
4 - Make her breakfast very morning.
5 - Cook special dinners for her.
6 - Hold your breath until you turn blue.
7 - Get a sympathetic teacher to write (or forge yourself) a recommendation that your school work would improve if you had a pet snake.
8 - Find some blackmail on her. Be careful here she is sure to have some very very embarrassing photo’s of you as a child (every parent has these), that she can show to your friends that I doubt you ever be able to live down.
9 - Throw a tantrum in the kitchen/supermarket etc. It might help to chew some soap to get some foam in your mouth. She will at least develop some respect for your determination and acting ability. The problem with this tactic is she just might die laughing.
But joking aside there are some people who do have a mortal fear of snakes and spiders, could even cause a heart attack in some people. So make sure she’s not one of those and besides the first few of my suggestions won’t do anything to hurt your relationship with her. Might even work to change her mind. Good luck.

[CaptainRatbag]

start small. Get a lizard or a frog then after a year show her how their still alive then ask for a snake. thats what i did and now i have 2.
good luck

No way

My housemate threatened to move out if I ever bought a snake into the house.... my mother (85) said she would never visit if I got a snake.......

So I got my licence and my coastal...... and pretended I found the coastal in my shed After he stayed in the shed a week, I snuck him into an enclosure in my room..... a week after that, she found out it was in my room.... "I dont want to live in a ZOO!" she said

Anyway, a few weeks later, I bought my spotteds..... the day I was picking them up, I said "I think there is another snake in the rat shed!" I think it is a BIG one! I can see it but cant get to it at the moment" then I went and got them and bought them home. That night, I told her I was going to try to 'catch' it...... then bought them inside in a tub and said "look, its not a big one..... its two snakes!!!" hehehehehe

After that, I didnt bother BSing.... I just said someone gave them to me for free

Now I have 5 and a jungle on the way..... my mum has touched a couple of them, but wont hold them.... but she calls them her grand snakes.... to go along with the grand cat...... grand rats....... grand mice...... My brother and his kids walk around in the house with them around thier necks


Anyhoo..... you will just have to have the 2 for now... til she is used to them..... then sneak more in and say one must have had a baby

Oh, and since my BSing about snakes in the shed.... I have had 3 real visitors ..... each time i said "see.... I really did find the first 3 in the shed" hehehehe