A Toast!!!

[nicman72]

To all the partners, husbands, wives, and parents out there who continually put up with our common addiction of reptiles!

I particularly devote this thread to those who have even joined us in our incessant obsession.

If you have a story or want to publicly thank someone for letting you love and keep herps, here's the thread to do it.

Maybe you and your partner came together because of reptiles, or became stronger because of them. I know of someone on this site who's partner is caring for their reps for months on end, while they're in a different country. Certain parents often end up shelling out for vet bills, but do it anyway. Personally, I think anyone who gets to actually 'know' a reptile can't help but fall in love.

Personally, my partner had kept all the furries and feathereds (including caring for joeys, possums, etc - country girl), but had never kept reptiles. We started with a single beardie a couple years back, and now her love of all reptiles is burning bright. Now she utterly adores them - the addiction spreads, and I feel like a pusher! LOL

So go on, praise your partner or parent! Whether they roll their eyes at you, put up a show and then love the critter anyway, or share your passion, share your story.

Here's to them!
Nic

 

[shellfisch]

When my son asked for the first snake at age 11, I thought 'what the?' :shock:
Can you actually keep them as a pet? It must be hard to keep them, what if it dies... :?
Anyway, 4 years later, I am as passionate about it as he is
He now has 8 pythons, and 2 Knobbies. He has impressed me with his care and dedication to them, how he has researched their individual needs and has never had a health or husbandry problem, or lost an animal.
After reading some of threads on here, I am doubly proud of him

I have also been fortunate to meet some terrific and knowledgeable people through him...you know who you are :lol:

 

[Kristy_07]

Most of you know my story, but I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to sing my partner's praises, again

My boyfriend, who likes animals but isn't passionate about them, fully supported me in my decision to further my career by coming and working in Vietnam for a year. He was probably more enthusiastic about the opportunity than I was, at times! In the meantime, he has stayed at home - he has a good job there, and a 13-yo son that was in the process of settling into a new high school. And, he also has the important job of critter-sitting for me!

This awesome guy, who likes animals, but isn't really into them, now looks after our two dogs, including Lexy the wolfhound horse-puppy, who was only 7mths-old when I left, by doing the feeding, grooming, walking, playing, and cuddling, everyday.

He heats up the wheatbag for Cranky the beardie in the morning and puts her in front of her window, and then hunts around for whatever corner she's curled up in after work, everyday (when it was warmer, any way). She's brumating now, but he still checks her everyday and tells me that she's fine, because he knows I would be looking in on her if I were there, and I want to know what she's doing (sleeping).

He checks the snakes temps, and looks in on them everyday, too, including the pair of gorgeous MDs that I, selfishly, couldn't (or just didn't) resist buying 3 weeks before I left! When the MDs were reluctant to take their first rat, he ran around catching geckos to scent them with. He does all the feeding, all the cleaning, and puts up with all the baby-snake tantrums, including a tag to the face by the bredli last week

All these things sound like normal, run-of-the-mill, daily tasks if you have animals. But... they aren't his animals. They're mine

So, all in all, I reckon he's pretty wonderful. My animals do, too.

 

[shellfisch]

So, all in all, I reckon he's pretty wonderful. My animals do, too.

Your man deserves an award I mean, he has you, but still :lol:

 

[bfg23]

My girlfriend likes the ones we already have, but hates the ones I continually tell her I want to get.

...until today, when she sends me an SMS asking when we get 'our' lace monitor because she cant wait to see how 'cute' it is....

 

[Kristy_07]

Your man deserves an award I mean, he has you, but still :lol:

He does My mum is buying and delivering a basket of relishes to him tomorrow for our anniversary - that's like an award! Mmmmm relish.

He asked me if we could get some GTFs when I get back. I said, "Of course!". It's a bit like when I ask him if "we" can start building our own racks and tubs for breeding and feeders when I get home - I say "we", when, really, he will be doing all the work, and I will be googling what animals I want and getting him drinks We he says can "we" get some GTFs, he knows that he will enjoy watching them and playing with them occasionally, but, really, I will be doing all the cleaning and feeding :lol: We're very balanced like that

 

[miley_take]

My mum finally allowed me to get reptiles 2 years back, and that's how I got my two bredli, with dad not really liking the idea, but he was ok with it.

Well, she moved out in January, and I've been searching for a job. I finally got one, and had worked enough hours in my first two weeks to afford another snake... I stumbled across Lewy's scrubbies, and managed to convince dad to let me get one of his last hatchies.

Dad loves watching my bredli and beardies. He's even admitted he thinks they're awesome "pets" :lol: , seeing as they don't have to be fed every day, taken for walks, registered... He listens to me talk aout reptiles to him, and to others and starts to repeat what I say to others - it's kinda cute! He gets almost as excited as me at the prospect of my new baby coming next week, and is fully prepared to help me with a 5m snake in the future. He sees getting into snakes with me like bonding, and I really appreciate him getting into it and allowing me to keep these unusual pets instead of just flat out saying no... He's even talking about "when you get ven's... " :lol: I have him well trained

 

[python78]

I have always wanted a python...ever since I was little and my dad kept
various pythons including a anaconda and a burmese ( in europe so all legal)
my facination grew from there.
for various reasons I never got one until about a month and a half ago when
I showed my husband a pic of a little sw carpet hatchie that was for sale on
a forum. That same day a couple of hours later he called me from work to ask
if I wanted one of these hatchies....YES!YES!YES! I was so thrilled
Then a week later he and his brother got up at 4am to drive me on a 8 hour
round trip to collect my new baby. Now we have our python and he is just as
interested in her as me which is awesome because we do plan on getting more
down the track . He`s awesome and I love him heaps!!

p,s I love you Baby!

 

[sarah_m]

My husband is not really an animal person, but realised that marrying me would mean having pets.
A couple of years ago a new girl at work told me her husband had an olive python and that started me wanting to get one.
So Paul got me a beautiful BHP for our 3rd anniversary, thinking that this would be the only one. HAHAHA!
For our 4th anniversary he got me a little diamond python.

This might not sound like much but I know he only has them because I want them and even helps out with their care from time to time.
And this year he took me to Sydney for the day just to go to the expo because I wanted to go.

So even though I sometimes get frustrated with him for not letting me get any more, what he has let me get is pretty special because he would rather not have any. But he wants to make me happy, and for that I am very grateful!

 

[nicman72]

Awesome responses guys! I neglected to mention that this is also a toast to all the KIDS who got their parents hooked! (@ miley_take and shellfisch )

My job takes me away for 2 weeks every month, which leaves the missus with a heap of cleaning/feeding when the lizards are awake. She never moans, and is always finding extra time to spend with them all. She's no good with woodies, but she's fine with crickets; wonder how she's going to go with defrosted mice!
So here's another 'cheers' to her (and a drink for me )
Nic