How i started with reptiles?

[Morelia_Hunter]

Just thought it might be interesting to hear how every body started with reptiles. I have always been an animal lover. Since my grand parents caught me kissing a big old locust at the dinner table. Had it in my pocket and I guess you could classify it as my first kiss. But back to rpetiles. As you all know I am a South African and the reptile life where I grew up is a lot different as to you Aussies reptile life. I was in grade 5 and i can still remember the class i was in as if it was yeasterday. It was maths. Hated maths of course. There was this girl who I had always had a crush on and she had brought a special visitor to the class. Her grandparents had a farm about 2 hours drive out of Johannesburg and it was reptile heaven. This was when the reptile bug hit me big time. She had a young Common Chameleon that she had picked up of her fence on her farm. I was in love. Love at first sight as you might say. It was about 10cm long and the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Lime green as they are when relaxed and just plain gorgeous. Then she dropped it on the floor and something in me said just svae it!!! No matter what the cost. At that stage there was a big craze for the thundercats sticker collection. Im not sure if you Aussies had that animated series over here in the late 80s? I had a deck of trading cards of about 200. They were all stickers I already had and I decided to offer her that in exchange for the lizard? She reluctantly said yes and thats when my life long obsession started. Thse lizards are feared throughout africa as the natives believe that chameleons are the reason for their dark skins. Apparantly they stole their light skins because they were greedy when it came to handing out colouras in the animal kingdom. Very interesting story of course. My Mom was horrified about the prospect of having a lizard in the house, but she got over it!!! Thank goodness for that. I hope you guys can share how you got involved in the hobby too!!!

 

[AGAMIDAE]

When I was 6 I seen a guy called Fritz Marten (does any one else now him?) her owned The Monbulk Animal kingdom in the early 80's. He was doing a show at the local shopping centre and I feel in love with reptiles when he got me on stage to hold this huge olive...he invited me to his park and gave me my first reptile a blotched blue tongue......I dont know what happened to him...somebody told me a few years ago he got done messing with kids...but I dont know if that is true....

 

[Morelia_Hunter]

Come on people lets share now!!!!

 

[MrSpike]

Since i was able to walk ive been catching bugs and garden skinks. Then when i was about 7 i brought home 5 redbacks, and a baby brown snake. When i was 8 I was watching a baseball game in ryde with my dad, but i got bored and went for a walk and found a creek. Turned out there were like several dozen breeding colonys alon this creek, i thought they were over grown garden skinks. Then i discoverd the jacky dragons and bluies and started to catch those. Then i found out you needed a license so i let them go where i found them and got my license and my first snake, a childrens python for my 10th birthday. Now ive got to many snake to keep track of (bad memory) and the same with lizards. And thats only 4 years!

 

[Retic]

Well it all started at the tender age of 7 or 8 I guess back in Geelong where I grew up, my oldest brother was into reptiles and he was always bringing things home and of all of us I was the only one to follow in his footsteps.
He actually grew out of keeping them as pets but still likes them to this day. There was a period when I pretty much had no animals at all but there was usually something.
When I was 18 or it could have been 17 my parents bought me a hatchling Reticulated Python, bear in mind that a hatchling is around a metre long with lots of teeth they aren't afraid to use :lol: They are still probably my favourite python species to this day.
That snake led to me having a largish and extremely varied collection in the UK and then a smaller collection back in Geelong in the 80's when I got married and returned to Geelong.
We have only been back into it for around 2 years now up here. So I have been into reptiles for close to 40 years but seriously around 30.

 

[Retic]

Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

Marc, I remember Fritz Martten very well, we went to his park once and once was enough. He had lions in tiny little cages and his reptile house was a small shed. He had what was very obviously a wild caught BHP in a shocking state stuck in a small cage with no lock on the door and that was the closest I have ever been to stealing a snake for it's own good.
He was closed down years ago and seemed to disappear.

When I was 6 I seen a guy called Fritz Marten (does any one else now him?) her owned The Monbulk Animal kingdom in the early 80's. ...

 

[yvettenjosh]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

my love for reptiles started when i came to queensland to visit my aunty she had a 7 foot coastal my love for snakes started that very day but it wasn't till i found my boyfriend that i actually got a snake. the first snake i ever got was a valentines gift and i wouldn't have asked for anything else

 

[AGAMIDAE]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

yeah all I can remember that was the first zoo/ park I had been too...and too me everything was huge...lol the big cat enclosure were only being built then...

 

[AntaresiaLady]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

Since I was little I loved all animals, but my love for reptiles came about when my cousins and I used to catch big skinks and have competitions with them (who could let one bite them for the longest time) I was UNDEFEATED champion!

From then on, I just lllooovvveeeddd reptiles. I have tattoo reptiles as well

 

[Lucas]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

Always been an animal lover but snakes filled me with wonder. Following one in the house paddock when I was 4 or5 set me off. An understanding mother who took me to herp meetings and to meet other herpers when I was 10. Now a patient girlfriend who lets me keep animals in the house and puts up with me talking about herps constantly and a good group on mates with enough knowledge to fill Taronga Zoo.

 

[bredli84]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

I'd always been interested in reptiles and at about 10 started bugging the folks for a snake, cos mum was/is scared of the she bought me off with an eastern blue tongue and a stumpy tail. sadly we had to sell them when moving house. well 11 years later ive finaly returned to herps about time!

 

[Simple]

It started with one. It was only ever going to be one. Five years later its 30 and growing.

 

[Lucas]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

it took me 15 years to actually get up and get a snake from when I first decided I wanted 1

 

[cris]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

I have always liked animals for alsong as i can remember, started catching little skinks and stuff when i was 4 or 5 that went onto snakes, larger skinks, dragons and turtles. Before i could read i knew the differance between a tuatara(spelling?) and a lizard 8)
I went through a time when i wasnt as interested when i was 15-18(had other things on my mind) but now ive been back 'into it' for 3 years or so.
I dont just like reptiles i also keep some aussie fish and would like to keep some mamals but they are illegal in Qld :evil:
I also established a frog colony in my yard when i was a little kid and they are now thriving

 

[Stevo]

Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

Marc, I remember Fritz Martten very well, we went to his park once and once was enough. He had lions in tiny little cages and his reptile house was a small shed. He had what was very obviously a wild caught BHP in a shocking state stuck in a small cage with no lock on the door and that was the closest I have ever been to stealing a snake for it's own good.
He was closed down years ago and seemed to disappear.

When I was 6 I seen a guy called Fritz Marten (does any one else now him?) her owned The Monbulk Animal kingdom in the early 80's. ...

Back then boa , fritz's setup was better than melbourne zoo to an extent. Fritz got me into reptiles, have known him all my life he went to school with my dad. When I was about 9 he used to send me down the back of his park to catch frogs to feed the elapids(this was in the 80's). He had a passion for all animals mainly reptiles. Back then no-one hardly kept reptiles and he was at the forefront. I would agree with the cats enclosures but absolutely not with the reptiles. Marc when he left the park he bought a vietnemese restaurant in richmond, bit of a career change i suppose. I have him to blame to my compulsive behavior disorder with herps.
Cheers Stevo

 

[AGAMIDAE]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

cool thanks for that

 

[snakegal]

I've always loved all animals -from a wee lassy, but it wasn't until I was working at the Home Show in Jeffs shed that I really fell in love with and decided I wanted a snake/s. There was someone promoting their pet shop there - a petshop in Springvale area I think and they had this massive python there. It was just wrapped around the guys neck, and I loved the way it felt and looked (not to mention that it freaked another lady I was working with out bad). From then on I was like yep, I want a snake.

But I had been introduced to snakes and reptiles before that on school visits to zoos and sanctuaries, but I can't remember specifically a time that I clicked about wanting one. I just loved them.

 

[Ricko]

I also grew up at fritz's park every school holidays as we lived on the same road as the park and holding one of his exotics was one of the last memories i had from there. i still remember going in his house and him having a mountain lion on the couch. but after having bluies for years and years i finally bought my first herp which was a bhp and havent looked back.

 

[Retic]

Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

Steve, I'm not sure what you mean you can't agree about the reptiles, my only actual reference to them was that he had a BHP in a very bad state which he honestly did. I wont comment on Fritz as a person as I never met him and I don't doubt his passion and enthusiam.

I would agree with the cats enclosures but absolutely not with the reptiles.

 

[GreenWillow]

RE: Re: RE: How i started with reptiles?

I have always been into animals too, but those with fur or feathers. I'd thought keeping reptiles-as-pets was a bit strange. How much love and affection can you get from a snake :? ?

The Dad went into them as a semi-retirement hobby instead of renovating an old boat or taking up golf. When I met the snakes I fell in love so fast it left my head spinning. The Dad never does things by halves, or in a small way. By the end of his first month of python-owning he had about 20. I suppose it helps that I volunteered to look after them! I'm not sure he realises yet that they actually eat and poo as I take care of all that! And wouldn't have it any other way.

How much love and affection can you get from a snake? PLENTY!