What got you into reptiles?

[caliherp]

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by life in general. I have always been into dinosaurs. The first book I ever read was called Patricks Dinosaurs. Sense then I wanted to keep my own dinosaurs. When I was 4 I saw my first green tree python. It was love at first sight. When I was 5 I got my first red tail boa. 17 years later hear I am today with no sign of slowing down.

Regards, Patrick

 

[Pizzalover]

I grew up in the NT catching lizards for a bit of fun, beardies and netted, the beardies if they were adults we left alone, they got a bit angry
Several times we were able to come across Thorny Devils ( my fav ) we released them knowing they loved ants. As kids we used to admire them then release.
Now I have a Juvie Woma and a few young beardies, my son has it in his blood and is i love with his Beardie Milo

 

[SteveNT]

I found the creek when I was 4 and I never really stopped exploring since. My parents were very pet friendly (except for the redbacks and a juvie eastern brown) and cultivated my interest by buying me lots of books.

My first was the How and Why Wonder Book of Reptiles and Amphibians circa 1960. My original was worn out in no time but I picked up this first edition in reasonable nick on Ebay recently for $2.

 

[Tinky]

It's Zac's Fault

My youngest son caught a delicate skink and wanted to keep him. We set up an enclosure and had him for about six months before releasing him back into the yard. We then went to the Newcastle SOFAR Expo and came home with a couple of bearded Dragons. Was never really interested in snakes. Then one night at a SOFAR meeting I handled a little coastal python, which wrapped himself around my fingers and around my heart. Bought the little guy and have not looked back. My son named him Tails and he is now a sweet 2.5m.

 

[happynagini]

Finally found an animal im not allergic too! That and they are low maintenance, was appealing to me because i can hardly take care of myself haha

 

[Becca-Marie]

I grew up in the country with the mindset “kill it, kill it before it kills you“ i remember bringing all the dogs inside and crying as a baby carpet climbed the brickwork outside until a neighbour removed it and even brought my show filly onside our garage as a bigger carpet took residence in the stable lol it wasnt until my uncle got a spotted (a snappy one at that) and educated me a little. From there i convinced my mum to let me have my first snake. Once i understood them a little better my fear subsided. Plus its nice to have pets im not allergic too.

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[A1SNAKETRADER]

I only got into snakes 2 1/2 years ago after a lifelong fascination with them. When I advised my wife that I was getting 2 pair of Windorah Stimsons there was a pretty fair meltdown. Her comments were "if you get snakes I'm leaving" to which my reply was"is that all I have to do". However on a more serious note she now has really fallen for one of the stimson males,her favourite water python. Uluru woma and a few other specials.We now have over 90 snakes and soon to relocate to Toowoomba from Mackay and hopefully expand that even more. Of course we breed and feed a huge number of rodents for ourselves and other keepers in Mackay. When handling anything for the first time she always asks"does it bite?' to which my reply is "Tell you shortly". This probably isnt the answer she wants as she is yet ti recieve her first bite. Waiting with bated breath for that one.

 

[Leasdraco]

I always had an interest in reptiles, as well as other animals.i don't know where I got my love of snakes from as my parents both loathe them. My fascination only grew as I got older, moved out and got my Beardie and my MD carpet python. I'm sure there will be more in future...

 

[Jacknife]

Was watching the footy and thought, "there's gotta be a better way to waste my time and money..."

 

[Stickman]

I was 5 when I started to keep and breed the little skinks in my backyard. I got my legal reptile 1 year later and I got 2 blue tongues. I guess it was by accident ,but I have always had a thing for reptiles.

 

[saintanger]

i was 4 wen i was given 3 blue tongues that were rescued from the back yard of a house that was being knocked down, dad was working at the site and was worried they would be crushed. i loved them and became more obsessed with reptiles. before that i use to collect bugs and keep them as pets.

as i got older i bought many more reptiles and am still buying more now.

 

[Zipidee]

For me it was watching Harry Butler in the Wild. I always kept critters of some kind; lizards and birds mainly. I wanted to keep a python for years, but the NSW laws used to be really prohibitive and then I had other things to do - like pay a mortgage. Now, well, now I can!!!

 

[Rowie]

Always loved and respected reptiles. I grew up on acreage near Darwin and before the cane toad invasion we used to have all sorts of herps through our yard, from frillys, blueys and bearded dragons to western browns, tree snakes, mulgas, pythons and much more.
I also grew up with a friend whose dad had heaps of blueys, several snakes and at one point a crocodile as pets and I loved them all. It wasn't until I was 21 though that I got my first reptile, my turtle. Last year I got my first 2 snakes and now I have 2 more! My partner doesn't want me to get anymore herps for at least a year, though I really want to get either a frilly or a boyds.

 

[MethViper]

I have always had a fascination for all living things, I would go to the back of my property and be gone for hours, searching for critters and things of wonder. I also used to love creepy crawlie insects, When I thought I was going to get some pet scorps at the pet store,I saw this beautiful little spottie and asked to have a look. From then own I own one snake and three lizards with many more to come!

 

[princessparrot]

I got no idea

 

[dragondragon]

I have always loved animals since i can remember. My first pet was a goldfish i was around 5 or 6 i got a 2 foot tank and had a couple goldfish and some axolotles. Ive been keeping fish for almost 20 years now ive kept many diffrent species of fish from fresh water to marine. I started to breed cichlids when i was 14 and for about three years i had 2 4ft tanks and 1 3ft and a coulple small ones for raising fry around the same time i was breeding budgies and cockatails then when i was 17 i got my first scorpion it died within two weeks of me getting it so i had a spare tank so i decided ill get some turtles. That's when i got hooked with in a few months i had 2 bluetounges a shingle back and two leaf-tailed geckos i kept those for a while and didnt get anything else for a few years as i was working two jobs and was finding it hard to care for all the fish tanks plus the herps. I eventually gave my friend the two blue tounges and the shingle back and sold my geckos the turtles died after two years in their first winter i didnt keep any herps for about 2 years. then i went to the zoo and went into the reptile section and ive been hooked since then i got 4 ewd a few months later and kept them for a couple years in the last two years i have grown my collection to over 15 animals and 7 different species im now addicted to reptiles and i dont know if I'm gonna be the same again. I've kept many different animals over the last 20 years and nothing compares to reptiles. Oh i also collected bugs and lizards from my garden and watched documentaries since i can remember.

 

[dragondragon]

My mums friend calls me harry butler till this day lol

 

[Misnomer]

Guess it was a progression from a very early fascination with dinosaurs.

 

[DaReptileBoy]

I was asking for a snake from the age of 4 since I always loved all the scaly stuff mum said no and I kept asking till the age of 8 then I finally compromised on a bearded dragon, im now 14 and I keep over 5 reptiles (still no snakes ) and 9 inverts

 

[DaReptileBoy]

Dinosaurs! obsession with Dino's as a kid developed into a love for reptiles (and all animals) and got my first beardy at 10 years old..

Oh and I was just like a lot of people above who caught anything that moved, I lived on the garden.... Found out I was allergic to caterpillar..

same with the dinosaur part I got my beardie at 8 years old