Hubby is driving me crazy

Well, this is coming from a snake owner - just to try to maybe help you understand what your husband is thinking.

Large constrictors, of course (I mean things like Burms and Retics) should NOT be kept by the average owner. However, i think that with proper licensing and education, you should be able to keep one. After all, it is akin to saying "This dog is people/children/dog aggressive, therefore you cannot own it " - many people on this board would not have the dogs they currently own. RESPONSIBILITY is the key. With proper management under the care of an experienced handler, large constrictors are perfectly good pets.

As for "cuddliness" factor - yes, snakes and other reptiles do not love you as dogs or cats do. What is the draw to them then? I believe it is a mutual respect, combined with curiosity.

My rat snake loves to be taken out and handled. He gets very curious and "tastes" everything around him. He recognizes me and is much shyer around people he does not know - he will not come out of his hidey-hole to "greet" if an unknown person approaches. My hognose snakes will eat out of my hand, very delicately taking the frozen/thawed pinky and never touching my skin. My female hognose actually acts as a "therapy snake" (hey! No laughing! hah) for an educational project in my area dealing with children's phobias. 

Anyway, I know for non-reptile people it is hard to see the appeal of snakes....but we who own them see them as amazing creatures which are a challenge and a pleasure to own, not only for their uniqueness but for the aspect of mutual trust - you essentially have a potentially dangerous - in the case of a large constrictor - animal, but it respects you and "trusts" you.

I hope that helps you understand where he is coming from more. I would be terribly upset if I had to give up my snakes. They all have different personalities, quirks, etc....

Anyway, of course this means I have to post a pic of my babies
The white, blue-eyed rat snake is Silas
The two hognoses are Josey Wales and Laura Lee

By the way, does he breed Burms? Rocks? Retics? Anacondas? Red Tails? Any clutches coming up? Bwahaha....I am always on the lookout for a new addition. Although a full-grown Burm would eventually require a room of its own - literally.

there are lots of people who own snakes and exotic-type of pets.
I can understand him getting all worked up over it because, to me, it's similar to if someone I said I cannot own my pit bull because she's "dangerous". I know she's a dog and not a snake, but STILL.
STUPIDGOVERNMENTOFFICIALSTRYINGTOSAYTHATWEDON'TKNOWWHAT'SGOODFORUS,BUTTHEYDO.

Yeah, I understand him being upset about it.

I have to say that I agree with your husband.

If the tables were turned and it were bullies they were after I am sure you would feel the same way.

We keep reptiles here at my house, and they are a hobby for us, something we enjoy doing. Currently we care for one Veiled Chameleon, 2 African Fat Tailed Geckos, 5 Leopard Geckos, 1 Argentine Boa, and a Green Iguana. If someone tried to take these animals away from us, we would be upset.

Its like telling someone they can't garden/knit/read books (or insert any pastime) only there are lives involved.

Let me add that I understand the large mammal rescriction as these animals cannot be properly cared for under most captive living situations.

ORIGINAL: alieliza

I have to say that I agree with your husband.

If the tables were turned and it were bullies they were after I am sure you would feel the same way.

We keep reptiles here at my house, and they are a hobby for us, something we enjoy doing. Currently we care for one Veiled Chameleon, 2 African Fat Tailed Geckos, 5 Leopard Geckos, 1 Argentine Boa, and a Green Iguana. If someone tried to take these animals away from us, we would be upset.

Its like telling someone they can't garden/knit/read books (or insert any pastime) only there are lives involved.

Let me add that I understand the large mammal rescriction as these animals cannot be properly cared for under most captive living situations.

ah! Speaking of reptiles, we're going to be getting some Hermann Tortoises! Guess what I'm going to name two of them! GUESS!!

OK:
Hesse and Munster.

DAHV!

Oh Rebecca,
I've always wanted a Hermann Tortoise! Now you've got me thinking again!

I can't though. We don't need any more reptiles in our house! We already have enough.... though... it would be quite fun!

ORIGINAL: whtsthfrequency

By the way, does he breed Burms? Rocks? Retics? Anacondas? Red Tails? Any clutches coming up? Bwahaha....I am always on the lookout for a new addition. Although a full-grown Burm would eventually require a room of its own - literally.

Glad you mentioned it.  He actually has a Albino Burm that is gravid.  She is due to lay her clutch in about 2 weeks. Her last clutch contained 43 eggs and like 23 of those babies were albino.  She is 14-15 ft. long and weighs well over 100lbs.  He also has a breeding pair of Tiger Retics.  They should be big enough to breed by next year.  As for being resonsible, the snakes have their own room in the house.  Each snake has it's own tank that STAYS locked.  Justin actually built the tanks himself.  The room stays locked also.  I understand to an extent of him being upset but, they have already tried to pass this law a year ago and soooo many people were against it so the law never passed.  He has been keeping snakes for about 11 years now and he knows what he is doing with them.  Me, I stay away from them!  Here is a pic of Vanilla(albino burm)  The other is one of the Tiger Retics

It sounds like he's doing things right and he knows how to keep them.  I would hope that if such a law did pass, he could get a license to keep his snakes.  Or, maybe they'll have some grandfather clause where if you have a snake, you don't have to kill it, but you can't buy certain snakes in the future.  Even that would be better than a blanket ban leaving responsible snake owners with no choices but to kill their snakes or keep them illegally.  That would not be fair.

They do have a grandfather clause.  The only problem with it is that the law will require you to keep one million dollars of insurance on EACH animal.  We have 5 snakes.  Who can afford that?  If they "suspect" that you are keeping these animals illegally, they have the right to check your home and remove the animals.  After they remove them, the will kill them.   This law seems soooo stupid.  It's just like the deal with pitties.  The people that are afraid of them are the ones that have never owned one.  They don't know anything about them.  The bill said that it is intended to protect the general population and that it's also to protect the welfare of these animals.  How is killing them protecting them?!

I just have to say that you are a better woman then I.  If there was *one* snake of that size (who am I kidding--a snake of any size) living in my house...well, a snake and I wouldn't be living in the same house, period.

I do understand that snakes are an important part of our enviroment and facinating creatures--however I prefer that they be important and facinating somewhere that is not near me.

However, I do agree with your husband--I don't see the harm in keeping them as long as he is keeping them properly cared for and enclosed.

A million dollars insurance on a SNAKE??  I don't know anyone that has a million dollars insurance on themselves, a HUMAN, let alone a snake.  That's pretty ridiculous.

I wish I knew someone with a million dollars.  I'd have to ask them to pay my house off for me!