Tuesday, 19 August 2008

• Our Unusual Family Pet

  by Mama Fox

  
  Genesis

  Many families, especially those with children, own furry pets. A dog, a cat, and maybe even a rodent or two are common sights. My family, well, we are a bit weird. We do have a dog Stephanie, a hyper black lab/corgi mix and Kat my mean yet lovable tabby. But overall, our pet interest lies far beyond fur. We prefer scales. No, not fish scales. Reptile. We are reptile lovers. We could spend hours at the exotic pet shop admiring and watching the snakes and lizards go about their day under the heat lamps. In fact, one day I aspire to work with reptiles, possibly at a zoo. I love handling and taking care of snakes especially.

  I got my first snake, a Ball Python I named Genesis (after the band, not the Bible), at the age of 7.  He was a sweetheart. He loved to just be held and carried. He often tucked into my shirt and wrapped around my neck or stomach for warmth. Ball pythons are truly gentle snakes. For the 10 years I had him, I was never afraid of being bitten or slightly choked. A little tug was all I needed to do if he was getting a little snug and he would loosen up. I loved him and he loved me. I still miss him so much. I hope one day soon I can get a new ball python. But for now we don't have the money or the space.
  
  We do however have Katana, an albino California Kingsnake. We all love her dearly. The boys love to touch and hold her (supervised at all times of course) and sing "It's lunch time, it's lunch time" when we return home from the pet store with her... lunch. She may be an unusual family pet but she has a place in our hearts and our home. (Old picture. I really need to get more recent pictures of her.)
  
  
  
  Many people have been trained by parents/society/whatever to fear snakes or they just don't like them. Sure a healthy fear of unknown animals, whether it is wild or some strange dog/cat/bird/snake, but saying you hate all snakes is like being judged for the color of your skin. I've known some mean tempered snakes that snap at owners and others, like my Genesis, that were loving and gentle. Every snake has a different personality. You just have to get to know them.
  
  What kind of pets do you have?

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