A Cornsnake Compromise

I'm making a "peace treaty" with my mom on getting a cornsnake since telling her doesn't help (Mention snake and she doesn't want to listen). Below are some excerpts and I'd like some feed back. Any better suggestions? Something I missed? My future as a cornsnake owner depends on the sucess of this treaty!! Opps... I was getting a little dramatic.

"Don’t like to look at snakes?
· I will not try you make you touch it or try to scare you with it.
· I will keep the snake and the tank in my room at all times, unless it needs to go to the vet. I will close the door if I take it out when you are home.
· Cornsnakes like to remain in their hides in the tank so you won’t really see it when it is in its tank.
· If you really want it, I can cover the tank if you need to be in my room.
Afraid of escape?
· Though all snakes are notorious for being escape artists, escape can easily be prevented by taking precautions like placing lid clips on the tank and checking the lid for weak spots.
· I will always check to see if the lid is secure.
Don’t like the fact snakes eat mice?
· Mice don’t have to be alive. Many people by frozen then thaw them for feeding.
· Frozen mice will be kept in the garage freezer.
· Still no to mice. Snake sausages are easy substitutes for mice.
The presence of snakes send you chills?
· You shouldn’t have a problem when knowing that the cornsnake is in my room, in a glass tank, with a secure lid, and lid clips. It has no way of escaping.
Think Salmonella is a problem?
· Many precautions can be taken to prevent contraction if the snake happens to be infected. Many snakes, however, do not have salmonella.
· Washing hands before and after handling and after cleaning will prevent spreading of disease
· The snake shouldn’t be kissed or licked."

So what do guys think? Did I cover everything? Is my information right?

Sounds good to me!!!!!

Maybe add this to the salmonella:
You are much more likely to get it from chicken than from a snake

Anyway, Good Luck!

good luck, Kilo... you've done a great job compiling the list and to me it shows you are being responsible about this. Hopefully your mom will be reasonable, given time. Think there's anything we can do to help?

^Curtis

Good luck!

I wish you best of luck kilo! That list sounds good to me! It worked on my dad hehe! Now i have snakes as pets too! good thing my mum loves snakes too! But i am still cornless my baby pasted away...Oh well my sand boa is keeping me company. Well best of luck kilo! once again!

Sounds great to me! But then ofcourse I love all animals! You just need to make sure you follow through. I have wittness my mom chopping a lil gardensnake in the kitchen with a shuvle.

"The snake shouldn’t be kissed or licked."

Click to expand...

That's right! you should not lick your snake! it is verry adictive! I cant stop likking my corns! My brother told me to seek help! I just loughed at him, and went on licking and licking and licking.....licking.......licking..........licking..... [SIZE=0.5]licking.........licking......[/Size]

lol j/k

Kilo,
I can appreciate how badly you want a cornsnake. You have definetly gone about it the right way. Just remember to stick to the rules--I remember my first "pet" snake, a Ball python I bought from Bob Roth when I was 13 years old. Mom would not go into my bedroom. I would find my laundry in a basket outside my closed bedroom door. My mom now operates a very large child care facility, and she begs me to come and do demonstrations for the children. I believe in time fascination will overcome fear,and she will adjust. She may never actually hold a snake, but admire it from behind glass.

Best of Luck!
Matt L.

Kilo,
Best of luck to you, it sounds good to me. My mom has never liked snakes and never will. But they can progress, my mom came over every day while we were in Florida in March and looked in on my snakes (and other pets). I don't really know what she would have done if they needed something, she won't put her hand in the cage, LOL. She called me every day we were gone and gave me updates on everybody. I have been bringing home various herps since I was about 8/9 (I'm 41 now) so don't give up and make sure you live up to your agreement. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for ya. Good luck.

Alicia

I say you ask her for a pet alligator and then bargin down for a cornsnake. Good Luck!

Kilo, sounds like you have it all under control. I wish you the best of luck. if you can get one you know what morph your going to get yet??

Kilo, just a few more suggestions: When you put the mice in the freezer, put them first into a zip lock baggie. Then buy an opaque freezer type container (think rubbermade or tupperware) that you REALLY can't see through. Make sure to label it frozen mice or snake food or some other thing on masking tape in BIG letters with a magic marker (put the tape on all sides of the container) so she won't open it by mistake! You might want to consider that a lot of snakes won't eat the snake sausage, we didn't have any luck and those sausages are VERY expensive. Did you consider who is going to pay for the food, supplies (such as caging, heat mats, food) or vet bills? And who is going to buy the snakes themselves? You should really try to get her to go to a snake show with you. Sometimes if you can get her to hold a docile yearling or maybe even a baby (just make sure the baby is slow moving and very nice!) it can change her mind. I know this, as it is how I got hooked on snakes. And I'm a mom! Hope this helps.
sue frederick

Don't worry guys, I always keep my word.
Hmm... A pet alligator? My mom said she had one of those as a kid, but after finding out she had to give it live mice, she gave it away. I said if I can't have a corn, then I want an anaconda, as a joke of course.
As for what morph I want if this works out, I love Anery As, Okeetees, and Snows. Too bad I wouldn't be able to get them all.
Who would pay? I have $110 myself and get an allowance weekly (Still not old enough for a job). I was thinking of I pay for most for the housing and my dad would pay the rest, including food and vet bills. That's how we work it with our cats and dogs. I feed, care,and clean up, and my parents pay.
There's reptile show in Sacramento in July. That's where I hope to get a corn.My dad, my brother, and I are going, but my mom works that weekend. I'm still not sure if I could get her to go if even if she had a day off.
My mom's next day off is Wednesday, so hopefully we can come to an agreement.

At the show, make dad hold one and fall in love. Then, it might make it a little harder to leave without one... hehe

If you can only get one, I'd recommend the snow. Just because I like them. Haha... but the choice is yours. You'll be happy. Good luck!

I totally agree with you and I am in the same prediciment my mom doesn't like snakes and neither does my dad!!!!We went to the pet store the other day and I held a California King Snake!!!My dad actully touched the snake but my mom did not!!! But I think we have made a big step now and I actully might get a Corn snake by the begining of the school year because that is when my Birthday is!!!!Thank again Kilo!!!(I read my parent your compromise and they started to warm up!!!!)

It sounds to me like you have really gone about this the right way. I hope such a mature attitude results in a successful conclusion. Keep us informed and good luck

Compromise Failed!!!!!!!!!

It's hopeless! My mom still said no. She said if I win the logo contest she'd let me keep them, but I can't count on that happening unless I suddenly develop some mind reading ability. Looks like I'm going to be waiting for a longtime.

Sorry to hear that. Must be very frustrating! Maybe you could buy a pair of Lavs and tell her you won!! I don't usually go along with telling a lie, but if she'd let you keep snakes you won then I don't understand her lessoning for not allowing you to buy one.Sounds abit unreasonable but then again I only know your side of the argument and as a Mom I know I don't always explain my decisions to my kids!

Keep trying!!!

Colleen

Colleen....you left out the LOL.

Kilo,
Abusing your parents trust is not the way to getting a cornsnake. I'm sure Colleen didn't mean for you to lie to your Mom.

There are two ways to look at you present situation. Mom is a customer and you have to sell her on the idea that a pet cornsnake is not going to harm or effect her lifestyle and that you will be totally responsible for it. Your "Contract" is an excelent
idea, maybe it needs to be revised.

Your other choice is to get your Mom involved, get her to go to shows, petshops, introduce her to the experience. While this may be a difficult task--in the long run having her educated support will be very rewarding.

A combination of the two should not be overlooked. However you aproach her, be honest, sincere, respectful and stand by your word.

Best of Luck!

OMG...See what no sleep does to ya!

I'm sorry, after rereading my last post I realized that I was typing only part of my long train of thought on this. I was running thru my head what her reasoning was on this to allow you to keep them if you won them and not allow you to buy one.......any way I won't want you to think that I would ever (in my right mind) tell you to lie to your mom, that was where I was going with the end of my post, that sometimes our kids don't know all of our reasons for doing things. Maybe you could ask her to list her reasons or conditions. Then at least you would know where you stand and have a better idea how to proceed. I also like Matts idea, I meam who could resist a baby corn!!!


Matt- Thanks If you hadn't posted that I probably never would have reread my post! No sleep in 2 days.....makes me wonder what else I've posted!!! LOL

Colleen