How long have you had your animals?

[Cranwelli]

Seems like everyone who owns a few exotic pets has them for just a few years, then when the novelty wears off pass them on.

[MissCat]

been keeping normal furries all my life my current ones are relatively young cos my previous ones got old and died
moved onto rats about 17 years ago, likewise as the above, my oldest is about 3 and I bred him myself.
then i started on T's, two of which i have had for 11 years.
I got into reps about 5 years ago, but then i was made homeless, managed to temporarily rehome all my pets (which i now have back) apart from my reptiles (bearded dragons at the time).
Been all sorted and keeping reps again for 18 months.

[gypsy-666]

ive had my two big leo girls for 8yrs now, had them since they were 3 months old

[tanzaniterose]

Originally Posted by Cranwelli

Seems like everyone who owns a few exotic pets has them for just a few years, then when the novelty wears off pass them on.

They're nicknamed "butterfly" keepers for the way they flit from one species to another. Not something I or other ethical animal keepers really approve of lol.

I've kept all of my animals from start to finish ever since I was 8.

[TheMetaphysicalNinja]

I haven't had mine long, but I love them all to pieces! I wouldn't give them up for the world. I don't understand how anyone could get bored of them.

[Ian.g]

its not always a case of the "novelty wearing off" i have been keeping for over 22 years, and will freely admit i have not kept many individual reptiles their entire lifespan...the thing is there are different types of keeper, some that (like myself) enjoy keeping lots of different species, there are very few species of herps that i would not like to keep....but alas room isn`t endless! i dont agree with keepers constantly buying an animal and then selling on within a few months, but as long as there is no undue stress on the individual animal that does get sold on then i see no problem with changing your collection around from time to time, i love reptiles with a passion! but i will say these are not affectionate animals that bond with us (except some of the more intelligent lizards to a point) they dont care where they are or who is looking after them as long as all their needs are being met correctly, as i say i dont agree with the animals being moved on constantly from month to month, but see no harm in changing your collection around...i am in the process of doing this myself at the moment.

[madshawty]

For as long as i can remember we've always kept pets in the family, and we kept them for the whole of their life span... even when i was first born mum and dad had a dog.


Ive only been keeping reps for about a year but would never pass them on to someone else just because i was bored of them, would have to be a very extreme circumstance to make me give up any of my animals!!

The oldest pets we own at the moment are the dogs who are both 3 and have had both of them since 8 week old pups

[Ian.g]

Originally Posted by madshawty

For as long as i can remember we've always kept pets in the family, and we kept them for the whole of their life span... even when i was first born mum and dad had a dog.


Ive only been keeping reps for about a year but would never pass them on to someone else just because i was bored of them, would have to be a very extreme circumstance to make me give up any of my animals!!

The oldest pets we own at the moment are the dogs who are both 3 and have had both of them since 8 week old pups

dogs and cats etc are different...they actually bond with us, my current dogs are Storm 8 year old EBT i have had since 7 weeks old, and Maverick 5 year old staffy i got at 18 months old...both will stay with us for life, we have had two children since having Storm and one since having Maverick.....as i say cats and dogs really are a totally different thing IMHO.

[TEENY]

I have been keeping for a couple of years but the scary thing is in the last 8-9 months my collection of pet has gone from a few to the 30 odd stage
Will be keeping all snakes and tort but spiders will come and go if male etc

[bluejon91]

been animals in our house for 18 years so my whole life basically but been this year when i have my own snakes personally