Right i dont really know were to start on this one but i was wondering if anyone had ever felt the same way as i have been feeling the past few weeks.

I have been thinking Do i want to give up reptiles? Not give up completly as they still intrest me and i still want to be a part of it but just keep a few.

I still obviously give them the right care ect but at the moment i havent been handling them as much as i used to because of feeling like this. I dont no if i am feeling like this towards them because i have been feeling down myself latley or if i have just gotten to this point.

When my water dragons had eggs last year i incubated them and they were fertile but i lost them all and i also have tried with my leo eggs.
And i also failed with them. My water dragon and one of my leos is pregnant again and i havent even got the incubator ready as i no that i will fail them agiain and end up loosing them. So i am now feeling bad as i feel as if they are going through all of being gravid and everything and i just fail them by no hatching there eggs.

So the questin that i would like to ask you all and have your opinions on is do you think i should downsize a but more and just have a few or do you think this may just be a phase??

Do you think that they would be better with someone else who will get there eggs to successfully hatch and who has more time to spend with them??

Any advice and criticisms will be really appreciated

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everyone gets down at one time or another and feels like just giving up. i was the same last week when a couple of my t's died by no fault of my own and that got me realy down and i was thinking about just selling everything on here but in the end i didnt because i knew i would regret it and whilst feeding them today i am soo glad i didnt get rid of them.

if you are really passionate about your reps and they are getting all the correct care and you can affors to keep them then i dont see a reason for getting rid of them or downsizing.

im sure with your eggs there will be loads of people on here willing to help you to get them to hatch. just dont worry about irt and dont get all wound up by it. try try and try agian

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thanks for your advice. i dont even feel like i want to try again with the eggs as i no i wont be able to do it. i just feel like i have hit a brick wall.

They are getting the correct care but hardly no handling which i feel at the moment someone else could give them.

im just really stuck with what to do

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dont give up mate just keep trying if you stop now then you will always believe you cant do it.

as long as they have plenty of stuff in thier vivs to occupy them and even if its only 5 minutes of hadnling a day its better than nothing and im sure they would appreciate it.

there are some days i dont get to handle my little corn but he doesnt care as long as he isnt distured and has lots of things to climb on he's fine and seems happy

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I have downsized my collection considerably in the last couple of months because it was becoming more of a chore than an enjoyment to clean and feed them all etc. I feel that I wont enjoy the hobby any less if I dont have vivs stacked up against every spare bit of wall. I dont aim to make money out of the hobby so dont need loads to get enjoyment from it. If you downsize a bit you might find you have more enthusiasm for the ones you have left.

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http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QwqqRP...eature=related

have to agree, i am downsizing at the moment, its more of a chore, as im working weekends to be able to afford to keep them, so i dont get much time to handle them, and most of my spare time is spent cleaning and feeding, so im not geting much enjoyment, im going to keep a few, but no were near as many as i had.

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not here much, if you need me email me at: lee_39.0@hotmail.co.uk and i will get back to you a lot sooner

Best thing to do is make life easier for your self put large bowls in put large egg laying boxes then the water will last longer and the eggs can stay in the viv till your sorted not the best but it works
there will be times you ask yourself that its normal

I manage 300 snakes and lizards plus a sanctuary for sick and disabled reptiles plus all the babies and cos i work as coach for disabled adults then come home to an disabled old mother in law living with us there are times when i feel arrrrggghhh why but 22 years later I'm still doin the same thing so give your self a break and your'll get back into it

good luck paula xxx

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REPTILEADER
50 odd species (snakes and lizards)
80 plus different morphs.
website will be running in the near future
REPTIHOPE
Reptile sanctuary for the sick and disabled

Serz
Dont give up You will regret it on the long run I too went through this stage a little while ago and seriously felt that i would be doing the right thing by stopping but I am really glad i didnt. Yes things seem insurmountable right now and the thought of failing again is daunting but wouldnt a worse failure be not to try at all? I think every breeder on here has been in your situation at some point and from what you have said last year was your first attempt but to behonest just because last year you lost the eggs doesnt mean you will this year.
At the moment i have trouble with the RSPCA and still i wont give in and let them win even though it would in some repects be easier but when you truly think about it we all love our reps too much to just give in or give up.
I can understand your comments and i do truly feel for you as i know how heartbreaking things can get,but there are loads of people on here who will help you if you dont feel truly confident about incubating the eggs from your gravid females and will help you out any way they can.
I think like me this is just a stage of depression that will pass and in a few months time you will wonder just what the hell you were thinking.
Keep your chin up and if you ever need to talk please feel free to pm or email me or even contact me on msn i am always willing to listen even if i dont have the answers and will try my best to help, you will find my msn addy on my profile.
Sam

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0.0.1 corn snake(ginga)
2.2.0 royal pythons (precious big boyand two unamed any ideas anyone)
0.0.1 bosc (paul)
0.1.0 green iguana (fray aka bitch)
0.0.1 beardie (Quasi)
0.0.1 african plated lizard
2.0.0 Kittens(BT and G4)
1.1.0 dogs(mysty and storm)

Maybe down sizing is what you need. But only you will know how you really feel too be honest. I have sold things and then regretted it. Perhaps getting rid of my BRB was the biggest regret but luckily I know she is cared for perfectly.

But even I admit I need too cut back. As Andy said they end up becoming a chore and unless its a business then it shouldn't feel like that. Luckily my collection is not as big as some I have seen. I do have a few reps that I could never even consider getting rid of.

Hope whatever you decide it works out okay.

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thanks a lot everyone for all your kind words they mean a lot

And sammy thanks i will add you to my msn and we can have a chat.

I am just feeling for my reptiles really as they deserve someone that i going to put there all into them and be feeling like this all of them time.
Your right sammy aswell i am going through depression at the moment and have been for a few years and that why i first got into reptiles in the first place and they used to keep me sane but now they are making me worse as i am having to worry about them and eggs and handling ect.

I would downsize a little more but i am scared of them going to a bad keeper as you here so many horrible stories now and they are like my babies. I would hate them to fall into the hands of a bad owner.

Im trying to think of what is best for the reptiles and not for me as at the end of the day its them who count

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