I've had this discussion with friends.

Do you consider yourself a: Owner? Care-giver? Friend? Family? or other in regards to the relationship you have with your reptile.

Has your outlook toward your repitle changed since having him/her around? Good/Bad?

I have found, among friends, quite an emotional difference between those that had reptiles versus those of the cat/dog variety.

For me it has become a facinating interaction between a veiled chameleon and both myself and my eldest son. My wife refers to it as a pet or object, whereas my son and I feel it is becoming an extension of our family. The VC seems to have adjusted to us as we have to him and we are all learning from each other.

I don't find myself feeling like an owner, just as I do not own my wife nor my kids.

I'm just curious how people describe their relationship.

Regards,

Hey you're from TO. Nice to meet you. That's about an hours drive from me.I've never really had an emotional attachment to my pets. That goes for pretty much anything I've ever had. Maybe it stems from growing up on a farm I don't know. I have tremendous respect for wildlife though and their role in the environment. I consider the needs of my pets a very high priority as I am their sole caregiver. I have yet to name my Ackies which I purchased about 4 months ago.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

I consider myself caregiver with a family-like emotional attachment. I refer to myself as a "snake-mom" and see myself as a future "rainbow boa grandmother".
I don't interact with my snakes as much as I would a family member as I try to respect the fact that they are (and always will be) wild animals and cannot be played with and interacted with like dogs.
However, I have formed strong emotional attachments to each of them and refer to them as the "kids". (We don't have any of the human variety!)

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Andrea

I think I see myself as more of a caregiver or even protector. I care for them so much because their existence depends on me. That's big!
I love providing for them. And I love seeing them grow and eat. I love to see them enjoying their habitats. I love how sometimes they watch me through the glass of their tank.
I scream at the cat when he comes into the room (he would LOOOVE to get his greedy hands on my babies). I yell at my sister when she forgets to mist Scarlett.
They are also like friends though. Moreso my Maia than Scarlett. Maia loves to come out and climb my arms/back/head. Scarlett will sit nicely and then freak and attempt jumping to freedom. I'm still new to this though so I'm still finding things out

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I am owned by:
2 dogs, a Hahn's macaw, 2 parrotlets, 2 parakeets, 1 bearded dragon, 1 cornsnake, 2 yellow belly sliders, 1 razorback musk, 30 gallon saltwater reef, 10 gallon planted tank, 5.5 gallon planted betta tank

i refer to my snakes as my babies. i consider all my animals part of my family since my family has always had some sort of animal at all times. but I also consider myself a care giver since the pets that live in my room are under my care. i'm so happy to see them transform from little babies to adults and knowing I was responsible for helping them get there as they grow. it makes me happy.

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yes i am a she ^_^

~My Babies~

1 Rosy Boa (male) Chaos
1 Snow Corn (male) Blizzard
1 Anertherystic Corn (male) Bullet
1 Senegal Parrot (male) Shadow
2 dogs (male) Spot and Bear

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I consider myself a care-giver, but I do love my little guys! But there is a definite difference between my children and my 'pets'.

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0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow boa (Sakura)
1.1.0 Leopard geckos (Tasuki, Sango)
2.0.0 Ball pythons (Tsume, Kenshin)

If the reptile is antisocial and/or hates me, I'd say I'm a caregiver.

In Petri's case, she was a best friend and close family.

I give each reptile unlimited chances to become close to me. It's up to them as to if they become close with me.

I was told before that I took better care of my iguanas that parents did their kids. It was meant as a criticism but I told the person that I only took care of them they way they should be taken care of. And if parents were not doing that it was their shame not mine. I got Baby and Dragon about 11 years ago. The relationship I have with them has been the longest emotional and financial committment that I have made and kept. When they came into my life I was trying to avoid any kind of committments beyond casual friendships. But they changed all of that. So I guess they are family second only to my immediate family.

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)

I would have to say that I consider myself a "friend" and advocate.

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Smile and the world will think that you are up to something!

Steve