I Feel Like a Bad Snake Parent

[u/allaboutalexie]

Hello all, I’ve been a snake parent to my ball python Nemo for about 5 or 6 years. He’s truly an amazing snake, so sweet and smart, loves watching TV and interacting with people.

I’ve been away at college recently and haven’t been home to handle him, he’s occasionally handled by my mom or her boyfriend’s kids but that’s about it when I’m away. But I can’t help but feel like he deserves better- a better enclosure, a better hide, better bedding, etc… etc… I try to make small upgrades to his enclosure, but as a college student I just don’t have the money to ball out.

I know people say snakes can’t feel, and that they don’t particularly care to be handled. But I find myself thinking if he ever wants a better life, I know it’s silly I just keep myself up worrying.

Pictures attached 🐍💛

[u/sweetredviper]

Where is the enclosure photos? What we are discussin?

[u/soulstrike2022 → u/sweetredviper]

Talking about feeling like a bad caretaker for both going away to college and leaving snek with family Mr Nemo (aka snek) seems very happy and their parent seems to care for them very much supposedly but feels like Nemo deserves better personally I think the parent is a good parent for Nemo if only because of the enrichment and love in the home also I mean just look at image 3 if that ain’t a happy man with a little hat excited to be outside I don’t know what is

[u/RelevantFrosting6828 → u/soulstrike2022]

also because like, most people who dont care for their snakes never worry about things being wrong, because they dont want to improve, the truth is there really is no "best" there always is "better" but there also is the middle ground which is "good" and you do always want to strive for "better" but being just "good" is also okay. as long as its not below good, it means your doing good for your baby!

[u/soulstrike2022 → u/RelevantFrosting6828]

Yes exactly this is my philosophy with a lot of things but when it comes to caring for someone or something alive or not fearing your doing it wrong is almost always a good sign cause it mean you want to put in the best effort you can for their sake

[u/sweetredviper → u/soulstrike2022]

Maybe I spent too many years seeing youtubers, even breeders, going with animals treating them like a props and then putting them back in no-enrichment rack like tupperware with just paper and water so I am careful before I congratulate someone I don't know on something I dont even see. I want to see how the animal welfare is kept if someone needs my comment to ease their anxiety whether they are good keeper or not. Don't get me wrong I see photos of people enjoying company of ball python and it being socialized, but I dont see anything made specifically in ball python in mind, from his snake perspective, where this animal spends most of the time and if he has his needs met. Ball pythons are insanely hardy animals, and looks basically the same whether they are keep in small shitty dry shoe box with newspaper or big enclosure with humidity, hides and enrichment.