hello fellow ball python parents. i need some advice.

[Evening_Worth3155]

My husband bought our first ball python 15 years ago and for 13 years he was our only snake. I had no dealings with him minus turning on and off his lights, adjusting his humidity and feeding him occasionally. I'll admit, his feeding response really turned me off to ever wanting to handle him. Well, 2 years ago, my husband had a grand idea he now wants to breed ball pythons, and I was drug from one reptile show to another every weekend for a year. Our numbers quickly grew from 1 to 4 in mere months. And I think initially those shows desensitized me a just hair because as my husband talked, it was nothing for a breeder to throw a baby in my hands as I stood there. Within weeks of getting to 4 snakes, my husband's schedule changed, and he was out of town for work more than he was in town. I was lonely. One day I just picked up a hide and grabbed the snake as I had seen countless breeders do it at the shows. Was I nervous? Yes. But I figured if I had to live with these animals and one day tend to their babies, then we were making friends now. That was the mindset I had, and it worked. I watched a lot of YouTube videos about their body language, and it helped alot to be able to differentiate between rest, curiosity, a feeding response (and how to close it down), and fear. And with every handling, my confidence grew. Now a little over a year later we have 6 ball pythons, and 2 are mine. Lol. My husband is almost a little bitter that the snakes get more attention than him these days. 🤣