Wish me luck!

Salutations! My name is Jenni, and I'm up in Anchorage, Alaska. I've been keeping reptiles for a little over 10 years now, don't see an end in sight! I have been primarily keeping snakes, but decided to go for a change recently. I started out with Chinese Water Dragons, which will always hold a special place in my heart. I have or have kept bearded dragons, leopard geckos, panther chameleons, ball pythons, columbian boas, hogg island x columbian boas, dumerilis boas, brazilian rainbow boas, green tree pythons, emerald tree boas, guyana boas, hognose snakes, and of course, crested geckos. I also work with a group of people up here rescuing reptiles, and have done volunteer work at a local science and discovery center taking care of their reptiles and invertebrates. I used to have a large collection of tarantulas (over 30 specimens at one point).

Most people think I'm weird and crazy, and for various reasons don't agree with my keeping reptiles and inverts, but I just keep on doing it anyway because I love it! I also have 3 dogs and 3 cats, and a fiance. I grew up keeping birds because of my brother's allergies, and then branched over into lizards, and then snakes. I have gone through several phases, a green tree python phase, a panther chameleon phase, a columbian boa phase, a brazilian rainbow boa phase...

Sadly, I lost many of my exotics in my last apartment due - strangely enough - to temperature. A couple of years after moving into our place there all of a suddin the temperature in our apartment skyrocketed to 100 degrees. We turned off the thermostat, opened windows and doors as often as we could (keep in mind we did also have dogs and cats who would take off for a nice chase around the complex any chance they could) and complained to the land manager constantly. I attempted to keep my cages cool by turning off and unplugging all lights and heating elements, and we even left off most lights and electronics in the whole apartment in an attempt to get temperatures down. I would spray down cages in hopes that the heat would evaporate off with the humidity. It was over a week when they finally fixed the problem, but the damage had been done to many of my pets. Some died that first time around. This same thing happened two more times within 6 months, and I lost many animals. Most of the ones that didn't die from the heat I gave away to new homes, trying to keep them from perishing in the heat. I was able to keep a handful of very tough reptiles (a ball python, a columbian boa, a pair of beardies) that had been able to withstand the soaring temperatures. Part of the problem is that just about every month there was a new complex manager - who knew nothing of the problems of the past, or agreements. Several of the apartment managers we had were not happy about the fact that we had reptiles, and were outraged to find it had been specifically written into our lease that they would be allowed. In the end the company that owned the complex refused to take any responsibility for the deaths, and then started pressuring us to leave at the end of our lease by telling us that our new lease would not allow the reptiles, and we were only to eager to get out of that place!

Our new apartment is far nicer, and my reptiles have their very own room. When we moved I realized I had many empty cages, and plenty of room, so I started thinking about what I have learned from all of the species I have kept. What do I want to focus on now? I did some research on species that were my favorites, and things I'd always wanted to keep. I looked at my room and what kind of space I have available. I have a lot of things on my plate, work, college, dog sports (agility, flyball), planning a wedding, and just taking care of our home take up so much time and work. I sort of wanted something more laid back, that demanded less of me, and gave me so much more. I have always loved just watching animals, watching their behaviors. I remembered my poor little cresties that perished in the first heat wave of the old apartment, and how every time I watched them they made me smile because they're just so gosh darned adorable, and made me laugh with their little leaps and movements. They're relatively easy to keep, and their personalities are just so addicting. I want more cresties!

Plus I have a huge enclosure my fiance built for me during my panther chameleon phase, before that poor chameleon too perished in the heat. Looking at it, I realized it would make such a gorgeous and fantastic multiple gecko enclosure. I am waiting on my three new little cresties to be shipped to me when the weather warms up, and will have time to get the cage into perfect condition before introducing them to their new huge habitat.

I'm excited, and very happy to find such a wonderful resource and community!