BP reactions

[blueberrypancakes]

There have been several people who have commented negatively on my having a snake for a pet, but the one that tends to irritate me the most is saying that I will probably lose interest and release him into the woods. WHAT?! And then they say that I'm irresponsible and will cause damage to the ecosystem for having him. Two different people have said this to me. One said that's what most people do when they get too big to handle. (Is this at all based on truth? That's awful!) I just adore my little Jackson, and value him no less than any furry animals- and in fact more than others. He's the first one that I've personally taken to the vet, and spent way too much of my money on...

[llovelace]

No their comments are based on crap they hear/see in the media.

[HighVoltageRoyals]

There is a big problem in the everglades with pets that have been released. Pythons are an invasive species down there and are really messing up the alligators so what they say is technically based in fact.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...vespecies.html

Side note, you won't cause any environmental damage by keeping a snake. Releasing it (if you live in a climate that would allow them to thrive) would though.

On to the main point, don't let it bother you. People will say what they say and only time will allow them to see that they're wrong. Just let them live in their ignorance and let it be.

[Slashmaster]

They sound so uneducated that you shouldn't even consider their opinions. If you're here one can assume you're trying to provide the best for your snake.

will cause damage to the ecosystem for having him

this doesn't even make sense. Releasing invasive species, like the burms, into the Everglades, yeah, but KEEPING a snake? That doesn't cause any ecosystem damage. I wouldn't associate with someone that ignorant, personally >_>

[CCfive]

No their comments are based on crap they hear/see in the media.

Exactly, too many people watching "Man-eating snake" on Animal Planet and other such garbage. Either try to educate them or just take it with a grain of salt. You know you, so don't let other peoples' opinions get you down. As has been said many times "Opinions are like...........

[CapeFearConstrictors]

There is a big problem in the everglades with pets that have been released. Pythons are an invasive species down there and are really messing up the alligators so what they say is technically based in fact.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...vespecies.html

Side note, you won't cause any environmental damage by keeping a snake. Releasing it (if you live in a climate that would allow them to thrive) would though.

On to the main point, don't let it bother you. People will say what they say and only time will allow them to see that they're wrong. Just let them live in their ignorance and let it be.

The Everglades problem with Burmese pythons was due to a hurricane destroying a breeding facility, NOT irresponsible pet owners.

You'll get a whole lot of different responses from people who don't know any better. My favorite has to be "Aren't you afraid they'll eat your baby?"

[Skittles1101]

People mistake the huge problem in Florida and other "tropical" areas as people ignorantly releasing their huge snakes. I saw on a documentary (I sooo wish I could remember the name of it!) that a majority of the snakes that are thought to have been "released" were actually stranded during natural disasters and escaped/survived. You have to figure, how many homes are damaged in hurricanes every year in Florida? How many people in an emergency actually take their pets with them? Unfortunately, not enough, and big snakes like burms and retics are hearty and can survive, reproduce, and thrive in Florida. Just my

BUT regarding the idiotic statements about your killer snake...just ignore it and laugh it off. Have fun with it, because they don't go away lol.

Edit: just adding that I am totally aware that there are morons that just release their snakes into the "wild"....just wanted to share the part about natural disasters that I learned. I'd love to see more stats on the issue actually. Like how many people report their snakes missing, etc?

[Slashmaster]

My mother thinks my snakes will eat my cat. And she seems to have a very distorted idea of what 5-6 feet is for a snake.

I think a lot of people do. Like, when I tell someone my subadults are around 3 feet long, they're like WOW THAT'S LONG! They're big won't they eat your cat?

And...they're not... not at all. Lol.
The cat has a 100% better chance at eating the snake.

[llovelace]

There is a big problem in the everglades with pets that have been released. Pythons are an invasive species down there and are really messing up the alligators so what they say is technically based in fact.

This is soooooo not true, lol The burm population in the everglades began after a hurricane wiped out a few breeding facilities, not people releasing their pets, once again media propaganda.

[HighVoltageRoyals]

The Everglades problem with Burmese pythons was due to a hurricane destroying a breeding facility, NOT irresponsible pet owners.

You'll get a whole lot of different responses from people who don't know any better. My favorite has to be "Aren't you afraid they'll eat your baby?"

Couldn't it have been a combination of the two? I mean, come on. Some people aren't really smart. There's a college campus around here that has a huge domesticated rabbit overpopulation problem. Kids got tired of taking care of their buns and released them and they went and made a whole bunch of babies. Why wouldn't someone do the same with a snake?

And the baby eating comment is one of my personal favs