preconcieved notions, and ooooh scary python..

Soo, my grandma came over today. She thinks that my snakes are such a waste of time and effort, which i can understand some people thinking, my family is a very "if it doesnt get me more money, or if it takes up 2 seconds of my time then why should I ?!!?" kind of family (oh lord it drives me crazy), but it's with other people too. As soon as i say Python, they are like, "oooooooh can't they like eat you?" it is so annoying.

oh, and my father seams to think that anybody that has a snake has piercings, tattoos, and is lower class. Has anybody else found that people think that? it annoys the hec outa me.

any other experiences with this? If so, how do i convince people like that that no, my snake is not going to eat them.

Well I fall into 2/3 of those preconceived notions. I have my ears pieced and a couple of small hidden tattoos (my family hasn't found them yet, lol, and I like to keep it that way.) I'm not lower class though, haha, I'm in working my behind off in Veterinary school.

You can't change everyones' mind. You can only stick up for your believes and educate people that snakes aren't just mindless eatting machines. They may not be as affectionate as a dog, but they still have their own personalities.

One day they will see that snakes are you true passion---until then they'll never understand....... just take what they say and keep it moving----as long as you take well care of your pets, and they are all healthy, you have nothing to worry about.....

Ps. I would print out some info on ball-pythons and rtb----and hand them to your grandma or your parents! There is a 100% chance they will throw the paper away-----so the next time they ask you a question or want to know something about snakes tell them---I gave you the literature and you wasted it--so please don't criticize me on what I enjoy (being respectable at all times of course)

yeah. i dont have any tattoos, and i just have my ears pierced, and we're not low class, one of those jewish families where everybody has gone to college, graduate school, all that good stuff.
It bothers me, like, nate came to pick me up for the Repticon show, and my dad went, 'so how many visible piercings/tattoos did he and his gf have?' it just like, ugh, shut up!
lol

Hang in there. Find a local herp club. Even if it's just a once a month meeting it's great to be surronded by other herp dorks that understand :gj:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Amy05

Soo, my grandma came over today. She thinks that my snakes are such a waste of time and effort, which i can understand some people thinking, my family is a very "if it doesnt get me more money, or if it takes up 2 seconds of my time then why should I ?!!?" kind of family (oh lord it drives me crazy), but it's with other people too. As soon as i say Python, they are like, "oooooooh can't they like eat you?" it is so annoying.

oh, and my father seams to think that anybody that has a snake has piercings, tattoos, and is lower class. Has anybody else found that people think that? it annoys the hec outa me.

any other experiences with this? If so, how do i convince people like that that no, my snake is not going to eat them.

---

Well if that make you feel a little but better it’s not only your family I believe it is just in human nature to make quick a judgments. It is sad people if they were to make judgments on others should first know who the person really is without judging the appearance

And if they make a judgment on an activity or a particular animal they should do so only after being educated about it.



Trust me I am 33 and I have been judged all my life for the way I looked for the thing I did (decided to live 4000+ miles away from my family in an other country where I did not know anyone) for the thing I plan on doing (breeding BP in couple of years), an you now it used to bother me when I was younger and I guess I thought at some point I should change and be more “Normal” like everyone else but now the way I see it is that I know who I am, I like who I am and if you like me the way I am, fine if you don’t I will not change just to be what others except me to be.

My mom's like that--snakes (of any kind) give her the heebie-jeebies. She's nervous about my bringing a BP into the house when I'm on break from school, but I assured her that with a properly secured tub, he wouldn't escape and that I'd keep him in my room at all times. :)

My boyfriend also just doesn't get it. He thinks they're "useless" and "boring" :) When we got into yet another discussion about it, I put it into terms he could understand. He's a technological junkie, but what he -really- finds interesting are speakers. Without fail, if we're in a store with electronics, he goes straight for speakers and starts taking the foam off the front to get a look at them. He just spent a considerable amount of money on a new set, and they're something that he finds -really- interesting. I think his fascination with speakers is weird, "useless" and equally as "boring" as he things BPs are :)

Now he concedes that he may not get it, but that he won't say anything negative about my owning a BP anymore, since I gave him that comparison to his own interest.

I don't know if your family have quirky things that they're -really- into, but appealing to that in my boy really helped him at least get where I'm coming from, even if he doesn't get -why- I like them :)

--Kim

I wouldn't listen to them.. they don't know what they're talking about. Look at all the really useless ways people waste money.. we are investing in our passion for these snakes, with possibly a little financial reward later.. but the same people that say herps are a waste of time, love going out drinking on the weekends, or buying expensive cars, or breeding other commonly-bred animals that cost a fortune for quality (horses, dogs, etc..) Naysayers! Ignore them.
Mark and I know, definately, what it's like to be judged wrongfully. We walked into Best Buy last year, cash in-pocket for a new computer.. well, we had been to three stores that day, and NOPE, no one came to see if we needed help. They'd pass us by for the typical soccer-moms and business-suit wearers.. even though we were standing around for nearly an hour.. eventually at BB I actually had to ask a visiting sales rep for HP computers, to get someone to give me attention! lol.. I know Mark looks like the lost member of the band Slayer, and I look like a fifteen year ol but.. heh, I make about 40k a year, and Mark owns his own lucrative business. So people that judge us tattooed and "different" people as lower class.. are definately doing themselves a huge disservice and will lose money from tht eventually.
Kudos to you, Amy, for doing YOUR thing and not letting people change your determination or bring you down! You can still love them for who they are, but it's rad that you don't let them make you be who you're not!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Amy05

Soo, my grandma came over today. She thinks that my snakes are such a waste of time and effort, which i can understand some people thinking, my family is a very "if it doesnt get me more money, or if it takes up 2 seconds of my time then why should I ?!!?" kind of family (oh lord it drives me crazy), but it's with other people too. As soon as i say Python, they are like, "oooooooh can't they like eat you?" it is so annoying.

oh, and my father seams to think that anybody that has a snake has piercings, tattoos, and is lower class. Has anybody else found that people think that? it annoys the hec outa me.

any other experiences with this? If so, how do i convince people like that that no, my snake is not going to eat them.

---

Unfortunately in my town there is still a taboo on keeping reptiles....I've gotten really bad looks from people if they have overheard me talking about my snakes.

By the way Amy I thought you said in another thread that your dad liked snakes now, and wants a Green Tree Python or other snake of his own?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by reediculous

One day they will see that snakes are you true passion---until then they'll never understand....... just take what they say and keep it moving----as long as you take well care of your pets, and they are all healthy, you have nothing to worry about.....

Ps. I would print out some info on ball-pythons and rtb----and hand them to your grandma or your parents! There is a 100% chance they will throw the paper away-----so the next time they ask you a question or want to know something about snakes tell them---I gave you the literature and you wasted it--so please don't criticize me on what I enjoy (being respectable at all times of course)

---

Honestly your PS. info can make things worse more then any good.I have found if i calmly start talking about my snakes majority of people will honestly listen.I start off telling them that snakes are NOT slimey.Then i tell them i bet i can tell them why they are scared of snakes.I have found most people have had either a snake thrown on them as a kid or something in that area.Majority say you are correct(brother threw in sisters face while sleeping and so on).Now normaly i have there whole attention by this point so i continue educating them on the REAL facts of snakes.O if someone tells you that a large snake can kill you and eat you nicely tell them thats FALSE.Reason being as a adult our shoulders are to wide for ANY snake to swallow us.Now they CAN kill you but its usually a dumb mistake on the humans side.