cruel world

i know people are scared of them thats why i keep my distance from them. ok if they think this snake will get thirty feet great but it wont do it in 5 min. i was not blocking the door i was way off from the people. i was sitting with the managers and workers to even get close to the snakes they had to walk to me i was far from the doors and main part of the store.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Actually, SOME people are asking him to do something, what I'm not exactly sure.

You see, no one who has not seen how he behaves when he has his snakes in public actually knows any facts.

I say take them out and edumacate the public if you can. He seems to have a place where he is expected, enjoyed and appreciated.

It's a bloody pet shop that carries reptiles. That is one of the best places I can think of to do the showing and telling that he has spoken of. He's not going to the grocery store and losing it in the ice cream aisle, he's responsibly taking it to a place he knows he will be appreciated in.

Lighten up guys.

Having someone who is the ed clark type of person, all bullsnot and lies, doing most of what he does solely for the attention and not to actually be helpful to the public, THOSE are the types who should not be out in public representing those who keep reptiles.

Sounds like this dmaricle guy has a plan and is working to help all of us.

SO, until someone actually sees and has proof that he is behaving in a manner detrimental to the rest of us, pipe down and sit back, I can't see the screen.

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thanks at least someone seeing my point, its a freaking pet store where its fine to bring in pets. they actually recommend it. 90% of the people there love when we come and when i go without them they are like ahh man where are your snakes. i also go in and sex their snakes for them. so they welcome me and our snakes.

That is Exactly the point! It all depends on WHERE you do your educating, and how.

Taking a snake out wrapped around your neck like some Rambo butch guy (which, incidentally, is just what the idiot upstairs used to do with the normal female I rescued from him) to the grocery store or liquor store (that's where he took her), is VERY irresponsible and gives our great hobby a worse image. Not to mention it is potentially dangerous for the snake (diseases, irrational people...)

Going to a pet store, where you are known and accepted, or some other location that focuses on animals and sitting off where people can come or not to their choosing is the RIGHT way to take these animals into the public. The more people we have doing it the right way, the more receptive people we can cure of ignorance.
Yes, there will always be rude crude morons out there, which is a main reason for keeping your animals near you and in your sight at ALL times while out. But the goal is to reduce the numbers of those types and increase the knowledgeable and understanding types.

well i wish most of the people here thought that way

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Originally Posted by dmaricle

well i wish most of the people here thought that way

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If wishin were fishin we'd all have poles growing out our.....excretory orifici.

That would make sitting in polite company quite uncomfortable.

Remember that.

Or don't frequent places where polite company is the norm.

I have a dog vet and I have a reptile vet, both treat "all animals" but my dog vet really isn't good with herps. Anyway, here are two snake in public (if vet's are public) stories, the difference in "presentation" and reaction is stark.
Situation 1:
I took my puppy to the dog vet for a checkup and boosters. I walked in the waiting room and there was a woman pacing back and forth (in a 'look at me' way) with a small BP around her neck. It was fall and too cold for the snake to be 'out' but there was no carrier or box, she just had him around her neck. I asked if it had a box or carrier as it was cold out (because I already knew what she was going to say) and she said no, it goes everywhere with her and just stays around her neck. I then asked what the problem was with the snake. Turns out it hadn't eaten in a few months and wasn't acting 'right' (whatever that is to her). I realized pretty quickly that she was not someone I really wanted to have a lengthy conversation with so merely wished her well. After she was shown to an exam room the girls at the desk started talking, turns out two people/patients left in fear and/or repulsion. OK, it's a vet's office and one should expect to see anything there but she was flaunting the snake that, to me anyway, seemed more an accessory than pet. She was clearly forcing her snake on anyone that got within eyesight just for the "wow" factor. Poor snake.
Situation 2:
I took a fecal sample to my herp vet, usually a quick drop off but they were very busy. As I was waiting a woman came in, I'd guess her to be in her late 60's or so. She went to the desk area and was waiting to check in when a young man came in with a box. The woman asked what was in the box and then said she probably didn't want to know. He told her it was a Corn snake. She made the 'oh my God a snake' face and took a step back, gave a nervous laugh and asked if it could get out of the box. She was clearly fascinated with the 'box' though and eventually started asking him what it ate, what the point of a snake was, why did he get it, was it his only one, do you really take them to the vet like a dog or cat...her questions were endless and he answered each with ease. Each answer she got she took about half a step closer to him and the 'box'. Before long she was sitting next to him on the bench, forgetting there was a snake right there! He asked politely if she would like to see it and she said "no, but do you really have rats in your freezer?" That one threw her for a loop. By this time I had given my baggie o-poo to the receptionist but sat back down to watch this play out. After a few more questions she decided she did indeed want to see the snake. He grinned from ear to ear and opened the box and she grinned and said it wasn't so scary anymore now that she knew more about them. She even offered that, although she may never get one, it was pretty...would it be OK to touch it? I watched him take it out and watched her slowly reach for it as I left.
I don't take my snakes out in public, that is a choice I have made. Most of my neighbors (I live in an apartment complex) don't know I have them, I just think that's probably best. I'm not saying the OP is right or wrong or that the people's reaction was right or wrong. I just recalled those two very different encounters and the reactions of the people in each. The kid at the herp vet educated a waiting room full of folks and 'converted' and older, semi-frightened woman. The woman at the dog vet annoyed, scared and/or repulsed a waiting room full of folks. Who knows what would have happened if the kid walked in with the snake around his neck or if the woman had her BP in a box but I do think the kid had it right.
Had the OP been there with a tarantula and I walked in I would not have been thrilled and may have left, pet shop or not. I wouldn't have been rude or caused a scene but I don't like big spiders and certainly don't want to see them out. Even though I know they won't chase me and kill me I like them to be behind glass. Irrational as it is it is not something I could just ignore and continue on with my shopping.
Sorry for prattling on... :)

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Originally Posted by Inknsteel

I am 30 years old and have very pronounced scars on the back of my head from being attacked by a German Shepherd when I was 3 years old. It took 170 stitches and 8 hours of surgery to put me back together. It just further proves that one specimen doesn't define the breed.

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I'm sorry to hear that...

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Originally Posted by Clementine_3

I have a dog vet and I have a reptile vet, both treat "all animals" but my dog vet really isn't good with herps. Anyway, here are two snake in public (if vet's are public) stories, the difference in "presentation" and reaction is stark.
Situation 1:
I took my puppy to the dog vet for a checkup and boosters. I walked in the waiting room and there was a woman pacing back and forth (in a 'look at me' way) with a small BP around her neck. It was fall and too cold for the snake to be 'out' but there was no carrier or box, she just had him around her neck. I asked if it had a box or carrier as it was cold out (because I already knew what she was going to say) and she said no, it goes everywhere with her and just stays around her neck. I then asked what the problem was with the snake. Turns out it hadn't eaten in a few months and wasn't acting 'right' (whatever that is to her). I realized pretty quickly that she was not someone I really wanted to have a lengthy conversation with so merely wished her well. After she was shown to an exam room the girls at the desk started talking, turns out two people/patients left in fear and/or repulsion. OK, it's a vet's office and one should expect to see anything there but she was flaunting the snake that, to me anyway, seemed more an accessory than pet. She was clearly forcing her snake on anyone that got within eyesight just for the "wow" factor. Poor snake.
Situation 2:
I took a fecal sample to my herp vet, usually a quick drop off but they were very busy. As I was waiting a woman came in, I'd guess her to be in her late 60's or so. She went to the desk area and was waiting to check in when a young man came in with a box. The woman asked what was in the box and then said she probably didn't want to know. He told her it was a Corn snake. She made the 'oh my God a snake' face and took a step back, gave a nervous laugh and asked if it could get out of the box. She was clearly fascinated with the 'box' though and eventually started asking him what it ate, what the point of a snake was, why did he get it, was it his only one, do you really take them to the vet like a dog or cat...her questions were endless and he answered each with ease. Each answer she got she took about half a step closer to him and the 'box'. Before long she was sitting next to him on the bench, forgetting there was a snake right there! He asked politely if she would like to see it and she said "no, but do you really have rats in your freezer?" That one threw her for a loop. By this time I had given my baggie o-poo to the receptionist but sat back down to watch this play out. After a few more questions she decided she did indeed want to see the snake. He grinned from ear to ear and opened the box and she grinned and said it wasn't so scary anymore now that she knew more about them. She even offered that, although she may never get one, it was pretty...would it be OK to touch it? I watched him take it out and watched her slowly reach for it as I left.
I don't take my snakes out in public, that is a choice I have made. Most of my neighbors (I live in an apartment complex) don't know I have them, I just think that's probably best. I'm not saying the OP is right or wrong or that the people's reaction was right or wrong. I just recalled those two very different encounters and the reactions of the people in each. The kid at the herp vet educated a waiting room full of folks and 'converted' and older, semi-frightened woman. The woman at the dog vet annoyed, scared and/or repulsed a waiting room full of folks. Who knows what would have happened if the kid walked in with the snake around his neck or if the woman had her BP in a box but I do think the kid had it right.
Had the OP been there with a tarantula and I walked in I would not have been thrilled and may have left, pet shop or not. I wouldn't have been rude or caused a scene but I don't like big spiders and certainly don't want to see them out. Even though I know they won't chase me and kill me I like them to be behind glass. Irrational as it is it is not something I could just ignore and continue on with my shopping.
Sorry for prattling on... :)

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Excellent example! I do believe people can be educated, and I also agree that if you are going to take your snake anywhere, then a pet store would be best place since they should be welcome there.

However, I insist that it is potentially dangerous for the snake to be exposed to possible diseases. Dogs, cats, ferrets receive vaccines, reptiles do not. & the possibility of one of my snakes catching IBD is enough for me to not expose them to the outside world (they don't need it). But this is my personal opinion & preference.

I do not inform my neighbors of my snakes because I live in an apartment, of which the lease does not specify whether or not I can own snakes. I am allowed pets (my dogs are all on the lease), and was told that if pets were in tanks, etc. that they didn't care if I had them (but I have a hunch they were referring to fish & hamsters). So this is more of an 'I don't want to get thrown out' issue. However, I work in a very conservative law firm, yet all of my co-workers are aware that I own snakes.

& the bottom line is: when you own any exotic animal, you will receive dirty looks, comments, etc. Is it right? I don't think so. But, again, ignorance is the culprit. & , it sounds like the OP is not trying to force the snakes upon anyone, and can maybe educate a few people here & there about these awesome creatures. So, as long as he's careful about not exposing his snake to detrimental temps, stressful situations, and/or contagious diseases, then I don't see anything wrong with it.


PS If we were talking about a full grown alligator, cobra, Komodo dragon, etc., I would feel differently.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

We will never change the opinions and fears that people have about snakes. We won't "educate" them, or "change their minds"

I think the safest thing we can do as snake keepers is to "keep" them to ourselves. My neighbors don't even know I keep snakes. Someone once asked me where all the used bedding in my mulch pile was coming from and I told them I was babysitting a friends hampster. The less your community know about your addiction the better off we will all be. Whenever I see someone out in public with a snake I am reminded that snakes have no ego.

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I'd say telling that person that you were taking care of a hamster is a bit extreme, what exactly could the person do if s/he found out you were keeping a snake? Sneak into your house and kill it? It's your desition but by making people think less people have snakes makes them think that snakes are more dangerous...

man is it bad that when i read your incident that when the old guy came up and said that i had a vision of me uppercutting him in the face to many video games i guess. =D Its not right what they did and you handled it very well.