Does owning a BP affect your relationship with others?

as long as they stay in their enclosures the ppl in know who are uncomfortable around them are ok

Most of my co-workers find it strangely interesting, and while it may not be something that THEY are comfortable with, I don't believe it affects our relationships - they just accept that's part of what makes Robin, Robin. They know I love going to reptile shows and always tell me to have a great time when they know I'm headed to one - and always ask how it was when I get back.

My mother swore that she'd never step foot into my home once I got my first. I now have 50 + and she's been in my home, my dad helped me build a rack, and the BIGGEST milestone was 2 years ago, when my very first clutch was due to hatch, I was travelling to NC to visit my folks, and my mother allowed me to bring the clutch of eggs into the home, knowing that they would be hatching while I was there (no WAY was I missing my first clutch hatching!).

After consulting with experienced breeders, I hooked up a styrofoam cooler with heat packs and a thermometer and off we headed on our road trip. Oh wait - it was actually TWO clutches I brought along with me. All hatched, Dad was very interested, my brother (a professional photographer) took pictures, and my mom warily peeked in and then shivered a bit! LOL

I lost a close friend of mine over owning bp's. She was horrified when she found out that I owned them, and it escalated into a rather nasty argument due to a rather snide, insulting remark that followed her shock. :oops:

But besides that one instance, most of the people I know are hesitant to be around them, but at the same time they a fascinated. I've even made new friends through them, and once people overcome their fears or doubts about them, they never stop asking questions.

My sister's think I'm nuts, but it doesn't stop them from playing the "get a close look and run away squealing" game (they're my older sisters, too :D), and the rest of my family just tries to pretend they don't exist. :P

It hasn't changed any relationships for me. And frankly at this point in my life I really don't get worried about what other people think, or perhaps more like I don't care what others think.

My on sister-in-law comes into the house, but the minute I go over to the snake rack to even just check the temps she runs out of the room. She can't explain why she's afraid of them and when I tried to educate her a bit on snakes, she didn't want to hear anything about it. Oh well. Can't change some people.

Now my 88 year old grams thinks nothing of going over the rack and tries to peer through the plastic to get a look. She'll even touch them when I take one out for her. And here i thought she'd be the squeamish one. go figure.

My mom's only aversion to them is that they eat rodents, but she excepts that its natures way and snakes have to eat too. But she's super excited about my first clutch so she's cool with it. My dad can't understand why I like them and so I tell him.. why do you like to go hunting or fishing or like dogs? He sees the point and leaves it at that.

When I told my coworkers I was getting a snake, one of them completely flipped out and began to rant about how she doesn't want any snake in her house, and how nasty they are. I wanted to look at her at tell her to shut the heck up. Then I began to rant about on how cute they are. Some of my other coworkers who don't like snakes though, are nice about it. Every once in a while they'll ask how she's doing, which is greatly appreciated from me. Even my manager who is terrified of snakes, brought her up in a topic and wanted to know how she was doing, what kind of snake and what not. It was great that she was curious about her, and respectful on a decision I had made.

When I told my mom I wanted a snake, she flipped out. It took me about two years to finally convince her to let me own one. Now that I have my ball python, she's growing to like her. She even touched her a day or so ago. I was so proud of her! My dad just loves her. He'll send me texts at work to see if it's okay if he goes and looks at her. I woke up this morning and went to the bathroom and when I got out and headed back to my room, there was my dad already in my room checking her out. I'm glad both my parents, especially my mom, like her. I think it helps a lot that I got her as a baby, so she doesn't look to intimidating and they'll be able to get use to her as she grows. My grandmother on my dad's side will not come in my room, even though the snake is in the cage. She's so terrified of them, but at least she'll come into the house. Both my grandpa's don't seem to mind very much, and I don't know exactly know how my grandma on my mom's side will react. I'll be finding out in about two weeks just exactly how she feels about the snake.

All my friends just love her. One of them is a little scared of snakes just because she's been bitten by one in her past, but she's still willing to come over and see her. She said she'd be willing to touch her once the snake is all settled in, and I understand her more. But they all think she's adorable.

I enjoy telling people that I own a snake, and even though some of their reactions aren't the best, I do enjoy telling them that they are on the smaller side, and that they're very docile. Most listen, but if I talk to more of an elderly person, all they think is that it's nasty. I personally am terrified of spiders. I can't sleep if I notice one over my bed, and if I do, I need to kill it. But I can't kill it over my bed, I need it to crawl over a open area. If it lands in my bed, even tough it's dead, I have to rip off my sheets and replace them. It's just bad how terrified I am. The only ones I can tolerate is daddy long legs, because I know they can't hurt me, but if it gets to close I freak out. And tarantulas as long as their inside a cage. (I know that was a little off topic sorry).

But over all, my family and closest friends don't seem to mind her to much, which is great for me. I don't really care what strangers think of her, but I do respect my coworkers who are curious about her.

I just don't talk about them unless I know the person I am talking about is comfortable with the idea :P

What you don't know won't hurt you!

That being said, my parents completely despise them :( They are convinced they are going to escape and strangle me in my sleep . :/

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I just don't talk about them unless I know the person I am talking about is comfortable with the idea :P

What you don't know won't hurt you!

That being said, my parents completely despise them :( They are convinced they are going to escape and strangle me in my sleep . :/

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Maybe you can get a fancy limbic morph ball python and ask it very nicely to talk your parents into trusting it. :P

My mom HATES the idea, and wont even come in my room now, my dad thinks its cool. :P I generally just do like kaorte and leave it alone unless the friend asks, even the ones that like snakes think I'm weird for getting so into it so quickly.....

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Originally Posted by David802

Maybe you can get a fancy limbic morph ball python and ask it very nicely to talk your parents into trusting it. :P

My mom HATES the idea, and wont even come in my room now, my dad thinks its cool. :P I generally just do like kaorte and leave it alone unless the friend asks, even the ones that like snakes think I'm weird for getting so into it so quickly.....

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Yeah dunno about that one...My mom literally thinks snakes are a sign of the devil.....yeah...

My dad just despises all pets. He thinks they are all "useless". To each their own I guess.

:P My parents actually think I have 2 snakes....I have 6..

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Yeah dunno about that one...My mom literally thinks snakes are a sign of the devil.....yeah...

My dad just despises all pets. He thinks they are all "useless". To each their own I guess.

:P My parents actually think I have 2 snakes....I have 6..

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LMFAO nice, well what they don't know wont hurt them! How are snakes a sign of the devil? that just confuses me......

LOL...you should see the reactions when we go for a walk and take a couple of the boys along for some fresh air and scenery!

I'd say out of the ones that spot us, 50% do nothing but gawk driving by, 25% make sure you see them make a "that's disgusting" face, and the other 25% are actually intrigued enough to stop and talk with us. Particularly when we have Mr. Biggles out - he's our adopted 7' boa.