Villianizing Snakes

Well, fortunately for me- I don't live with my parents anymore so :P. I just told him that there are a million and two ways I could die on any given day, so he ought to worry about something more worthy of his concern. Like e-coli outbreaks in my spinach. (Heck, if your food will be more likely to kill you...)

Just to check, I did a google search on "ball python related deaths" and one on "spinach related deaths". Interesting outcome. :rolleyes:

Show your Dad a picture of a fork and spoon, then remind him of what those did to Rosanne Barr...

While hes watching that animal planet crap his tv could also explode and catch his whole house on fire...Or your evil ball python could wake up in the middle of the nite and come kill you. You can tell him to calculate which one is more likely to happen....lmao

I think one of the reasons this forum exists and is so great is the majority of us probably are not surrounded by people who understand or approve of our pets. My family is completely freaked out by my snake, as are most of my friends. I too am completely enraged by the Animal Planet specials and news stories that spread their nonsense, but mainly because of what they do to the animals, not us. Every rattlesnake killed with a shovel died because of fear. Worse, every gopher snake killed because someone didn't know or care the difference. At least I know that my pet and all of your pets are safe from persecution in their cozy, temperature controlled tubs, living the good life. I don't care what people think about me as long as my snake is happy. But when the government starts passing asinine laws..... well, here we are.

I don't know what the solution to this problem is, honestly. I think we all just need to keep loving our pets.

A funny side note, my ball python has NEVER bitten me, but my mom has a cat who will purr contentedly while you pet her, and snuggle like an angel.... and then with no provocation whatsoever, there will be blood. My mom made a comment about how snakes can bite and that if a dog bit someone, most people would send it to a pound. I said a snake is not a dog, and LOOK AT YOUR PSYCHOTIC CAT.

I JUST got off the phone with my mom, and she says I'm not allowed in the house with my ball python. (I live in an apartment during school then come home for summer). She says the snake might get out and eAt our dog, which is a boxer, and about 85 pounds. REALLY?!? It makes me mad when people assume snakes are evil creatures out to kill us when they know NOTHING about them. That's like someone never ever having a dog, and they are terrified of dogs by ONLY what they've been told. People base snakes off of only what they hear, and It angers me more than ANYTHING when people say things like, " snakes are slimy monsters" :rage: :rage: LEARN SOMETHING PEOPLE!!!!

Last night hubby was watching that Animal Planet show that is about guys in the Everglades who deal with "deadly reptiles". Of course the commentator discussing the "wave of deadly pythons threatening the existence of wildlife and people living near the Everglades" was accompanied by footage of, you guessed it, a ball python in someones yard.

Now, ignoring the fact that they are over-dramatizing the snake menace in the Everglades, ignoring the fact these so called experts are a bunch of yahoos who have no idea how to handle most the the "deadly reptiles" they are called to deal with, ignoring the fact that the "owners" filmed surrendering their snakes as too dangerous are in fact grossly neglecting their pets, ignoring the fact that pretty much every thing said was designed to horrify people about reptile owners in general, think for just a moment how someone who has little to no knowledge about snakes is going to view this.

Showing footage of a small, docile and harmless snake while brainwashing people on the deadly nature of reptiles is sending a clear message that regardless of type or species, all reptiles are deadly, and all people who have anything to do with them are brain damaged and irresponsible people who only own reptiles to frighten their neighbors.

We seriously need to pool our resources and produce our own series of reptile based shows and find a network to air them. Forget You Tube, we need to be on F/X or TNT or A&E, or maybe USA, Discovery Channel or something.

Gale

That ^^ x ABillion. Especially the second part. People think that snake owners are all devil worshipers with face tattoos and goth. I'm a biology student at a Big university, no tattoos, no weird piercings, I pay my rent and live a normal life, and I LOVE snakes. I've been trying to convince all my friends and family that snakes make great pets...it's like talking to a wall. People are too ignorant to learn about snakes now a days. It's a shame really. :tears:

I am 49 years old and was worried that 10yrs from now i might not be able to handle a full grown bp so i went to my local reptile store and asked to hold one. I held a 5yr old adult and was surprised how small and light it was. Maybe you could offer the same option to your Dad.

My dad flipped when I casually mentioned that I got a baby ball python. He called it "Satan" and told me he'd kill it. He then felt the need to educate me: ball pythons kill their owners! I laughed and explained that he must be confusing ball pythons with the larger Burmese or retics. I explained their short stature and defensive habits. He then told me I had gotten some misinformation and that was a lie. LOL, my mom was on the other line and, although she didn't approve of Anicho still, she recognized that I have been interested in snakes since I was a kid and had clearly done my research and told him to stop being so dramatic (in so many words).

My parents are elderly and live in another state, so it's me who goes there to visit. They won't hear a word of it when I get a boa ;) I honestly had no idea how anti-snake a lot of people actually are until I got my big, bad, satanic ball python :rolleyes: