Raising a kid with snakes.

Some people hear the word python, and get all up in arms. My aunt's friend found out I had a ball python (she didn't know what size it gets or anything, I'm sure it was a 10 foot monster in her mind), and she was all "IS SHE CRAZY!! Didn't she see the news about those boys!!" You can try to explain to them, but they often just won't hear it. IMO it's much more dangerous to raise a new baby around a dog, which is very common, but I'm not saying that that is inherently dangerous either. Accidents do happen (not with ball pythons and babies, but with pets in general), but more often than not "accidents" are due to irresponsible pet ownership. I don't really know what to tell your friend, she's not sounding like much of a "best friend" though.

I find that quite rude of her, I guess you must be reckless and irresponsible if you own a cat or a dog right? a kid is more likely to get bit/attack by a cat/dog then a snake...

Wow I am so sorry that people are pestering you about this it's awful! But people truly are misinformed about all types of pet snakes. Every time I tell someone I have a snake, a ball python, they look at me all serious and ask me "What does it eat?" And every time I look at them with a baffled expression because I thought that everyone that's passed middle school high school and have college degrees new that Snakes Eat RODENTS!! Lol but people obviously have no idea now a days it's insane. The next time someone asks I'm going to ask them what they think it eats to see what page they are on. But with your friend I'd tell her that the car that I drive and the car that you drive kills more people every year than all the pets you could possibly own. But your not irresponsible for driving a car are you? Absolutely not. And I'm definitely not wishing any badness upon you with the car thing, I just don't think a lot of people understand that cars are a deadly piece of machinery when not handled properly. But anyway. Definitely try to educate your friend, it's sad how little people know now a days. I hope things get better with you, and you are no longer harassed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

same as raising kids with guns in the house. keep them locked up (if they're dangerous) and teach your kids about them. how to properly handle them and how they can be dangerous (i know this part doesn't apply to balls as much, but for those with the big snakes). i was raised with a ball python and no telling how many guns. i still have both my eyes and all my fingers and toes. ;) it's usually the kids that have no idea what a gun is and find it in their parents room that have the accidents.

I'll be raising my son we're expecting around snakes. We also may be acquiring a bully breed. If they were a friend, they'd keep their nose out of places it doesn't belong. My family knows better, and my friends are all herpers so I haven't ever run into anything like this. But I wouldn't be very kind to anyone criticizing my choices .

I've had people question me for owning my pets.

I always bring out my largest male, who is lean and in the 1000+ range, to show reluctant friends. I tell them that he is an adult male. And they always respond, 'oh....that's it?! He's smaller than I imagined'. I guess they're thinking 12 ft Burms or retics or something in their mind......

Then I bring out my largest female(2000+g). She is much larger than the male, but still smaller than what they think a generic python is. Their fears are usually nullified and actually start to take interest in the snakes.

But all in all, I've had more trouble owning ferrets than snakes. Most people are like 'what?! Why would you own them!? They're dangerous!'
There was two incidents in the news where children and ferrets were involved. One girl had her face eaten off when she was asleep? Another baby ferret was blamed for eating 8 fingers off an infant (the dog was probably actually the culprit) in the same room as sleeping parents. < fishy story

Not to mention, lots of people tell me that my dobermans will turn on me at 2 years of age. What nonsense!

As long as your safe and responsible should be no problem! That being said, we generally have an "open house" each year so that a lot of my coworkers and neighbors see exactly what we work with and get rid of most snake related steroetypes. I have had several friends that were scared of snakes that have now purchased one after being educated and seeing that they are not the evil monsters the media makes out to be.

There are SO many things in this world that are "dangerous" to humans. I could rattle off a million things that are more likely to kill you than a snake, but it doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is that captive reptiles are much less dangerous than the general public believe. Scare tactics on the news and ANIMAL PLANET (UGH) have made sure of that.

The best thing you can do is educate people if they are willing. For the most part I have been able to convince people that my animals are not dangerous. I still have a few friends that are completely terrified of snakes, and I understand their fears. I would never force them to confront my animals if they weren't comfortable with it.

I guess its worth mentioning that a captive (or wild) ball python has never severely injured or killed any human (that I know of). It just really isn't possible. Even an infant is far too large for a ball python to eat.

Ball pythons are naturally shy animals. For gods sake their primary defense mechanism is to curl into a ball? What could be more dangerous than that??? I guess if you threw it at someone it might hurt... LOL

If you just have ball pythons and other small snakes they pose no risk to humans and you should tell your friend that and show them how gentle and small they stay. As for larger constrictors like boids and retics it will take more convincing but they do not look for humans to eat or kill like the news portrays and accidents are very rare. It is all about how secure you keep them so they cannot escape or be messed with by others. Any pet; snake, dog, or cat could cause injury to humans.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kameo37

Neal, I think you misunderstood. I was saying that the OTHER person brings up the snake eating a wildebeest. I'm definitely not spreading that misinformation around. I ask them if they think a ball python was the one eating a wildebeest to prove a point. It obviously wasn't. Therefore, my family is safe because the crazy video that person saw on you tube has nothing to do with the snakes I'm keeping in my home.
Even if it did, it's much more about responsible keepers, than anything. Which we also discuss.

The making them feel silly part is all in my head. I just *hope* they feel silly about saying stuff like that after we chat about it. There's no joking or sarcasm actually going on.

Believe me, I had never even heard of that kind of stuff until 2 different people brought it up while I'm showing them my super sweet bp. I would never perpetuate any negative stereotypes about reptiles! I certainly would never joke about it with people who, so clearly, didn't know any better.

Sorry if my original response came across that way...I did write it during my insomnia at 4 am.

---

Yea, it sounded like you were making up that you saw a video, not that you actually actually saw a video of that. It could of been taken either way, but thanks for clearing it up.