Coping with Closed Minds

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Or

"My how well informed you are. Your research must have been exhaustive and the knowledge gained by such hard yet earnest work will no doubt stand you good stead for the remainder of your natural life. It's people like you, who take the time, who have the courage, the guts, the gumption, to thoroughly, painstakingly, at huge personal cost, research a subject you so obviously feel so negative about. And to have done so without bias, with no forethought to the outcome you came to, to dedicate yourself to such adherence to truth and the never ending quest for it, to have so openly, freely and with eager enthusiasm not seen since the cat and canary first realized that Granny wasn't waking up from this nap, you present your knowledge so tenderly, gently, as an old and familiar lover's caress, so softly does it brush against all that I and all the rest of the reptile world these many years have obviously mistakenly taken as truth.

Thank you for that, from the bottom of my peanutbutter filled heart, thank you for that.

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:rofl::rofl: That's freakin' AWESOME!!! Gotta remember this for the next one! lol

I don't really care who knows that I have pet snakes because...well because I like the shock value I get out of it. I tell people all the time. It gives me a chance to educate them about snakes and I find people in my area who have some of their own or used to have them.

Just like today, for example. One of the girls I work with didn't know I had them or even used to. Somehow they came up in conversation and when I admitted I had a snake...many snakes....to be exact, I saw the fear in her eyes and started talking about how much she hated them...blah...blah...blah.... I let her carry on until she settled down, going about my work and basically ignoring her rant lol. About an hour later she was telling a customer that I had several snakes and how *crazy* I was for having them....we both found out that he used to keep hots! lol Now she thinks we're BOTH crazy lol.

The guy said he used to keep a few hots until he got married. Said he'd been thinking about getting a python lately. We talked while I showed him my pics of all my babies. He told me he'd been looking for a bearded dragon as he's been wanting one but seeing my babies and talking to me really has him wanting to get back into snakes. Gave him lots info on breeders and sites online that were good placess and now I'm helping him find a beardie and snake :D

As far as the girl I work with, between he and I we educated her about snakes and even got her curious about them now. It's what usually happens. Some people just take a little longer. And a few never really come around but will eventaully stop talking noise about them and even ask you how they're doing and stuff.

I keep mine in my bedroom. "Out of site: out of mind" Plenty of people have come to my house who've professed to be afaid or just hate them. Since they don't see them, they don't remember I have them. It's been in my experience that when people come over often enough, they remember, get educated again and will eventually at least touch one of them. Not all in the same visit of course lol, but it happens.

I must say, it makes me smile and feels like a huge accomplishment everytime I've gotten someone who's phobic of them touch and hold them. Even better when they ask you if they can hold them or even ask you to help them get one of their own! My manager, who used to be scared of them, now has one of his own! :D

I can say truthfully that anyone who's been to my house has eventually touched them at least. (I always offer for them to touch the tail end....NEVER the face. Most people will automatically go for the face if you don't and that can spook the snake, especially if it's headshy, possibly turning first time experience into a bad one!) For some reason most people think they're slimey and once they touch and see they're not and that the snake didn't even attempt to act aggressive over a simple touch, they start coming around. Some still don't care for them, but they're not scared of mine anymore so I don't hear any disparaging remarks about them.

If it makes you feel better I use my rather small collection of snakes to keep certain people away from my house... The people that dont like them know they are in one room of my house and never see tehm, the people that I dont want at my house assume they are everywhere.... kinda nice, dont have to tell them to bugger off just, say ohh well you are afraid of snakes....lol

I know it seems offensive but it is really not a hobby for everyone, I love what I do, and cant immagine life with out it... Just wait till your cousin posts pics of his dog or cat or fish or whatever they have as pets and freak out, be like ohhh thats disgusting, I cant immagine you letting that dog lick you after licking its butt ....