my waking thought

2:30 this morning i woke up to
"why is it that when someone hears the words 'reptile owner' they automatically picture someone who lives alone, is covered in tattoos and piercings, may possibly be satanic & may also have some form of mental illness?"
these are NOT my beliefs!
i mean i'm a christian who was raised catholic, i go to church, i have 2 kids (3 if you count my bf), 1 on the way and i like to think i'm a fairly decent person.
does anyone else feel stereotyped or is this just the ramblings of an overtired mind who wants to be up for the day?
then my dad's words rang out in my head and i just had to roll my eyes, shake my head and sigh. my dad told me recently that "snakes are ugly, creepy looking things..." he said this when we were having a conversation about me wanting to get a pet snake.
anyways, i'm hoping i dont start a vicious debate or something but i'm annoyed by the idea that reptile owners are stereotyped in such a negative light.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mommanessy247

2:30 this morning i woke up to
"why is it that when someone hears the words 'reptile owner' they automatically picture someone who lives alone, is covered in tattoos and piercings, may possibly be satanic & may also have some form of mental illness?"
these are NOT my beliefs!
i mean i'm a christian who was raised catholic, i go to church, i have 2 kids (3 if you count my bf), 1 on the way and i like to think i'm a fairly decent person.
does anyone else feel stereotyped or is this just the ramblings of an overtired mind who wants to be up for the day?
then my dad's words rang out in my head and i just had to roll my eyes, shake my head and sigh. my dad told me recently that "snakes are ugly, creepy looking things..." he said this when we were having a conversation about me wanting to get a pet snake.
anyways, i'm hoping i dont start a vicious debate or something but i'm annoyed by the idea that reptile owners are stereotyped in such a negative light.

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Words never bother me. Let people think what they want, after all, you're probably never going to change their opinion. I too am a Christian, an ordained minister and most of my family doesn't understand my hobby. However, I don't get why someone would spend an entire Saturday afternoon hitting, then chasing a little white ball, only to try to get it into a little round hole in the ground. I don't understand why someone would pay thousands of dollars for a USED stamp that was used to mail a letter in 1942. So, as you can see, there are hobbies for everyone. Don't sweat the small stuff and it's all small stuff. As long as your hobby doesn't hurt you or anyone else, then it's a good thing.

Jim Smith

People are always going to stereotype. I really don't let others thoughts bother me. They are going to think whatever they are going to think... I really think that most people that stereotype about our hobby just do not understand. They have always been taught that snakes are bad, evil, mean, or gross. If they want to know about the hobby, I would be more than happy to tell them. If not, then that's fine too.

I get it all the time...."You are not what I expected." I am not tatted up, wear shorts and T-shirt year round, no peircings, Sports is my 2nd passion behind ball pythons. I would be mistaken for a football coach a lot faster than a snake breeder! But people say I'm crazy for messing with snakes...The ones who stomp through the woods looking for a cute little deer to shoot are crazy in my book, but not as crazy as the ones who walk into a pond, waist deep, in 20* weather, 5:00am, to try and shoot a duck!!!! NOW THAT'S CRAZY!! :rolleye2:

ya'll bring up some good points.
i know i shouldnt let stuff bother me but when i get thoughts like that at 2:30 am i cant help but let my mind mull it over for a minute...or vent it here, lol.

I get the whole "I can't believe you keep snakes as pets" line all the time. My mother thinks I am crazy and that are snakes are just disgusting. Then again, I have a tongue piercing and she thinks that is gross too! You should see the reaction that I get when I tell these people that I have dead rats in my freezer, their reactions are just priceless! I don't really care what anyone thinks about my snake keeping hobby! I enjoy it and find it to be very relaxing and rewarding.

Reptile ownership has gone mainstream, pretty much. Just like tattoos (doctors have them..) mental illness (everyone is on some sort of antidepressant or anti-anxiety drug..) living alone (many people choose not to marry, or are divorcee's, although the economy nowadays does not really support living alone, as roommates make it cheaper..) and satanism.. we won't go there.

Judging anyone by one, sole factor in their life (reptile ownership.. religion.. political party) is juvenile and ridiculous.

I try not to let it bother me. Actually, I kind of like it when people look at me funny when they find out I like reptiles. It gives them something to think about, makes them see that not all reptile enthusiasts are weird and covered in tattoos/piercings etc. It's a learning experience for them because they come with their set ideas and here's a young woman who loves snakes and the only thing that's anywhere near their idea is the fact that she has part of her hair dyed blue.

I think that people are starting to get over the stereotypes as the hobby increases in popularity, but I see what you mean.

Do I look like I own 14 snakes? :rofl: (My little sis, Granny from Italy, and Me)
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...er/013-1-1.jpg

There are quite a few people that don't fit the normal stereotype, but let me tell ya. I sure didn't fit in at the Tinley show!!! It was a little awkward, lol. People can't ever believe that I own snakes because I'm so sweet and innocent :rofl: In that pic you can see one of my tatts, so I can't say I'm not tatted up and pierced! I catch a lot of grief from people, but nothing major. I'll get the "omg you're psycho" and the norm, but no one treats me different. People are going to judge no matter what. It's all in how you present yourself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

Do I look like I own 14 snakes? :rofl:d innocent :rofl: In that pic you can see one of my tatts, so I can't say I'm not tatted up and pierced!

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Yes, Yes you do with all that ink on your left foot:rofl:

I fit "the crazy neighbor" stereotype:devil:
Ink from almost head to toe, though I can hide all but the one on my neck
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...eprowl/Rob.jpg
Wife's foot:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...rowl/Tiana.jpg
Memorial to a puppy we tried to save from coccidia, she came from a really bad place and was not strong enough or big enough to fight it off herself but was always happy:tears:
this gives you an idea of how small she was:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yBigBrudda.jpg
My right arm, all "self inflicted" LOL
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1020271.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1020270.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1020280.jpg

Our matching leg piece:
Minehttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1010556.jpg
Hershttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1010552.jpg

Her back(I still need to finish:rage:)http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1020439.jpg

My thighs are done, pretty much any place I can reach on my own body has something in the works for me to do (Thanks honey for getting me a couple machines 2 years ago for christmas............but you forgot the guinea pigs for me to practice on!!!!) LOL

Our 15yo has a Celtic cross on his back with his initials down the middle.

Piercings me: labret and 2 on left ear, son:both ears, labret, helix, wife: we just wont go there:O:D

But none of this makes me the crazy guy. I clean all my guns on the front porch after we get back from the shooting range, this makes me the crazy guy:gj:

I am happy with that, no one come to my house for anything unless they REALLY need me.
On the flip-side we are the "COOL" parents because of all of this;)

Wait, I think my a.d.d. kicked in a gain, what were we talking about?

Oh yeah, I fit everything including the mental illness part (Seems if you have common sense thereis something wrong with you these days:cool: