Snake haters drive me crazy!!

I know many of you on this forum have probably been lectured a time or two about owning and handling snakes. I can't even count the number of times I have!! Every other day I go to work and I expect someone to say,"That snake is going to get in your bed one night and eat you while you sleep." My ball python is only 2 feet long. I highly doubt she can eat all 5.5' feet of me.

My other favorite part of a lecture is when they say its going to eat my dogs. I mean come on people......seriously!! I doubt she could get out of a locked lid cage. This is coming from people that have never owned or even handled a snake before in their entire lives. And from people that will believe anything they read on the internet or see on the TV. Ridiculous. Do your research before you lecture me.

Thanks for reading.......sorry for the rant.;)

CJ

Why do these people know you have snakes?

Later, Matt

Gotta love facebook......and plus I am proud of being a snke owner.

i know what you're talking bout ! my friends and family say things to me all the time!.. some is worse then others.. but my friends basicaly call me dumb to my face for my idea.. and when i 1st started thinking about breeding.. long story short i told my dad about the idea.. and lets just say he thought i was dumb for thinking about doing it.. said thats a wast of money!!!! and you have to wait 2 years to even get your money back???!!!?!!! thats too long ...(he said that cuzz i told him i had to wait 2 years to start breeding so my snakes would be up to breeding size).. and he said.. you would be better off taking over my tree company!

and don't even get me started on his tree company.. i basicaly have worked for him all my life.. and im tired of all the freaking trees!!!!!! lol...

don't get me wrong i love my dad.. and i love that he still loves his job after 25 years give or take.. but there are times when he just bugs the hell out of me!!!! just so you all know im 19 and living in my own apt.. just throwing that out there so no one gets confused... why would somebody get confused ? you never know lol

basicaly it sucks not having any friends or family supporting me on the things i want to do and love to do...

and now im ranting lol

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Originally Posted by christina_ann0915

Gotta love facebook......and plus I am proud of being a snke owner.

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Snake pride!!! :rockon: I share my snakes with my students, and have done presentations for kids, and have turned on many to the world of herps. However there is still that segment of society that shuns our hobby, and it's something that we'll have to deal with. I can see where DutchHerp is coming from though, I don't go prancing my snakes around in public, or even let my neighbors in my apt building know I have herps. It's a shame though that you've gotta defend yourself to your facebook friends...

It is a shame I can't prance my snakes around in public, because I totally would. Just glad I have the support of this forum and many others who haven't discovered this forum yet. I shouldn't have to hide the fact that I have a snake. (Getting a few more in 3 weeks!!) They are misunderstood creatures.

Wouldn't it be awesome if we can just carry them around like a person walking a dog? I think it would turn people on to snakes if they can see how harmless our BPs are. Unfortunately with all of the hysteria going on right now, that doesn't seem like a good idea even though it is within our legal rights (depending on local laws).

It would be fantastic to carry them around. LOL I can just see my grandmother's face now. They are harmless in my eyes, wish we could say that for the ones who don't understand snakes.

Yaa I can't stand people who make a huge fuss over owning snakes. Boo them and rock us...I've converted scared snake haters into lovers though and that makes it all worth it :)

You know, I'm not sure why, but most people don't hate on me for it.

When I tell people I have 23 snakes, they get a shocked look and ask a series of curious questions. Some say 'that is so cool!' or are disgusted because they're afraid of snakes. But generally, they're curious and are willing to listen to any information I give them with open arms.
It is far more rare for me to see someone ask no questions and try to tell me what my snakes are going to do to me. I guess they figure when I say how many I actually have, I might know a thing or two more than they do from T.V. ;)

Cheers!

You make a great point blackcrystal22. Once I start building up my collection then maybe people will realize that I know what I am doing and am not going to get killed. I do get the "curious" ones too. And that is by far the best part.

My family and friends think it's weird that I have four and make the comment, "I think you're good with four, you don't need anymore." That statement boggles me because I don't see a difference between one or a hundred. It's not like a herd of cattle or even a hundred cats roaming the house. The live in tubs and are happy, if not happier, if you just check on them once a week to clean up their excrement and feed them.

When I start explaining the genetics and mutations, most people find it a little interesting at least.

I don't get many people telling me I'm going to die cuz I keep the fact that I have snakes on the down low. Not because I'm ashamed, only cuz if I get talking about one snake, you can't shut me up for an hour! That, and I don't want to chance getting into the whole 'OMG they're going to EAT you!' "conversation".

The one time I was really hassled about my snakes was at our last Christmas family dinner. My BF's great aunt or something is like 80+ years old. And someone threw out the question "Elise how are your snakes doing?" and she about flipped. Eyes grew big and the questions started coming... Then the "YOU HAVE PYTHONS?!" comment. :rolleyes: But, I realize she's old, stuck in her ways and I didn't try to argue with her. I think she's the oldest in the family now so I dare not combat her.

The only other stupid comment that I got that really rubbed me the wrong way came from my BF's mom. I was telling her about how we're keeping the younger guys in tubs and she said "Well you're gonna put them in tanks, right? I mean, who wants to spend their life in a tub?" At that point, with the month I was having, I was livid. It still ticks me off just thinking about it!

Yeah, now I'm ranting too... Gosh, lol. I guess we all need to get it off our chest routinely! :rofl:

My mom used to call me up and tell me how Im going to die from my snakes getting loose and strangling me and my family. Then she came for a visit, and left with a picture of her sittin on the bed with 19 BPs crawling all over her, smiling a happy smile. She loves the binos lol.

My 83 year old mother got me into this as she bought my son our first python for his B-day. With that being said she would not even touch her at first. Now shes "grandma"....lol and they "pop their head out to visit her"...lol. OK..mom! Anyways...I work with kids and 99% of them think it is cool....the other ones are scared and then come around. I have taken one into school before and they are so excited and into it....so are the teachers. Then I have my peers that think I am crazy...lol. Once they meet our BP ambassador Elizabeth...they change their minds. Now I don't think they are going to run out and get a snake...but they aren't scared anymore. One of them thinks that my snakes are "relaxing" and help them calm down...lol. So when she has a really bad day she comes over and asks to hold one....:rolleyes:

Anybody that knows me knows I keep my yellow anaconda & my rufous beaked snake. Of course not everybody knows that the rufous is rear fanged, or some people may have issues with it. My neighbors know I keep my anaconda, although I did state it was a king snake for the purposes of creating an issue with anybody. All my friends, family and co-workers know what my snakes really are though. I get lectured a lot, and i'm always hearing about how my snakes going to kill me while i'm sleeping and yadda yadda. I just ignore it and nod my head.

The next step after ignorance is often fear.

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

The next step after ignorance is often fear.

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how true . and if lucky the love for the animal will come soon after. the only reason for the fear is ignorance, and I have seen many fall in love with things they once feared.

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Originally Posted by MarkieJ

Wouldn't it be awesome if we can just carry them around like a person walking a dog? I think it would turn people on to snakes if they can see how harmless our BPs are. Unfortunately with all of the hysteria going on right now, that doesn't seem like a good idea even though it is within our legal rights (depending on local laws).

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Originally Posted by christina_ann0915

It would be fantastic to carry them around. LOL I can just see my grandmother's face now. They are harmless in my eyes, wish we could say that for the ones who don't understand snakes.

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I would say it's a bad idea, period, to be carrying your snakes around. They may be harmless, but doing this is harmful to them.

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

I would say it's a bad idea, period, to be carrying your snakes around. They may be harmless, but doing this is harmful to them.

Later, Matt

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In what way?

There is a difference in hatred and fear. Alot of people have a real fear of snakes. My wife actually was terrified of them when we got married. Some people will warm up to it others are just to stubborn to accept them. My sister in law was very scared of them when my collection started... She still wont touch them, but has an intrest and enjoys watching them eat lol... I personally think the looks of freakedoutdom is entertaining, laughable... My mom was really weirded out by the snakes when i got my first, but she comes to see her grandkids, and checks out the snakes every time she comes by. We can love something but that doesnt mean it is for everybody, My brother raises mastiff's they weigh 200 lbs + Cool dogs, not for me, every one is entitled their own likes and dislikes, otherwise the pet industry would only involve one breed of one type of animal if we all liked the same thing. just my .02

I do have to agree with Matt that it would cause undue stress on the snake.

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Originally Posted by MarkieJ

In what way?

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Instead of them being in their ideal environment, they're stuck on you in an enviornment that's not ideal. And stress.


I hate having to 'supress' my hobby around other people. Ecspecially when someones disgusting dog is sniffing my croch in a bank, and I know I'd probably get kicked out if I brought a snake in.

Everyone i see knows i keep them. Between the tats and the slee of snake related tshirts, makes it obvious. And im always reading snake related books at work. Cmostly i get the questions , and how manys. Sometimes i get the " only good snake is a dead snake" crap. My neighbors know i have them, just dont know i had 30 last month or 14 now.

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Originally Posted by Aeries

Instead of them being in their ideal environment, they're stuck on you in an enviornment that's not ideal. And stress.

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I don't think we can make a general statement like this for all ball pythons. My first ball python I've had for ten years (as long as I've been teaching), and kept in my classroom for many of those years. This snake would be passed around amongst my students, placed in a box for feeding, and eat with no problems while 30 teenagers screamed around it.

For the past 3 years I've brought my male albino BP into class when the Unit on Genetics was being taught. He was transported in a small plastic aquarium/carrying case, kept in there all day, handled by strangers, and would still go home and have no problems eating. The highlight of one of his visits was when he left a sperm plug on one of my students!!!

For one semester I brought one of my racks to school. The three tubs held a female mojave, male pastel, and the above mentioned albino. All three of them did well, no problems eating, while still being carried and held by many. However the male pastel was never comfortable being held, it would either remain tightly balled or very quickly try to squirm away from you. It got to the point that my students were afraid of it.

The point I'm trying to make is that I would be selective about which snakes I would carry around. My albino, mojo, and normal female would have no problems (I've got a 6 foot female Hog Isle Boa that I also trust). I have experience carrying them around people and they have still thrived. However the fact that so many are afraid of snakes, leaves me to keep them quietly in their tubs.

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Originally Posted by Neal

Anybody that knows me knows I keep my yellow anaconda & my rufous beaked snake. Of course not everybody knows that the rufous is rear fanged, or some people may have issues with it. My neighbors know I keep my anaconda, although I did state it was a king snake for the purposes of creating an issue with anybody. All my friends, family and co-workers know what my snakes really are though. I get lectured a lot, and i'm always hearing about how my snakes going to kill me while i'm sleeping and yadda yadda. I just ignore it and nod my head.

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Glad I'm not the only one hearing this....lol.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

I would say it's a bad idea, period, to be carrying your snakes around. They may be harmless, but doing this is harmful to them.

Later, Matt

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Ok.........not really sure why you would think we were going to walk around with them on our necks or anything, but ok. And MarkieJ makes a GREAT point in his above post.

I don't think those points are so great.

A stress-free snake and an eating snake are not mutually exclusive, although that seems to be ignored with this argument.

There is a reason that herps are habitat and lifestyle specific.

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

I would say it's a bad idea, period, to be carrying your snakes around. They may be harmless, but doing this is harmful to them.

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I disagree with you on this post. And by by the way agree with Marki!! As you are aware each BP has its own personality...its likes and dislikes. As their keeper you recognize this and act accordingly. My first BP (Elizabeth)thinks she is human...loves to be out...not in the cage. Loves being handled and truly is an ambassodor of her species. The other 2 are not so much so I use my first one for teaching students. Henry my second is getting more and more like Elizabeth and though I would trust him with children...I know it stresses him out...so he doesn't go. Then there is Samantha...who would just like to bite everything...lol. Clearly not one to take to teach kids to like snakes....lol.

And...it is not like we are out at a night club with them around our neck...or going to the store. It is taking them out in a responsible manner.

I think this is a tale old as time. The people out there that dont have snakes and have no facts are the ones telling you these crazy storys about snakes eating the friends dog. Or the time they seen that snake do that crazy thing of tv because you no everything you see on tv is true. It always makes me feel better to give people actual facts on snakes.

My co-workers all know that I breed ball pythons. Some think it's really cool, some think I've lost my mind. LOL

But I always get forwarded stories about snakes that hit the news (as if I haven't already seen them). :)

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Originally Posted by BPelizabeth

I disagree with you on this post. And by by the way agree with Marki!! As you are aware each BP has its own personality...its likes and dislikes. As their keeper you recognize this and act accordingly. My first BP (Elizabeth)thinks she is human...loves to be out...not in the cage. Loves being handled and truly is an ambassodor of her species. The other 2 are not so much so I use my first one for teaching students. Henry my second is getting more and more like Elizabeth and though I would trust him with children...I know it stresses him out...so he doesn't go. Then there is Samantha...who would just like to bite everything...lol. Clearly not one to take to teach kids to like snakes....lol.

And...it is not like we are out at a night club with them around our neck...or going to the store. It is taking them out in a responsible manner.

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:rofl:

I don't know about you, but I'd say it's fairly impossible to tell what a snake likes and dislikes.

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

:rofl:

I don't know about you, but I'd say it's fairly impossible to tell what a snake likes and dislikes.

Later, Matt

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Ok, DutchHerp, I really don't see why you have to rain on everyone's parade. How do you know what a snake likes or dislikes? Every person posting in this thread is titled to their opinion, and they don't deserve for you to shoot those opinions down.:D

I don't get flak from the family or friends anymore about all my snakes.:P They finally got the picture that they are harmless and here to stay.

I used to take one of my red tails to the park for short walks. Most people weren't afraid of her either.

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Originally Posted by christina_ann0915

Ok, DutchHerp, I really don't see why you have to rain on everyone's parade. How do you know what a snake likes or dislikes? Every person posting in this thread is titled to their opinion, and they don't deserve for you to shoot those opinions down.:D

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It doesn't take a dissertation to conclude than an animal that spends the days under ground and in burrows would prefer to not be out walking around all day.

That is why I rain on your parade, because you're spitting out false information.

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

:rofl:

I don't know about you, but I'd say it's fairly impossible to tell what a snake likes and dislikes.

Later, Matt

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A snake doesn't like or dislike, that's a human characteristic that we cannot impart on them. So in that way I agree with you. However, we can observe their behaviors and make inferences. Snakes are pretty simple creatures. If they're cold, they move to a warm spot. If they're hungry, they eat. If they gotta take a dump, they'll wait until you've given them fresh bedding... :P No we can't get into their systems and see if a particular activity is stressing them, but we can observe them before, during, and after the activity. If they are calm, continue eating, pooping, breeding, and all their other normal activities... I'm gonna infer that the activity is not stressful.

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Originally Posted by MarkieJ

A snake doesn't like or dislike, that's a human characteristic that we cannot impart on them. So in that way I agree with you. However, we can observe their behaviors and make inferences. Snakes are pretty simple creatures. If they're cold, they move to a warm spot. If they're hungry, they eat. If they gotta take a dump, they'll wait until you've given them fresh bedding... :P No we can't get into their systems and see if a particular activity is stressing them, but we can observe them before, during, and after the activity. If they are calm, continue eating, pooping, breeding, and all their other normal activities... I'm gonna infer that the activity is not stressful.

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That's one way of looking at it.

Another way is to look at the natural history of the animal and provide for them accordingly. Taking them out in public in the middle of the day is quite truthfully the full opposite of what their natural habits are like.

Later, Matt

It might not be their habits....obviously! But as a responsible owner you know when your snake is not liking something. You know if your snake is becoming stressed or remaining calm. Likewise you know if your snake wants to stay out with you or go back into their enclosure! Elizabeth is not like a typical BP...not at all. It is possible to have some that are completely different. Please don't try to tell me that I don't know my very own snake and insinuate that I am being irresponsible. I find that offensive!

If snakes didnt understand, or have likes and dislikes, then all blood pythons, bullsnakes, and texas rat snakes would be brutally agressive. There wouldnt be any that were docile. I would say that shows a degree of a thought process. They dont tame down out of instinct.

Reptiles are very sane animals. Unlike humans, they don't do things that they don't like to do. They do what they want to do. If a snake bites you, it's because, at that moment, it wanted to, and liked it, if only a little bit.

That's how reward centers in the brain work--these things drive action from instinct. I don't think it's the least bit of a stretch to assume that animals like to behave the way they do. Any animal with emotion is capable of that--that's a large part of what emotions are FOR. And snakes do have emotions, albeit primitive ones.

People tend to go too far in avoiding 'anthropomorphism'. They forget that humans are animals, and that other species DO share mental traits with us. Throwing out all hope of understanding an animal's motivations is just as bad as assuming it thinks exactly the way you do.

These animals aren't devoid of emotion, or of motivation. We know that pythons like to have small, tight hiding places because they seek them out, and their stress level reduces when they have them. This is obvious, it's not anthropomorphic.

It takes a social animal to do something it doesn't want to do, in order to achieve some long-term goal.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

If a snake bites you, it's because, at that moment, it wanted to, and liked it, if only a little bit.

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Ok sorry but that was cute....I can just see J H Smith saying...yep..he liked a lot. lol :rofl: (in regards to his new pied)

Sorry but that was a great quote.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

It doesn't take a dissertation to conclude than an animal that spends the days under ground and in burrows would prefer to not be out walking around all day.

That is why I rain on your parade, because you're spitting out false information.

Later, Matt

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Ok, first off when I did post about walking around all day with them on our necks, do you really think I was being serious?? No.....didn't think so. And what false information did I "spit" out? We all know that snakes spend there days under ground in borrows, no need to tell us something we already know. Thanks for sharing. :D:D:D:P:P:P

That was figurative speech, I'm pretty sure you'd get bored of walking around with your snake after less than an hour or so. Point is, it's stressful for a ball python to be carried around like that. Just because a snake is not moving in your arms or appearing to be moving comfortably doesn't mean it's enjoying it.

How's the storm over there?

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by MarkieJ

Wouldn't it be awesome if we can just carry them around like a person walking a dog? I think it would turn people on to snakes if they can see how harmless our BPs are. Unfortunately with all of the hysteria going on right now, that doesn't seem like a good idea even though it is within our legal rights (depending on local laws).

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I actually use to do this. Like 15 years ago. In my neighborhood at the time everyone loved my snakes. Its different now. The only person in my family who was not freaking out about me having snakes was my dad. He use to catch garter snakes in the yard when I was little and bring them to me.

Just remember this.. If anyone tries to compare your pets to their pets, tell them how much you hate little dogs, or cats, or hamsters etc and how you would kill one if it wandered into your yard... Changes the perspective a little...

I know what you mean!! When I was getting my snake my mum put it on facebook (she's not a snake fan) and people I dont even though (as well as others I do) put stuff like "Urrrr thats horrible, cant believe someone would want an animal like that theyre all slimy" etc etc etc.......... How can they judge like that when they obiously don't know ANYTHING about snakes!! And they're not 'slimy'!!!! My snakes LOVELY!!!

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Originally Posted by MarkieJ

If they're cold, they move to a warm spot. If they're hungry, they eat. If they gotta take a dump, they'll wait until you've given them fresh bedding... :P

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That's the ball python sense of humor coming out. Listen closely at night after you've cleaned the tubs...you can hear the chuckles coming from the rack.

A few too many times I have heard "A friend of mine had a giant snake and it used to sleep with him, then one day it attacked him! Turns out it was sizing him up every night to see if he could eat him". I call urban legend bull phooey on that.
When I tell someone I have snakes, the most common question is "Is it poisonous!?"... no. No snakes are. And mine aren't venomous either. That's not even legal in Canada.
There are still people out there who think snakes are slimy, too.
Or another favourite, "Won't it try to strangle you!?"

But I do agree that exposure and education are the best methods for niave snake-haters (naive in a loving way, not offensive). :rolleyes:

Simply from that, I have already gotten a family member into snakes (he now wants one as a pet), I have gotten my partner to be comfortable around them, and one of my friends as well - she even held my corn snake.
Now... for my overly genderized female cousin this week...


:D

Everyone I know was initially against me getting a snake. But they already knew I was a huge animal person. I am super lucky too because the boa I have is a total sweetheart (usually, lol) and a great way to show people that snakes aren't bad. Now I have a few friends who wouldn't want to hold her, but none of my friends think I am in any danger (or at least they don't say it to my face!). Even my grandparents love my boa, and ask how she is, and hold her from time to time.

My mom was totally against me getting into snakes, but now she loves her, and baby talks her when she see her. My parents even took care of her for eight months when I had a great out of state opportunity come up (and wasn't allowed to bring reptiles with me), and even threw her a birthday party. Now my mom's biggest fear is that she won't ever have grandkids, just grandsnakes.

When I travel I take my dog and ferrets with me, so when I went to visit my aunt she thought I would be taking the snake with me too. She told me that she would stuff towels under the door at night, and that I couldn't bring it in her sight. Well obviously you can't just travel with a snake for the heck of it, so she was never going to go on vacation with me in the first place, but later when my aunt came to visit us she worked up the nerve to look at her in her cage. And then she had me pull her out. And then she held her! And then next month she bought her daughter a corn snake. My aunt likes him because she has bad allergies to things with fur, so she thinks he is the perfect pet. She absolutely babies him. This from a woman who said she would be stuffing towels under her bedroom door at night! She doesn't like to feed him though, and makes her daughter do that.

I used to answer the door at halloween with my boa, and all the neighbors loved her, and loved to ask questions about her. Now I'm getting super paranoid about people other than good friends knowing I keep reptiles, so she doesn't go out in the front yard anymore, her cage isn't where visitors can just see it, and I won't be answering the door this halloween with her. Even though most of my neighbors loved her, I'm worried a new one might raise a fuss, and with the way things are going I don't want people to know I have her, even though it is legal to keep boas where I live.

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Originally Posted by Shann

Everyone I know was initially against me getting a snake. But they already knew I was a huge animal person. I am super lucky too because the boa I have is a total sweetheart (usually, lol) and a great way to show people that snakes aren't bad. Now I have a few friends who wouldn't want to hold her, but none of my friends think I am in any danger (or at least they don't say it to my face!). Even my grandparents love my boa, and ask how she is, and hold her from time to time.

My mom was totally against me getting into snakes, but now she loves her, and baby talks her when she see her. My parents even took care of her for eight months when I had a great out of state opportunity come up (and wasn't allowed to bring reptiles with me), and even threw her a birthday party. Now my mom's biggest fear is that she won't ever have grandkids, just grandsnakes.

When I travel I take my dog and ferrets with me, so when I went to visit my aunt she thought I would be taking the snake with me too. She told me that she would stuff towels under the door at night, and that I couldn't bring it in her sight. Well obviously you can't just travel with a snake for the heck of it, so she was never going to go on vacation with me in the first place, but later when my aunt came to visit us she worked up the nerve to look at her in her cage. And then she had me pull her out. And then she held her! And then next month she bought her daughter a corn snake. My aunt likes him because she has bad allergies to things with fur, so she thinks he is the perfect pet. She absolutely babies him. This from a woman who said she would be stuffing towels under her bedroom door at night! She doesn't like to feed him though, and makes her daughter do that.

I used to answer the door at halloween with my boa, and all the neighbors loved her, and loved to ask questions about her. Now I'm getting super paranoid about people other than good friends knowing I keep reptiles, so she doesn't go out in the front yard anymore, her cage isn't where visitors can just see it, and I won't be answering the door this halloween with her. Even though most of my neighbors loved her, I'm worried a new one might raise a fuss, and with the way things are going I don't want people to know I have her, even though it is legal to keep boas where I live.

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I kinda see where you're coming from with not letting people know about your snake.

I don't let my neighbors know about mine either for the very same reasons. My landlord is ok with having them around since they won't cause damage, but I'm not sure how the neighbors would feel. Some people have irrational fears and would maybe cause an issue.

This thread has been sling shot around the sun. Remember to bring back some humpback whales!