Snake Haters

Ugh >.< I'm sorry I just need to vent. My fiance's older brother is a snake hater and he has to shove all his opinions on how my BALL PYTHONS are apparently going to kill everyone and eat them. To top it off he's one of those "Internet Trolls" (yes, I was fascinated to meet one in real life, they're exactly as I imagined), so you can bring fact after fact, statistic after statistic, and you can talk sense into this guy 'til you're blue in the face and he's still right and you're wrong.

I've gotten to the point where I just toy with him and bring up news articles of dogs and such killing children (which are surprisingly easy to find 0.o) and tell him to go join the HSUS and ban all animals. And it shuts him up with me at least.

Of course now that my fiance and I are having a child he's at it again. Now he's harassing my fiance at work about how he needs to put his foot down on me and not allow me to get any more snakes and get rid of the ones I already own. Its getting tiring. My fiance and I both know thats not an option, when I started dating him I was very clear that I love my snakes, they are more important to me than you are, if you ever try to tell me to get rid of one or sell one I will be out of your life before you know what happened. And he knows all this and he's fine with it, he loves our snakies as much as I do.

I know my future brother-in-law is concerned that one of the snakes will harm our soon to be born child, but I am 100% confident that will not happen. In the years that I have owned reptiles I have never had one escape, ever. They're all in properly locked containers that they have no hope of getting out of. They live in my closet and when my child is old enough the door will be locked. Sadly 20 years can go buy with not one little incident between those snakes and my son and this guy will still blame all the problems of the world on my poor harmless snakes.

I mean, I know there is nothing my future brother-in-law can do and that I should just ignore it, which I generally do, but its getting tiring. I keep telling him that when I have a full grown burm I'm going to let it loose on him and hey maybe he'll be right and it'll eat him, no great loss in my eyes :P.

Anyway, sorry, that was my vent. I feel better now.

I know what you mean, my family and my fiancee family is the same way, flipping out that my BP will kill everyone. Now granite, I do Have a brb with could get pretty big (8+ft) but like you j Have racks, and locks know everything... plus a spare room where no one, bit me, go in. It is very frustrating, but at the end of the day, its your life and your fiancea's. And your family needs to understand that.. mine finally did and it a lot better. My mom is a person who believes EVERYTHING she sees/hears on the tv or news, so you can only imagine. But I finally got to her the real facts and she likes snakes now...

Good luck, and sorry if none of this makes since, bit my phone isn't the best to type long responses lol.

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I can understand the frustration that you feel. I have a few friends that are horrified that I have snakes. They love to ask what I would do if one of the snakes ate someone. I just laugh and tell them that I would let the snake digest the meal. lol Then I explain that even the largest ball python could not eat a human, and that their dogs have a better chance to hurt someone than my snakes do. I also have had to tell a few people that if they don't like my snakes that they don't have to come over to my house.

I am so sorry, but it will probably never stop. You just need to find a way to ignore that & know that only you & your fiance will be the ones making decisions about the snakes & the baby. (Congrats by the way!) I have a couple that I work with and they have 12 snakes in their home & have a soon to be 2 year old. Everyone in the family that wasn't a snake person was sooooo worried about the baby with the snakes. It's ridiculous! They have them in racks & in a spare room & their son doesn't go in there without their supervision. He's 2 for crying out loud! I've got a pic of him with one of my snakes ( they snake watched while I moved ) he's grown up with the snakes & his parents have let him touch them & hold them (they are cornsnakes, balls, sand boas & 1 juv red tail) but all with their supervision. As a parent you wouldn't allow anything to happen to your child, again the dogs are at more of a risk of harming the child than the snakes. (They have 2 pit mixes so they got the talks from that angle too) But they told their family to keep their opinions to themselves & they are raising their son with their opinions & to be a responsible pet owner. It's calmed down for now, but when he was a baby I know they had a lot of "advice"

My fiance isn't a snake lover but he knows I love my snakes so he's very supportive and just asks that I don't ask him to hold them or have them out when he's in the room. But he would never ask me to rehome them, he knows that the animals are a part of me and they aren't going anywhere. He has 3 boys, and they will hold the snakes with my supervision but really don't pay them any attention unless I'm messing with them. It will all be ok, I hope the stories of others in the same situation you are help you know that you have support here whenever you need it! :snake:

I also have to say to never be 100% sure of anything. But some people are going to say everything is dangerous. Too bad people don't mind there own business anymore.

Yes, he will forever hate them.

But you know, two can play at that game. I'm going to get his son a plush stuffed animal snake just for kicks. lol.

And yeah, I worded that wrong, I'm as confident as I can be owning any animal with a child that nothing will happen.

So, this brother of the guy you're supposed to marry also wants a voice in the relationship you're supposed to be having with his brother.....uh huh, I can see loads of happiness being trucked your way.

Oooops, that was the PortaPotty Truck, not the Happiness Express. They're both Bright Blue and I sometimes confuse them from a distance. Up close though, there's no doubt which is which. At least out here.

Perhaps some boundaries or rules of engagement of just plain ol' off limits signs would suit you better than toying with the willfully ignorant.

I can understand the frustration! People are just so strange in how they treat snakes, there's a gentleman in my biology class who's been asking me questions about my pets and snakes in general so I've been answering his questions. However, in lab the other day I go across the room to deal with a culture in the incubator and I hear him saying to the other lab partner "She really knows her snakes, it's the creepiest thing I've ever witnessed. Wait until we see her in the headlines strangled to death"

So much for education :mad: I hope your potential brother in law doesn't overstep his boundaries! (Though I'm sure you're more than capable of kicking his a** back into place if it comes to that ;) )

LOL Yeah I can see I'm in for quite a treat, I shall have to remind Dawayne, the brother-in-law, that I am marrying his brother, not his family.

Luckily I'm pretty easy going and you can talk your nonsense to me and I'll just go about my way doing my thing.

There isn't a cure for stupid unfortunately.

Now as to snakes being dangerous ?

I have a 14 year old daughter. She loves my ball pythons and handles them regularly. I don't worry when she does, never have. She's smart and confident, and while she's never been bitten I have and so has her daddy. When I get bit I laugh, you can't help it. It's such a non-event. Her daddy on the other hand freaked out so badly now he's terrified of the snakes, and if he thinks one is even thinking about biting he goes off the deep end.

Ambria takes after me. She's told me several times she's not afraid of being bitten, and if it happens and the snake won't let go, as happened to her dad, she knows not to panic but let me help her.

A few years ago, our next door neighbor's dog attacked and bit Ambria for no reason. Tore her pants right off her leg. Fortunately, it's teeth hung in her jeans so her leg was only scratched. But this guy comes over to my house, giving me song and dance about how his dog didn't bite Ambria, that it was Ambria's fault, the dog was only playing with her, on and on and on. Biggest jerk in history, upset me so badly I went to the neigbor in back of us and hid, this guy had his whole family ganging up on me saying it was caused by the dogs foot and not a bite. Worst thing was, it was a pitbull, and had already attacked two other people so he knew it was not supposed to be outside unsupervised. He was threatening me because of his own carelessness and stupidity. And I'm way more uncomfortable with her being around a large or strange dog than I am my snakes.

Gale

unfortunately there will be snake haters right along with us snake lovers, its an inevitable fact of life. but it doesnt just go for snakes there are people who hate any other kind of animal.
my dad is one that'll say "a good snake is a dead snake."
i hate that, but i know why he feels that way and i still do not like it despite the fact that i understand why he feels so.
but...i'd draw the line at him ever telling me anything like what your hearing. it just goes to show how little people know about these animals that they're so sure is gonna kill and eat everyone. that kind of ignorance and blatant disrespect really saddens me but i know i'm doing everything i can to be safe around my snake and although i allow my daughter to handle it i'm still ever watchful of their interactions.
my bf is not fond of my snake but respects the fact that it is mine and i'm solely responsible for it and although he says he wont let me get any more i'm sure over time he'll chill on that once he sees that i really do know my stuff with these animals.
now...i'll never own a snake that'll grow over 6 ft due to my having 2 children and a 3rd on the way plus the fact that i would not be able to safely handle a 6+ ft snake alone since i'm kinda on the small side.
so anyways,
i'm sorry you got a difficult brother in law.
congratz on your little one on the way.

BPs eat kids? Your Bro in law is a pretty stupid guy. Personally, I enjoy arguing with ignorant people. They constantly make themselves look really silly. You have to admit, feeding the trolls can be kind of fun in a way :).

In anycase, love your snakes, and it seems your husband aint gonna be touching the topic so no worries :). Snakes for life :snake:

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Originally Posted by SnakesNStangss22

I do Have a brb with could get pretty big (8+ft)

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?

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...gle-142651.jpg

For some reason, people don't seem to give me crap about this kind of thing.

Maybe it has something to do with the professor in earshot who's a herpetologist. :rolleyes:

But the most important thing is that I honestly don't care. People think I'm crazy, but hell, I think people who have 20 cats and their house smells like urine are more crazy than I am!

I know it bothers you deep down, but the true way to get under their skin is laugh at them. Sit there and laugh at their ignorance as loudly as possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by angllady2

There isn't a cure for stupid unfortunately.

Now as to snakes being dangerous ?

I have a 14 year old daughter. She loves my ball pythons and handles them regularly. I don't worry when she does, never have. She's smart and confident, and while she's never been bitten I have and so has her daddy. When I get bit I laugh, you can't help it. It's such a non-event. Her daddy on the other hand freaked out so badly now he's terrified of the snakes, and if he thinks one is even thinking about biting he goes off the deep end.

Ambria takes after me. She's told me several times she's not afraid of being bitten, and if it happens and the snake won't let go, as happened to her dad, she knows not to panic but let me help her.

A few years ago, our next door neighbor's dog attacked and bit Ambria for no reason. Tore her pants right off her leg. Fortunately, it's teeth hung in her jeans so her leg was only scratched. But this guy comes over to my house, giving me song and dance about how his dog didn't bite Ambria, that it was Ambria's fault, the dog was only playing with her, on and on and on. Biggest jerk in history, upset me so badly I went to the neigbor in back of us and hid, this guy had his whole family ganging up on me saying it was caused by the dogs foot and not a bite. Worst thing was, it was a pitbull, and had already attacked two other people so he knew it was not supposed to be outside unsupervised. He was threatening me because of his own carelessness and stupidity. And I'm way more uncomfortable with her being around a large or strange dog than I am my snakes.

Gale

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I hate when people say that.
The worst thing was the owner and the owners training and influence on that animal.

I've been pretty badly bitten by a poodle and have met some of the sweetest dogs that were pitbulls.

My opinion on snake haters:
there are, in my opinion two types of snake haters.
1.) the type that has phobias of them and simply avoids them without bugging snake owners.
2.)The stupid snake haters who impose there will on everyone because they think there better than us so they think they can tell us what to and not to do.

The #1 people i dont mind the #2 people i downright despise.
Here s an example email conversation that i actually had with a person who sued my friend ( Also, there neighbors) for owning a corn snake and claiming it would get out and eat there baby.
Me: Why is it that you despise snake so much?
Her: because when i was a teen i saw the movie anaconda and ever since then ive been afraid of them
Me: yes but Dans snake is a corn snake which isnt venomous and is very small it would die trying to eat human baby.
Her: not venomous? all snake are venomous how can they be non all snakes are venomous.
Me: no actully less than 20% of snakes are venomous.
Her: Im sorry but me and my husband are worried for our babys safety. wouldent you be worried if you had a newborn and you neighbors had a creature that could kill you baby?
Me No not at all because corn snakes cant kill babies and there not venomous ive been bit at least ten times by corn snakes and im not dead. :rage:
:rage: :rage:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jeremy Browning

My opinion on snake haters:
there are, in my opinion two types of snake haters.
1.) the type that has phobias of them and simply avoids them without bugging snake owners.
2.)The stupid snake haters who impose there will on everyone because they think there better than us so they think they can tell us what to and not to do.

The #1 people i dont mind the #2 people i downright despise.
Here s an example email conversation that i actually had with a person who sued my friend ( Also, there neighbors) for owning a corn snake and claiming it would get out and eat there baby.
Me: Why is it that you despise snake so much?
Her: because when i was a teen i saw the movie anaconda and ever since then ive been afraid of them
Me: yes but Dans snake is a corn snake which isnt venomous and is very small it would die trying to eat human baby.
Her: not venomous? all snake are venomous how can they be non all snakes are venomous.
Me: no actully less than 20% of snakes are venomous.
Her: Im sorry but me and my husband are worried for our babys safety. wouldent you be worried if you had a newborn and you neighbors had a creature that could kill you baby?
Me No not at all because corn snakes cant kill babies and there not venomous ive been bit at least ten times by corn snakes and im not dead. :rage:
:rage: :rage:

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" The people from PETA are no more qualified to talk about reptile ethics than Sarah Palin is to lead the free world"
- Steven Tillis

My boyfriend and half of my family are the same way .. i hate it .. my dad will not go near my room cuz i have " a snake" ... mom made me sneak the ball python in the house so he wouldn't kno i have it and now upon that shes making me hide a new one im hopefully gettin within the next few weeks ..

i can't even move one of thjem to my boyfriends house cause his parents said they will burn it :tears:
WHICH I WOULD GO TO JAIL IF THEY DID ! NOONE MESSES WITH MY BABIES:colbert:

I got my boyfriend outta the fear of them ... he's 21 years old and he couldn't even watch a snake movie he was that terrified .. i finally talked him into gettin a corn snake last september for my birthday so he went halfs with my mother on one :D he came very friendly and loving to her within the first 3 weeks i had her it was awesome but he said no more ... from septemeber to december i bugged him and tricked him into gonig down to the pet store with me when i got paid and came home with my Ball python :) which he actually loves to death, he wont hardly let me hold my lil guy .. and he tells everybody its his , he HAS to feed it himself and everything .. kinda cute actually and now he wanted to buy a corn snake and a ball python .. but ONLY like 4 or 5 of my friends will come over to my house cuase they are scared . one of my friends also killed my corn snake when they found out it bitten my boyfriend. ... im happy to say though i got some of my friends opionins changed... only 4 or 5 will touch them but the others just think they are cool and whatnot but still wontn come over .. HELLO THEY ARE IN TANKS AND THEY CANT GET OUT ! LOL

Well for the most part I keep my "Snake Hobby" on the down low because I cant stand to hear most peoples BS about the matter.
When someone comes over my house and they happen to venture into my "Office" lol..... I usually hear a "OMG what are in those tubs!!!" I really need to get a door for that room...lol

You misunderstood me about the Pit.

I happen to love Pitty's, however they are not allowed in my trailer park to begin with, and the reason the owner was all ignorant to me was he thought I was going to have the dog put to sleep.

I'd never do that, but the owner would not listen to reason and had convinced not only himself but everyone in his family that I had a vendetta against the dog and they were going to show me the error of my ways no matter what. They were like a pack of wolves, and they scared me to death. Threatening myself and my kids, because their unsupervised dog, who was not supposed to be in the park anyway, got out of their control and hurt someone for the third time. Somehow that was my fault. And despite me telling them repeatedly I was not going to press charges nor did I want the dog put down, they had their minds made up I was the bad guy.

Gale

I know how the snake haters are. I basicly let it go in one ear and out the other. Sometimes i tell them its none of there business. Ive helped new snake keepers in petco before deciding between a boa and a ball, and alot of the times with no argument after questions the ball is the one they want, but i do catch alot more sometimes than usual because of having a Reticulated Python. Ive had my bp's out in petco my boa's and even my 11ft reticulated python has been out at petco. The managers at petco really got a kick out of me having my reticulated python out displaying him.(and several of them got pictures of him) Of course espically with the retic I got alot of questions, and try to answer as many as i can. Ive even let kids come up and pet him (of course with the head under control from another handler) Some people said oh hes so gentle i want one. Like i always say hes very docile, but he still can be very dangerous if he wants to. Its not often I bring my retic anywhere just because of his sheer size and how much of a hand full he can be in small spaces. But its funny how many people that are actaully scared of snakes have actaully held my ball pythons when I have had them out in public. its not often i do it espically with the retic but its good to bring them out once and a while and let the public enteract and ask ?'s and just show that they are not as horrific as the media makes them out to be.

And this is a glimpse of my big boy.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...7777777777.jpg

I agree it AMAZES me how many people are legit scared to death of snakes. Luckily my family is very pet friendly, of all sorts, so I grew up not being afraid. Most people are afraid of what they don't know, and the only snakes they "spotlight" are like fatal venomous bites on animal planet and similar stories. You don't hear about how a ball python (or any other snake) makes a child smile or anything like that. I totally understand your frustration. Picture this...I work with 30 men, grown men, who deal with danger on a regular basis....and they all squealed like girls when I showed them a PICTURE of my Julius. Mind you....he's only 6-7 months old....and fits in my hand. Try to have fun with it, because there is no changing some people's minds, so you might as well take advantage of the "entertainment" :rofl:

Tenny tiny Julius lol
http://i51.tinypic.com/2jagqk5.jpg

Yea its funny how alot of people squeel over a small bp. But the reactions first time i had the retic out was a whole nother level. all i mainly heard was curse words and people running, and the workers at petco where laughing at the whole excitment. Alot of people watched from a distance some just kept to the other side of the store and had a few come up close to look take pictures and ask ?'s. but i agree it is entertaining but its also fun to show the good side of the hobby.