Snake haters

What do you guys do or say to people that say you're crazy for having snakes? Most people I know hate them and think they're the most dangerous animals.


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I simply explain why the "dangers" that they inform my of are not real. If they don't believe me, I shake my head and think of all the snoots that they'll never boop ;)

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Originally Posted by Joci

I simply explain why the "dangers" that they inform my of are not real. If they don't believe me, I shake my head and think of all the snoots that they'll never boop ;)

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Lol yeah they see me holding one in a picture and say they're going to eat my other animals. They assume they can eat things like 10 times their size haha


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I simply dont discuss snake stuff with people that dont like them or aren't interested. I will answer questions or explain things if someone makes an incorrect statement about them or asks a question. However, I understand some people just dont like snakes and never will. No need to try and change their mind. Everyone doesn't have to like the same thing I like :salute:.

I just agree that I am and let them think what they want.

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Originally Posted by MmmBanana

I simply dont discuss snake stuff with people that dont like them or aren't interested. I will answer questions or explain things if someone makes an incorrect statement about them or asks a question. However, I understand some people just dont like snakes and never will. No need to try and change their mind. Everyone doesn't have to like the same thing I like :salute:.

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I agree. In general though people at my school are very curious when it comes to my snake and so I try to help them understand why I love him so much 😂

I simply explain how easy it is to escape. I mean, she tried to eat me once, but I wrestled out of her coils and retrieved my torso from her jaws just in time. :rolleyes::rofl:

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Originally Posted by Godzilla78

I simply explain how easy it is to escape. I mean, she tried to eat me once, but I wrestled out of her coils and retrieved my torso from her jaws just in time. :rolleyes::rofl:

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[emoji23][emoji23]


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Originally Posted by Godzilla78

I simply explain how easy it is to escape. I mean, she tried to eat me once, but I wrestled out of her coils and retrieved my torso from her jaws just in time. :rolleyes::rofl:

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Lol as I read this I looked over at your avatar and saw the tiny face of the bp on your shoulder 😂😂😂

It's not really a topic that comes up, unless someone is visiting the house, or I'm around other snake keepers. I'd rather most people didn't know. I actually think the grub bins and hissing cockroaches would bother people more. I don't discuss the tarantulas I'll be getting either.

Conversations tend to be easier when I just stick to topics that the other person finds interesting. I'm an introvert; I don't socialize much anyway.

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Originally Posted by distaff

It's not really a topic that comes up, unless someone is visiting the house, or I'm around other snake keepers. I'd rather most people didn't know. I actually think the grub bins and hissing cockroaches would bother people more. I don't discuss the tarantulas I'll be getting either.

Conversations tend to be easier when I just stick to topics that the other person finds interesting. I'm an introvert; I don't socialize much anyway.

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I'm also an introvert haha but it mainly comes from family or people online, and my family can be very judgmental lol


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Originally Posted by aes1004

I'm also an introvert haha but it mainly comes from family or people online, and my family can be very judgmental lol


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For me, family is the easiest to talk to about it. They are more understanding and willing to listen than a stranger or even friends sometimes.

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Originally Posted by MmmBanana

For me, family is the easiest to talk to about it. They are more understanding and willing to listen than a stranger or even friends sometimes.

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I have younger sisters that love them but it's more of the older generations lol they are from the south so when they see a snake they want it dead.


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I just kinda respect it. Throwing it in their face is the worse thing you can do in my opinion. I don't really advertise that I keep snakes anyways. If someone is visiting and it comes up, I will show them snakes if they want to see them.

I don't know why but it comes up in my life a lot XD People are always asking me what animals I have at work and I don't lie about it. There have for sure been a few that give me strange looks or say that it's gonna eat me or something and I will usually just calmly correct them and end the conversation by saying I understand, they aren't for everyone and moving on.

More often then not though they will be initially shocked then very curious. I get almost daily questions now about snakes and even requests to take videos of him eating or just slithering around XD I have changed quite a few peoples opinions here I think and that makes me happy, snakes are so misunderstood.

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I find that when I start talking about interesting aspects of snakes' biology, behavior, evolution, and how those things are so different between different snake species, people eventually realize that snakes are just animals like everything else, and that there's more to them than most people assume. I explain things like how they smell with their tongues and how the fork gives them a directional sense, or the fact that a snake (even a teeny tiny blind snake, which I find just incredible) basically has most the same major organs doing the same jobs that a human does, just modified to fit in a different shaped package.
They also realize that I really do know a lot more than they do about an animal that turns out to be more complicated and interesting than they ever thought. That doesn't turn them into a snake lover or anything, but demystifying the whole group of animals helps get past their initial knee-jerk reaction.

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Originally Posted by cletus

I just kinda respect it. Throwing it in their face is the worse thing you can do in my opinion. I don't really advertise that I keep snakes anyways. If someone is visiting and it comes up, I will show them snakes if they want to see them.

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Yeah I can understand that but I'm one of those people that just likes to take pictures of my animals. I don't think it's a bad thing I mainly post them to Instagram but I do post a few on Facebook which is where I get the hate comments. I see it as people post pictures of their animals all the time so I will to because I enjoy it.


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Originally Posted by aes1004

Yeah I can understand that but I'm one of those people that just likes to take pictures of my animals. I don't think it's a bad thing I mainly post them to Instagram but I do post a few on Facebook which is where I get the hate comments. I see it as people post pictures of their animals all the time so I will to because I enjoy it.


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Def. I post pictures of mine on here and on facebook. Snakes groups etc. I share my passion with those around me and online who are into it, but I'm not trying to shock people with them or push them on people that don't like them.

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Originally Posted by cletus

Def. I post pictures of mine on here and on facebook. Snakes groups etc. I share my passion with those around me and online who are into it, but I'm not trying to shock people with them or push them on people that don't like them.

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Yeah I don't do that either. It's just something I guess I won't understand, I don't go shoving them in their face but they still want to say something bad about having snakes.


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Originally Posted by distaff

It's not really a topic that comes up, unless someone is visiting the house, or I'm around other snake keepers. I'd rather most people didn't know. I actually think the grub bins and hissing cockroaches would bother people more. I don't discuss the tarantulas I'll be getting either.

Conversations tend to be easier when I just stick to topics that the other person finds interesting. I'm an introvert; I don't socialize much anyway.

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You make some excellent points and that last paragraph could be me !

I used to tell anyone and everyone that I kept snakes and most were either impressed or at least interested BUT there was the odd one or two that were either disgusted or accused me of cruelty for keeping them locked in a viv when ' they should be free in the wild' .... I tell absolutely NOBODY nowadays ..


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I don't bring it up unless the person asks me about pets or my hobbies or if someone is at our house. Even then, unless it comes up and we're giving a tour of the house or something, I don't bring them out or dwell on it.

I also don't post a lot of pics of them on my FB page due to negative comments from family that I've friended and at least one friend that has an actual phobia.

Most people I've dealt with think it is strange, but after I talk about how low maintenance they are, how they don't smell, eat / poo infrequently, etc. they kind of get the ease of it but still aren't interested lol. I try to compare it to keeping fish that you can handle to help them understand... They can understand appreciating how fish look / act but not touching them or having a "bond" with them, so that helps them understand why I would want reptiles...it is the same kind of concept only with handling added in.

A good many show fear or disgust (usually that is fear hiding behind disgust).

I don't want to be very in-your-face "you must accept my hobby as great" because that is the opposite of how I'd want to be treated.

For the most part, my family disapproves of me keeping reptiles and I don't have any local friends except one, who like them. I mainly discuss them here and on FB groups. My husband is cool with them (he doesn't do any maintenance, but likes to feed and handle sometimes) so that is good enough for me.

I definitely avoid taking them outside into the front yard, etc. because I don't want the neighbors getting riled up and trying to ban them.

I usually go the most common route of explaining that they are no more dangerous than a moody Chihuahua - and usually less chance of getting bit, they don't bark or shed hair everywhere, they go through way less food, and they won't feel neglected if you don't have time to spend time petting and playing with them. Most people end up with the "well that coll I guess, just not my cup of tea" sort of response.

I will say one of my co-workers is a snake murderer who kills any snake she sees and after the third time of asking her not to talk about it around me (she brings it up even if I am talking to someone else - several of us have reptiles so it is a common topic)...

and one day I lost my temper a bit and said that it was just as hurtful for her to tell me I should kill my pet with a shovel as it would be if I pointed at her Yorkie and said I routinely run them over with my car and I think that should happen to her dog too. Of course she got super upset that I said such a thing about her beloved dog, but at least she stopped talking about beheading snakes around me.

I hate to make someone feel bad; but no one should take the life of any creature just 'because I don't like them' or they think the animal is gross. And if they are going to constantly talk about it to people who have asked them to stop, then they can just get their feelings hurt - because I won't put up with it. *End Rant

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Originally Posted by artgecko

I don't bring it up unless the person asks me about pets or my hobbies or if someone is at our house. Even then, unless it comes up and we're giving a tour of the house or something, I don't bring them out or dwell on it.

I also don't post a lot of pics of them on my FB page due to negative comments from family that I've friended and at least one friend that has an actual phobia.

Most people I've dealt with think it is strange, but after I talk about how low maintenance they are, how they don't smell, eat / poo infrequently, etc. they kind of get the ease of it but still aren't interested lol. I try to compare it to keeping fish that you can handle to help them understand... They can understand appreciating how fish look / act but not touching them or having a "bond" with them, so that helps them understand why I would want reptiles...it is the same kind of concept only with handling added in.

A good many show fear or disgust (usually that is fear hiding behind disgust).

I don't want to be very in-your-face "you must accept my hobby as great" because that is the opposite of how I'd want to be treated.

For the most part, my family disapproves of me keeping reptiles and I don't have any local friends except one, who like them. I mainly discuss them here and on FB groups. My husband is cool with them (he doesn't do any maintenance, but likes to feed and handle sometimes) so that is good enough for me.

I definitely avoid taking them outside into the front yard, etc. because I don't want the neighbours getting riled up and trying to ban them.

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BF has been very supportive. The vivs take up a lot of space, and each new acquisition raises the electric bill a bit. Then, there is the frozen mice box purchase every so often, and I don't think we are saving any money by going with raising rats, but I like feeding home-grown. BF doesn't maintain the snakes, but does like to watch when I feed.

I always ask guests if they are afraid of snakes before bringing them into the back half of the house. I do take mine outside, but this area is pretty laid back - about the opposite of any HOA mentality, and I'm not keeping pythons anyway. If any of the neighbours want to outlaw Lampropeltis, Elphae, or Pittuophis (all three of which I've likely mis-spelled), I'd suggest that they take more walks around the area, and patrol for road kill.

I've been told I was crazy more than once but the common thing I hear is "Ewww you should get rid of that thing" my response is if you don't like it dont come over or don't go on my Facebook page because I have every right to own whatever pets I want and post pictures of MY PETS!! Since I'm taking care of my sister's cat for awhile she was scared Jeffree would get out and eat her cat... [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] I explained to her that the cat would be the safe one this is a cat that will literally kill anything that moves and to the cat Jeffree is basically a giant moving piece of string... now when she comes over she always wants to see Jeffree but she always seems to come over right after feedings. I don't get why people feel the need to say anything... I can't stand spiders If I were to see a Tarantula that's not contained I might even have a mini panic attack but I don't say negative things to people who like having them as pets.

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No one in the front yard. My tiny backyard is totally private. I don't force my snakes on people, but will show/talk about them.
I bring them into school for Animal Club, as well as HS English class when we cover stereotypes and symbols. And on "fun" days just because.
Last school year, I did my very first Skype ever with a middle school class in Virginia that was beginning their unit on cold-blooded animals. My 5'6" principal actually came to watch and held Belletrix, my 7.5' Dumerils!

I waited over 4 decades to have snakes, and no one is going to rain on my slithery parade!:snake::snake::snake::snake:

I love talking about my snake (and probably have a bit of an obsession with him) but I understand they aren't for everyone. That just means more for us! I will offer to show pictures to coworkers, and love showing him off, but I respect it if they would rather not see. The slithery bodies and lack of legs can be unsettling to some people, and I kinda understand that (I myself don't like looking at spiders, so who am I to judge?) I love informing people about the biology and evolution of snakes, or how "easy" they are to keep (relative to a dog) and I love dispelling rumors that they've heard. I have one coworker who still believes it'll eat me one day, but I just laugh it off and point out how small he is compared to me. Before I got my snake, I was talking to a friend about it and found out that she was the type who would immediately kill a snake if she saw it. Hearing this from my friend upset me a lot, and I tried explaining that it could be someone's pet and that it wasn't likely to hurt her, but she held firm. I have yet to tell her that I actually got one, and stick to less upsetting conversation topics when talking to her. As someone else said, I've had coworkers ask to see videos of him eating and such, and they will often ask me questions about them.

Most of the females in my side of our family hate snakes for no other reason than urban legends. So I name my female BPs after my family members. Very lucky my wife and her family loves snakes, probably due to their father always having a Hognose with him as s pet. As with all my animals I only share info with like minded people.


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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

I will say one of my co-workers is a snake murderer who kills any snake she sees and after the third time of asking her not to talk about it around me (she brings it up even if I am talking to someone else - several of us have reptiles so it is a common topic)...

and one day I lost my temper a bit and said that it was just as hurtful for her to tell me I should kill my pet with a shovel as it would be if I pointed at her Yorkie and said I routinely run them over with my car and I think that should happen to her dog too. Of course she got super upset that I said such a thing about her beloved dog, but at least she stopped talking about beheading snakes around me.

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PERFECT RESPONSE! YOU MY FRIEND, ARE AWESOME. :bow:

This is what I deal with. It's not going to stop me from posting pics though.


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aes1004- I had similar comments from some older people that I knew from church who were my friends on FB. I responded that it was very rude for them to insinuate that my pets should be killed and asked what they would do if someone posted that on a picture of a pet dog. They apologized and then never commented on any of my posts again.

I think people just say crap like that and don't actually think about what they are saying or that they are saying it about someone's pets.

Had that reaction today at work - lost my male black pastel last night for some reason. I managed to keep my mouth sealed and not respond.

Not everyone understands we don't need wagging tails or furry cuddles to love our animals - their loss. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by dr del ❤️

Had that reaction today at work - lost my male black pastel last night for some reason. I managed to keep my mouth sealed and not respond.

Not everyone understands we don't need wagging tails or furry cuddles to love our animals - their loss. :rolleyes:

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That is a show of strength imo. That you didn't respond. I wish I had the self-control and humility that you do, because I would have ripped into them like a maniac.. lol, that is why I am not on Facebook I suppose. :D