Annoying Non-Herp people

Ok, I get it. There are many people out there that can't stand snakes. I don't really see the logic in despising an animal they know little about other than sheer ignorance, but to each his own. People don't like all sorts of things out of illogical fear, but what are you going to do.

My beef is with those people that choose to relate their little anecdotes about how they killed a snake at one time, cut its head off, had their husband shoot off their head, etc. These people KNOW I own several snakes and are really into them, yet they feel it necessary to tell me their own little sadistic snake stories. Why?! Do I go on about how I accidentally ran over a poor dog many years ago to dog lovers, or how I really enjoyed my chicken dinner to bird lovers? Okay, that last example was stretching it, but still... why would people want to tell these stories? :frustrate Do they expect to get a reaction out of me or are they trying to bring into the conversation the only snake experiences they have dealt with in their lives?

<End rant>

Yeah, I've gotten that a lot from people too. Very irritating.

at the 22 acres my parents have everyone up there in the country kills the rattlesnakes! i tell them not to and what they are doing but they still kill them!!! its really sad actually. atleast they dont kill the non-venomous species up there.

Heck if I know why people do stuff like that. Sort of like the idiot women who just HAVE to share horrid birthing experiences with every pregnant woman they meet....ack! Some humans are just wierd!


~~Jo~~

I haven't really had any problems anyone disrepecting my babies.
Yet, if someone doesn't enjoy snakes as I do.
All I can say to that is, to each their own.
My neighbors around me don't have a problem with my snakes, yes they do ask a lot of questions, but that' to be expected.

My favorite question that I get asked often is ...
"Are they venomous" (Referring to Ball Pythons)
The ironic aspect of that question is, they ask me it when I'm holding a ball python in my hand ...
Do they truely think I'd be letting a venomous snake rap around my hand?
:confused:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Heck if I know why people do stuff like that. Sort of like the idiot women who just HAVE to share horrid birthing experiences with every pregnant woman they meet....ack! Some humans are just wierd!


~~Jo~~

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This is about as awesome as all of the bitter divorced people that constantly try to talk me out of gettin married because it will be "the worst mistake i ever make." Damnit, I am looking very forward to getting married, it is supposed to be an exciting time in my life, stop hatin on me!!!

Sorry, back to topic, i know the feeling. Where I work there is a big snake of some sort (I have not gotten the pleasure of seeing it) that hangs out in the pond out behind our store. People have told me that it is anywhere from 8-12 feet long. To the best of my knowledge, there are no snakes native to my area that get that big so it is possible that either a) they are greatly exaggerating the size of the snake or b) someone let a big pet snake go & it made a home here. (As a side note question, this same snake was their last summer too. Is it possible for a non-native snake to find a way to burrow down & make it through the brutal western new york winters & come back out in the summer?) The point is, people are always tellin me that they want to kill it because they are afraid of it. I always tell them that if they kill it for no good reason other than fear, I am goiing to cause them great bodily harm! I simply try to educate them on what it might be & why they have absolutely no reason to fear it. UGH!

That reminds me of years ago Eddie when I dispatched for a small town police station. The animal control guy worked out of our station and I got a call one morning. Holy lordy this woman was just screaminggggggggggggggggggg in my ear about this "monster" snake in her kitchen. Having a total meltdown!

Well off went Ed the animal guy and he had to laugh. It was just a small pet snake from the apartment upstairs that was having a lovely bask in the sunlight coming in his lady's kitchen window. I can't remember if he ever told me the species but it was friendly as heck and Ed just knocked on a few doors (old house made into apartments) till he woke up the owner and returned the snake, with a warning to keep it better confined.

Amazing how people can be so scared of snakes they completely over-estimate it's size! People hear the word "python" and think we keep these 20 foot long snakes in our livingroom or something LOL. Oh and we get questions all the time about our snakes and kids. Like we'd actually put our children at risk! Heck we don't even allow them to let even our smallest ball python go around their neck (just good training we figure in case they are ever handling a much bigger snake).


~~Jo~~

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Originally Posted by Eddie_Z

Where I work there is a big snake of some sort (I have not gotten the pleasure of seeing it) that hangs out in the pond out behind our store. People have told me that it is anywhere from 8-12 feet long. To the best of my knowledge, there are no snakes native to my area that get that big so it is possible that either a) they are greatly exaggerating the size of the snake or b) someone let a big pet snake go & it made a home here.

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If you have black rats or black racers near your area, both get pretty big as far as colubrids go (not 12', but 6' isn't unreasonable), although chances are it's probably a water snake (Nerodia) of some sort.

Also, when folks tell you about the giant snake they saw somewhere, divide the length by two & then subtract one - that'll generally get you closer to the actual size of the animal in question. ;)

K~

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Originally Posted by Eddie_Z

This is about as awesome as all of the bitter divorced people that constantly try to talk me out of gettin married because it will be "the worst mistake i ever make." Damnit, I am looking very forward to getting married, it is supposed to be an exciting time in my life, stop hatin on me!!!

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Actually as a divorcee I have to say this is rather related. The same exact reasoning is behind it.

Psych of all those that must tell us things: "I have something to say about your life. Whether or not you want to hear it or it's good for you to hear, my opinion/story must be told because I am more important than you. My right to be heard is important. My experiences matter regardless of how different you and I are. NO matter that I barely know a thing about what I am talking about. You must learn from my fearful, mistrustful and bitter life...such as it is. Even if I have to shove it down your throat" (Sorry these kinds of people are my biggest pet peave.)

BTW, Congrads Eddie, this should be a great time of your life. Glad it is.

Over here, we're not allowed to kill snakes. We only have two native species - the Adder which is venomous (but to most folk who get bitten, no worse than a wasp sting) and the Grass Snake. Both are protected species. You're not even allowed to move a Grass Snake or Adder from one area to another. If you do you face a hefty fine and/or jail. We also have Slow Worms which look like snakes but are actually legless lizards. They too are protected. Where I live we're very lucky as they live in the woodland behind my house and can often be seen. Even better is if they come into your garden. They eat slugs and garden pests, so I like them coming in.


I can't understand either how people are revulsed by snakes, especially when they know nothing about them. Classic example of stupidity. I was in the pet store getting snake food the other week. This store doesn't sell snakes but does sell lizards. One woman with her family (hubby and two boys aged about 10 and 12) was looking to buy a lBearded Dragon. She's enthusing how cute it was. She saw me putting rats/mice/fuzzies/pinkies in the basket and asked me what kind of lizards did I have. I said I didn't keep lizards only snakes. She screwed up her face, shuddered and said "Ugh! How revolting. Absolutely disgusting things. Yuk!":O I was not amused and said to her "Have you ever held a snake?" she said "No" and she wouldn't. I informed her that snakes were dry with beautiful, soft skin (she thought they were slimy :rolleyes: ) and were very friendly and gentle animals. I then asked her if she didn't like snakes, then why was she about to buy a lizard as that was a reptile too. She looked at me with a quizzical expression on her face. I don't think she really new what reptiles are. I then told her to go and learn about snakes, that she might even be pleasantly surprised!

For some reason her attitude got right up my nose. Silly woman!!!

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Originally Posted by unimom

BTW, Congrads Eddie, this should be a great time of your life. Glad it is.

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Thank you so much, it is indeed an extremely happy time for. Anyone who knows me from before i took sabatical from the site, they know how much I absolutely adore Nanci. I think there was a thread where I had like 8 pictures of her playing hockey & stuff! LOL! Usually when I tell people about the fact that Nanci & I were actually friends before we even started to date & let them know that she is not just my lover but also my very best friend in the world, they give me a little more credit that my marriage might just be able to work out!

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Originally Posted by Lady Python

Yuk!":O I was not amused and said to her "Have you ever held a snake?" she said "No" and she wouldn't. I informed her that snakes were dry with beautiful, soft skin (she thought they were slimy :rolleyes: ) and were very friendly and gentle animals.

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I actually have a great success story! My boss at the very same store I was refering to, well, he used to HATE snakes. When I would talk about Hissy & my general love for all snakes & reptiles, he would get totally repulsed & make that HUHHHH, heaving, you are gunna make me vomit noise. LOL! He thought that they were these slimey, nasty feeling things.

Well, he came to my place one time (actually it was to pick up that adorable kitten from a previous post I recently made (His girlfriend is the one who too the kitten. Oddly enough, his girlfriend works for the same store that my fiancee does, also a Lowes but in a different place LOL, small world!) I brought Hissy out. He was intrigued but still kinda freaked out. He finally saw just how beautiful she really is. I took it slow &, eventually, he touched her. His face lit up & I had to smile a great big smile when he looked at me with wide eyes & said "My God, she feels like she is made of silk!"

Now his girlfriend wants a snake & I am helping him research them! He was also right next to me in staunch defense of the mysterious snake in the back pond at work (hysterically enough now deemed "The Anaconda of Henrietta") in telling me that if anyone causes harm to that snake, he is gunna help me hurt them & went on a LONG rant about how harmless the snake was & how no one had anything to fear! Always nice to convert somebody!! YAY!!

A friend of ours is terrified of snakes but came to our house this afternoon. Our two Boas, Zig and Zag and our two Pythons, Bobby and Byron were in their hides sleeping (Byron's in the blue just now so he won't be disturbed until he sheds).


Knowing Mike is scared of snakes, but also knowing that sooner or later he's going to at least see them, I told him what Byron did last week - tried to help himself to my coffee!!! Strange snake!!! Mike said "Really? Did he really try and drink your coffee?". I explained to him that Byron often sits on my shoulders and as I took a sip from the cup, he tried to bore his way between my mouth and the cup, tongue flicking. He was quite fascinated that a snake could do that. My husband said that he wouldn't have believed it either had he not seen it for himself. Mike had never thought that snakes can be very tame and friendly. Slowly he's beginning to get a different picture of snakes. Next time he and his wife come up (she likes reptiles and said she'd like to hold one of our snakes), I may get either Byron or the Boas out as they're very friendly too ;)

Oh, the snake haters; don't you have to love the poor buggers?
I spend alot of time at my friend's pet store. There are always those few people who will look at Penelope, her 9' boa and say "ugh, I hate snakes; they are disgusting" etc. Well, I often reply with "yeah, not all people are courageous enough to touch them and learn about them" etc. But next time, I plan on saying "they are beautiful animals and I am fascinated by them" or something.
Personally, I despise most species of dogs. Especially small, yippy ones. But I often find myself saying "awwe" when coworkers show me pics of their pets (even though they're the type of animal I would rather feed to a retic than keep, lol.) It's called "tact." When snake-fearers put snakes down, they only show their own tactlessness.
And, around here in Catholicville... I can't even use the old religious adage "you hate snakes, but you should love them since they were created by your god, just like every other animal right...?" Because, snakes are evil in the bible! ... :disbelief

I know what you all are saying. A good freind of mine mother asked if she could wash a couple of loads of laundry at my house and I agreed until she made a comment about my snakes. She told me that if she went down stairs and found one of my snakes out (which doesn't happen, period) she would kill it. I had to tell her quickly and put her in her place. I told her this was my house, which in return was my snakes house. They have rights here and you have permission. You want to make stupid, ignorant, comments do it some where else. I then kicked her out of my house (kicking a person out of your house is something every man has to do at least once, that's a true testosterone rush). It caused some tension between me and that friend, until I told him what she said ( he is a herp lover as well), he understood. Since then she did apoligize to me as well.

Well I missed that news! Congrats Eddie! Don't let any bitter divorced or unhappily married person ruin your "high". No one ever knows the future (heck I'm on marriage #3 and Mike is stuck with me for good! LOL). Being friends as well as lovers will always help when the rough spots hit and they do always hit life being what it is for all of us. Enjoy this precious time in your life.

Dawn, you are so right on. Note to me....don't upset Dawn! :P


~~Jo~~

I am blushing over here, did I go a little over board?:oops:

Lots of people think snakes are slimy and that's the main basis of their fear. It's not until they handle them that they realize they're not slimy but in fact feel pretty darn cool.

Well not in my books you didn't Dawn! Ever since I turned 40 (and what a freeing moment that was!) I've lived by three simple words when dealing with folks...

CONSIDER THE SOURCE

In other words why does this person think they have the right, ability, wisdom or lack thereof to "inform" me, especially about something that is rather personal or highly individual. Just because someone says it, doesn't make it gospel. It's nice to finally have the maturity to look at the source rather than what is said to judge the validity of it.


~~Jo~~

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Originally Posted by Forrest

I had to tell her quickly and put her in her place. I told her this was my house, which in return was my snakes house. They have rights here and you have permission. You want to make stupid, ignorant, comments do it some where else. I then kicked her out of my house (kicking a person out of your house is something every man has to do at least once, that's a true testosterone rush). It caused some tension between me and that friend, until I told him what she said ( he is a herp lover as well), he understood. Since then she did apoligize to me as well.

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You go! Seriously, though.. she threatened to kill your pet.. not nice!!
I don't have to worry about friends wanting to do laundry at our place.. the laundry room is also the rat-room; most people think we are nutso anyhow!

Well that is something we both have in common then. I keep my snakes in the laundry room as well, it is the warmest room in the house so it just makes sense to me.

i had a recent run in with people who didnt understand snakes ... a not so smart person that lives near me got bit at least 10 times in the past few weeks by some snakes that are in an overgrown abandoned peice of property between us ... and through my kid and his big mouth .. this neighbor knew that i have a snake as a pet (didnt matter to him if it was a poisionous one or not) .. so he decided to bring it up to the local mayor and game and fish that i was keeping a 'dangerous creature' as a pet and it somehow was the root of him being bit so many times ...

went through several arguments and fights at city hall about it (there are no laws currently in my area for keeping a python as a pet) ... found out a bit later why he got bit so many times ... turns out he was 'growing' some stuff in that property .. and kept going out there in flip flops , tshirt and shorts ... (found this out when i went in there myself to see what type of snakes it was ... small rattlesnakes )

most all of it was dropped once i presented the city hall (and game and fish and the dtf) with proof of what it was and what happened ... but now i am having to educate the local officials on snakes since they are trying to add them to the same pet law that has pit bulls in it ..