Why is everyone I know so ignorant?

Gah! I'm sooooo pissed right now. I just got off the phone with my dad, and he won't let me keep a snake at his house. My buddy has a red tail boa that he has no clue how to take care of, and doesn'y really care anymore. I went over to his apartment for the first time a few days ago, and I saw the snake in a 40gal, with no substrate, no hides, and no uth. The only things he has in the tank are a waterbowl, a fake vine which the boa usually hides in, and an overhead lamp (not big enough to heat the tank). Even for all this, the snake looked good, and was very calm when I handled it, and took it outside for some sun. I fell in love with her, so he said he'd give her to me, if I bought the tank and everything from him for 75$. So now here's the deal. I've lived with my grandma for the last 6 months, ever since I moved home from school. My grandpa died a few years ago, so it's nice for her having someone around. Also, I save about a grand a month not having to pay rent or utilities. But, of course she is petrified of snakes, so I ask my dad if I can keep the snake at his house. Not even in his house, just in the garage. He says no outright, without even hearing me out. Then tells me to give him a few days to think about it. He calls this morning and says no! He's afraid the snake will get out and the neighbors will call the cops, or it will hurt his dog or something stupid like that. It's a juvi boa, I would probably only be keeping her there until I moved back out in 9 months or so, so that's impossible. I'd be more afraid of the dog killing her, though I think she would be too scared to get close. And the neighbors calling the cops is just stupid. It's not like keeping a boa is illegal! Plus, I would never ever let her escape, I know what I'm doing. And I go over there every day to feed and walk his dog, since he is out of town till june. It just gets me soooooo upset how dumb people can be about snakes!!!!!!!!!!!

/rant

I moved out of my parents house when I was 17 years old. I had to work full time, and hold a second job to make ends meet. And I could never afford to go to college. It's been a rough road, but I made it. And NO ONE has ever told me what I can or cannot do. A fair trade-off if you ask me. Your day will come.

As tough as it sounds, it's their house, and you may just have to give the snake to another reptile enthusiast friend to "hold" for you while you get your own place, or give it away completely.

I wasn't allowed any snakes while I lived at my parents, but I moved out at 18 and haven't looked back since. :)

yea, these things happen. believe it or not, educated herp enthusiasts are still the minority out there (who knew, right? :rolleyes:). my girlfriend can't stand mine, grandma is deathly afraid, and every other person that visits my house is freaked out by it. hopefully you can convince your dad otherwise, or at least find another good home for her until you can have her again.

Dude, I feel your pain. All I ever wanted my whole life was a pet snake, but just like you, my Dad is deathly afraid of them. He would not allow one in the house. I had to wait until I was 22 and moved out of his house to get one. And I didn't even care if the snake I got was a big one. A garter snake would have satisfied me. Hopefully your situation will turn out better than mine :)

Regardless of the reasons why your Dad does not wish a snake in his house, this is HIS house, HIS rules and you have to respect that.

Just like the day you will have YOUR house you will have YOUR rules.

Trust me been there done dad, the most important is to respect his wish, if you want a snake now, you still will in couple of years and there will be other opportunities available as well.

Ya, I was working 55 hours a week before to pay rent and everything, and going to school full time. So I know what you mean. Plus, I know my grandma would really miss me. I don't mind her being anti-boa so much, cause she just worries about everything in general. But with my friend and my dad? My sister gets my mom to spend 3500 dollars on a pomeranian-chihuaha puppy, but if I want to keep a juvi boa in a locked tank in the locked garage somehow I'm the crazy one? I know I have it well with my living situation right now, my rant was more about how ignorant people can be about snakes, even after I spend an hour reciting to them all the facts!

They spent $3500 on a mixed breed dog they could have found in a shelter for $80? NICE!

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

They spent $3500 on a mixed breed dog they could have found in a shelter for $80? NICE!

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Oh Becky, you didn't hear that was the new thing? Pedigreed "designer dogs" They even made a book about it :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

They spent $3500 on a mixed breed dog they could have found in a shelter for $80? NICE!

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yea, i got some ocean front property in arizona i wanna sell them too!:)
everything will work out man, i went through the same stuff when i lived at home. family doesnt have a problem with the snakes, my mom just has a fobia of mice. she has a nervous break down just by the site of one.

Yea. But like you all said, it's my choice. I'm 21, so I can move out whenever I want. I can afford rent, I'd just have to pickup another 50 hours at work a month. But I think for school I'd prefer to have the extra time, and financially, I think moving out would be a waste of cash, even if it meant I would have all these extra opportunities. Why does living in LA have to be so damn expensive. People keep moving here, don't they realize the traffic and smog suck? Haha. Oh well, guess I'll make my friend get a better tank setup, too bad he lives an hour away, otherwise I'd go over more often and make sure his boa is well taken care of. Unless anyone is looking to adopt a female(?) red tail boa in the LA/Irvine area?

You could try talking to him explaining what size it would be and what to expect but ultimately I agree with everyone else his house and his rules. Lots of people are genuinely phobic of snakes even though they rationally agree it is harmless (but a full size boa could certainly hurt you!). I had to put of getting my bp for nearly 5 years for this reason.

I agree with the general feelings here. I wasn't allowed a snake as a kid either because my father was horribly terrified of them. My mother compromised by letting me have a turtle... After I moved out at 18 I wanted one but I was moving around so much for college that I decided against it, because I thought it would be bad for the animals. Now that I'm out on my own I can have whatever the apartment doesn't ban :)

I think advising your friend on the correct way to keep the boa is the best way to go, and visiting when you can to make sure things are good with her. Eventually when you're on your own you can adopt her and give her a great home.

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Originally Posted by Peachy_Pythons

I agree with the general feelings here. I wasn't allowed a snake as a kid either because my father was horribly terrified of them. My mother compromised by letting me have a turtle... After I moved out at 18 I wanted one but I was moving around so much for college that I decided against it, because I thought it would be bad for the animals. Now that I'm out on my own I can have whatever the apartment doesn't ban :)

I think advising your friend on the correct way to keep the boa is the best way to go, and visiting when you can to make sure things are good with her. Eventually when you're on your own you can adopt her and give her a great home.

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I am in college now, and I am only about an hours drive from home, so everytime I go home I just put my snakes in a small container with one of those thermacare disposable heating pads, they dont get too hot and they stay warm enough for my snakes to be the perfect temp the whole trip. I do this probabaly once every month, and my snakes have adjusted just fine each time, I dont see any negative side effects. But I can understand if the trip is longer than that, how they could be stressed because of it.

I also agree, I think helping your friend with their husbandry is the best way to go. And other than that, wait until you get your own place and then get the snake.

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Originally Posted by aaramire

I am in college now, and I am only about an hours drive from home, so everytime I go home I just put my snakes in a small container with one of those thermacare disposable heating pads, they dont get too hot and they stay warm enough for my snakes to be the perfect temp the whole trip. I do this probabaly once every month, and my snakes have adjusted just fine each time, I dont see any negative side effects. But I can understand if the trip is longer than that, how they could be stressed because of it.

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I did not live so close to home :)

Maybe you could try converting them? My grandma lives with us, since she is getting on a bit and needs a little help here and there...way back when I brought my first snake home, she was terrified of them. I had to wait til she was out of the room to even get him out of the cage. Eventually she got to where she wuld stand by the cage and watch him cruising...then she started watching him eat...eventually, I even got her to pet him. 5 years and 7 snakes later, they don't even phase her anymore. I still can't get her told hold any of them, but she isn't nearly as scared of them anymore. She even thinks they're pretty.

Gonna try to convince him to buy what he needs for a proper tank setup. I also listed his setup on craigslist for him, but I'd rather avoid that, cause you never know what sort of people you will be giving your animals to. I wish I could post her on here, but it says you can't post ads for other people.

Anyone looking to adopt a snake in the los angeles/irvine area?