Snake haters

[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 neighbors getting riled up and trying to ban them.

[Crowfingers]

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

[distaff]

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.

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.

[omglolchrisss]

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... 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.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

[DLena]

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!

[elleon]

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.

[Thorbp]

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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Godzilla78]

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.

PERFECT RESPONSE! YOU MY FRIEND, ARE AWESOME.

[aes1004]

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





Sent from my iPhone

[artgecko]

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.