Who likes ball pythons

[man-made evolution]

I am very fond of bp morphs and I believe this to be an incredible experiance owning a few. Some people think that it is not right for people to own snakes. Well why? The ignorence of it is simply they do not know enough about them to really know what they really are. I think everyone here regards them as pets. Well how do we get the others to break away from this steriotype. People need to know, even if they do not even want to own one or never will, that these pets are not just mindless creatures. I think more people would want to own them if we could really get this message accross!!!

[JLC]

RESPONSIBLE pet ownership is the very best way to have our hobby accepted, I believe. Being willing to answer questions and be patient when folks act ignorant or prejudicial toward snakes, as well.

Walking around outside with snakes draped over your shoulders for the "cool factor" or "shock value" is not a good way to represent our hobby, in my opinion. Instead...make opportunities to show the snakes in a proper setting like being invited into a classroom with kids, or boy scout meetings, or whatever. Show children how to safely handle pet snakes and that they aren't slimy or "poisonous", as well as teaching them to identify and respect snakes in the wild. If the children grow up with a positive experience about snakes, our next generation may not be quite so adamant about their "wrongness."

And there will always be people who simply can't tolerate anyone who is different from them...anyone who is not a cat or dog person shouldn't own animals, they believe. There is no getting through to someone like that. Nor to someone who wishes to hang onto an irrational fear/revulsion. And there's no getting through to the folks like PITA who want to take all pet ownership away from us.

[man-made evolution]

RESPONSIBLE pet ownership is the very best way to have our hobby accepted, I believe. Being willing to answer questions and be patient when folks act ignorant or prejudicial toward snakes, as well.

Walking around outside with snakes draped over your shoulders for the "cool factor" or "shock value" is not a good way to represent our hobby, in my opinion. Instead...make opportunities to show the snakes in a proper setting like being invited into a classroom with kids, or boy scout meetings, or whatever. Show children how to safely handle pet snakes and that they aren't slimy or "poisonous", as well as teaching them to identify and respect snakes in the wild. If the children grow up with a positive experience about snakes, our next generation may not be quite so adamant about their "wrongness."

And there will always be people who simply can't tolerate anyone who is different from them...anyone who is not a cat or dog person shouldn't own animals, they believe. There is no getting through to someone like that. Nor to someone who wishes to hang onto an irrational fear/revulsion. And there's no getting through to the folks like PITA who want to take all pet ownership away from us.

I agree, I wish they didnt walk around with the snakes just to look cool or what ever they are trying to do and I just remembered that Brian at BHB might get the opportunity to talk on Jay Leno if there are enough posts on Jay Leno's website. Please everyone back brian up on this one!! It will help are community as a whole!

[SpartaDog]

I find when you tell someone "I have a pet snake", they assume you mean the giant pythons and boas (though there's nothing wrong with that; trust me, I want one), and therefore that they're dangerous. There are also people who believe that all snakes are venomous and can kill you. So, in a nut shell, people say snakes are wild animals (which, to a great extent, they are) and liken keeping them to keeping say, a tiger. The thing they don't realize is that a 4 ft snake that weighs less than a house cat isn't going to do the damage that an 800+ lb tiger would. -_-

Then of course, there are the ones who believe that keeping pets is "inhumane". -rolls eyes-