Reaction from friends and family

[Monkey girl]

Hello everyone, I'm curious about reactions from others regarding owning snakes.

Most of our friends and family reaction to our new BP is over the top.

We have have a golden retriever, presa canario and a pittbull and THAT'S okay but boy, we crossed the line when we brought a BP into our home.

I realize their reactions are a result of lack of education regarding the breed (even we are still learning),but it is almost like we are now being ostracized.

Looks like we wont be having much visitors any more!!!!

Anybody else have have similar reactions from friends/family?

[Slim]

With the exception of my children, my family has not only never been supportive of my BP hobby, they have gone out of their way a few times to make as difficult as possible.

Most of my non reptile world friends think I'm crazy, and I'm batting about .750 with girlfriends.

[Wes]

Most of my family just start ignoring me when I start talking about the snakes... They will look at a couple of the pictures then just be like "Cool, now just keep them at your house".... They try to be supportive but you can tell that they don't like them or even care to try.

My brothers and mom are reptile people though, so at least I have some that understand...

My fiance and little one like them, but they just have a couple that are their favorites and could care less about the rest of them.

[Moggy86]

my family went mad but its my house and if anything saves me from unwanted familyvisits espc as ive stuck a tarantula near the front door none of them pop in any more haha

[Monkey girl]

my family went mad but its my house and if anything saves me from unwanted familyvisits espc as ive stuck a tarantula near the front door none of them pop in any more haha

Too funny!!!!!'

[Craigaria]

It irritates me a little when people get all over dramatic about it. You know the ones, they run out of the room with their hands in the air screaming. You can tell their reaction is mostly over exaggerated. While they are making this big show, my 3 year old son is snuggling the snake next to his face or my daughter is giving it a kiss usually though, if you can get them to chill out, they will usually touch the snake and some may even hold it... My Mom on the other hand is truly afraid of snakes. When I was in high school, long long time ago, she wouldn't come in my room for fear of my snakes. She still fears that my ball pythons can eat my children, lol

[BrandyL1193]

I am almost 34 years old. Married with three children 13,9,6. Luckily my husband and kids love the snake as much as I do. As for friends....a few said "why would you buy a snake that can kill your kids"? Or "that is the nastiest thing ever"! some thought it was pretty neat....but the majority think I am crazy....I tried to explain that these snakes get nowhere near big enough to kill anyone...but it didn't go over well. Even my father wasn't too happy with me buying one. To each their own I guess....I like him and that is all that matters! We also have 2 bully breed dogs and a Jack Russell mix in the house.

[Gerardo]

Im lucky that i have several cousins and my brother that like my snakes. But only to look at them. They get bored to death when i talk husbandry or genetics. Whenever my dad comes to visit he might ask about them but wont ever touch them. So i guess its a mixed rewction i get from friends and family. One question I hear often is "why do you need so many?" Thats funny to me because i have 5 and they think thats an entire zoo.

[Archimedes]

My mom has only recently been able to enter my room, since i got rid of the tanks and now have them in much more discreet tubs. She's still not interested in seeing them or pictures of them, but as long as i keep rats in my freezer and out of hers, she doesn't much care that they're here. My dad will show occasional interest, but again, doesn't go out of his way. He watched Nessie's first feeding after I brought her home, but I think it grossed him out a little.

My sisters, grandmom, and most of my extended family is pretty skeeved about it, although my aunt, the one I'm closest with, has helped me out with purchasing rats and has firebelly toads* herself, so I get good vibes from her. (Also, she will antagonize my grandmother about feeding them at every possible opportunity, so I think she's amused at how grossed out my grandma is.)

[mehitabel74]

My mother is deathly afraid of snakes, always has been, and is horrified that I have them now. "There's something WRONG with people who feed animals to other animals!" (Forgetting that she's an animal that eats other animals, ignoring that I don't feed live, and refusing to see that feeding frozen to a snake is no different than picking up a frozen entrée for myself at the grocery store.)

My husband is the one that got me interested in the first place, so naturally he's supportive.

I'm a priest, and so people at my church joke with me a lot, but when I post pictures on Facebook, many of them remark on how pretty they are. One woman has even gotten to the point where she thinks they're cute!

I try to be an ambassador for them. Scales are just as loveable as fur!