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.
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