For some reason, people don't seem to give me crap about this kind of thing.
Maybe it has something to do with the professor in earshot who's a herpetologist.
But the most important thing is that I honestly don't care. People think I'm crazy, but hell, I think people who have 20 cats and their house smells like urine are more crazy than I am!
I know it bothers you deep down, but the true way to get under their skin is laugh at them. Sit there and laugh at their ignorance as loudly as possible.