You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, you can even pick your friends nose, but you can't pick family. Whether or not your mother agrees with your hobby or not now that you are on your own is none of her business. While I understand she's your mother, if she has no respect for you or your friends why should you respect her. I would lay down the law. It's your home your rules. She did the same to you. And to tell you the truth of it all, there are some people you just can't reach no matter how hard you try. They refuse to accept you for who you are and what you do. Fear=hate. She fears the animals for whatever reason so she hates them and takes it out on you, your friends, and your animals. Maybe try to find out why she fears them so much and go from there. My girlfriend's mother is terrified of snakes because when she was a child her parents threatened to make her sleep with snakes and the snakes were going to strangle her and eat her in her sleep. So maybe it's something deeper. I eventually got my gf mom to touch a snake, so maybe your mom will come around with a little help and positive reinforcement from you.