When my co-workers found out I had snakes, they all responded negatively. One of them confessed to having an irrational fear of snakes. But then she started asking me questions about them. These started out as very simple, basic questions like "what do you keep them in?" etc. And I would just answer the question. I always answered in a way that opened the door for her to ask more questions, but I didn't force information on her - I just let her ask. I did make it clear that I was always willing to talk about my snakes and that I didn't mind her asking her questions.
Those basic questions led to some very in-depth questions and now we talk about my snakes almost every day. AND she now wants to come to my house to see them! She says she doesn't want to hold anybody, but that will come later, lol. It is very gratifying that she has overcome her general distaste of snake and has developed a genuine curiosity about them.
I am actually confindent now that if she were to come across a snake in her back yard, she wouldn't freak out and want to kill it. She knows that they have value and she can respect them for what they are.
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