Why do /you/ keep reptiles?

[valhalha30]

I'm going to give a presentation on herpetoculture in a few weeks. What I've noticed in talking to many people over the course of many programs, is that if someone doesn't like or understand keeping reptiles, it's nearly impossible to explain to them why we do it and why it's enjoyable. I've been called crazy, strange, cruel, and even accused of being possessed!

I wanted to expand my mental repertoire and back up my presentation a bit and prepare to answer questions in the future - so please tell me, whether you keep a single gecko, a hundred snakes, or one-of-everything, what brought you into the world of keeping reptiles? How do you defend your practice? What is your favorite retort for someone who is afraid or judgmental of you? So on, so forth. Share your thoughts, and perhaps even a story about defending or sharing what you love.

Why do you herp?

First off, people who have no understanding on why a person does something "not normal" and calls this said person "crazy, strange, cruel, or possessed" clearly have no mental capacity to even keep their judgemental mouth shut. I might sound brash here... but, I seriously dislike people who fire off their opinions when they can't back them up or care about how I feel about mine. When somebody scoffs at my passion and hobby, I laugh. They just won't understand why I do it, even if I give a 24 hour lecture and show pictures of me hanging out with my reptiles... co-habitation at it's finest lol..... they just won't get it. I'm not saying your presentation is useless, in fact, I think it's a great way to get more people in the hobby and may open up the eyes of some open minded people. More people should highlight the herpetology field and the hobby, I think it would shut up the people who throw out strange stereotypes about herpers, and uncalled for insults and show them that a lot of reptile keepers are intelligent, kind, and very friendly and value their PETS more than their lives in some cases.
It grinds me to no end when I or someone else gets practically picked on for keeping reptiles... some people can and do understand why we do it... some don't, but after a brief explaination, back off from the arguement, but still don't understand.... some people, no matter how many times and how many ways you tell them why, they just can't fathom or care to understand why, they're set in their ways... but, I have and always will defend what I do, and what many others do... no matter what nutcase calls me out lol.

SO, after that tangent.... WHY do I keep reptiles?
Simple answer.... as a tiny tiny child, in the pupid stage of humanhood.... I would find toads and worms ("snakes" lol) and go fishing, and I was really into nature. My dad had an iguana and a really epic turtle (which he still has, Willy, our 30+ year old female turtle) I watched Jurrasic Park, and thought dinosaurs were on a real island somewhere and that they were awesome. I watched Godzilla, and I think that's when I really went head over heels for anything reptilian. I would always bug my parents to buy me geckos or toy snakes... because they wouldn't buy me a gecko lol. I would catch snakes and show them off, and release them. I watched Steve Orwin, and thought I was him, lol. I was just hooked.
The passion only grew as I grew, and when I stumbled upon an ad for the local reptile show, I made sure I went.
After about my 5th show, I bought myself a Mexican Black Kingsnake, and oohhh my god, did I fall in love with him. Soon after, I bought more snakes, and lizards, and turtles until I had no more room in my duplex for any more....
I go outside with my snakes on nice warm days, and people just gawk and awe at me... some totally avoid looking at me or RUN across the street once they see what I have. Usually, I get asked about my critters, and people think they're cool and even ask me if I'm selling any lol, so there is some cool, open minded folk out there... not everyone is a slander throwing, satan accusing, nut job lol.

I do it because I love it, and reptiles are all I knew since birth.