When I first started keeping ball pythons a few summers back I ran into this with a neighbor, She saw me bringing in a new tank for my normal girl and assumed I had a snake. She began poking around in between the two houses and unfortunately for me my snake room is located on the side of the house between me and her she then started looking in windows ( I assume) because she had pictures of my set-ups and how many snakes I owned. She then went to the town and complained I was harboring wild African Rock pythons so in turn the police and DEP investigated us. Once they investigated obliviously her claims were discounted and an apology soon followed from the town and officers who by the way were great and loved my snakes. I am still currently living next to her and still hear her distain for my snakes but she cannot do anything about it. I think we as reptile keepers need to stop running from those who oppose us and stand up for our rights. Our pets are not different then anyone else s we love them and care for them. If it is suitable for my neighbor to have 5 yappy dogs that come in I can have my 11 snakes do we each have to like it NO not at all. Also maybe educating those with a town hall meeting would have been an option in his case, my inviting those in the neighborhood to see his set up and interact with snakes would have made a world of difference. I know my neighbor to the left of my likes when I bring my big normal girl outside for exercise and he hated her at first so times a little exposure to something that triggers fear is all it takes for acceptance.
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