OP: Welcome to the world of owning reptiles. I used to get similar reactions when I had geckos... Now that I own snakes too, I hear feedback similar to yours when I post pics of them on my FB page. Someone posted something along the lines of "All snakes should die" and of course, (and this is actually funny) "real pets have shoulders". Now, I post pics on my FB and the haters just don't comment and I'll get a few comments from those that do like to look at them.

You can also post on FB groups just for snakes, or sites like this, to get good feedback. Reptile shows, as others have said, are a lot of fun too. If you have one in your area I'd suggest going. But be prepared that you'll want to bring something home with you if you do.

You could also look into whether or not there's a local reptile group (check FB) that you can chat with or meet up with.