The same sad comments about my snakes... (vent)

[redshepherd]

I realized that my lip always quivers (in alertness) when people ask me more in-depth things about my snakes/snake info now, because I get on high alert if they're going to insult me again/make fun of me/make another pointless joke about putting my snakes with my birds to see what will happen. -__- ??!?!?

Why would anyone think this is funny to me? What do they expect me to do, be like, "OH HA HA YEAH, THEY'LL EAT THEM!!! HA HA HA!"

God lol.

It's weird how in the brief few months I've owned my HARMLESS, NON-VENOMOUS snakes, I have already gotten enough crude comments towards me and my pets to last a lifetime. They are ALL my PETS, just like a cat or dog is somebody's pet. Am I going to make stupid comments like, "Just wait one day, your dog is going to kill your other dog! FUNNY JOKE!" How does that make it okay for my small snakes, who in reality are just another harmless reptile?

Suddenly angry about this, because of the realization that I'm ALREADY hypersensitive/anxious when people talk to me about snakes. And that should not be happening unless I've already experienced hurt by it. *pychoanalyzes myself*

What kinds of sad comments has anyone else gotten? How do you guys keep your chill/respond? I wish I was a bit more stoic.

[h20hunter]

I had an aunt ask what I would do when "the serpent wrapped around his (my son) neck".

[redshepherd]

I had an aunt ask what I would do when "the serpent wrapped around his (my son) neck".

I forgot about this- I totally have gotten this comment too, MULTIPLE times from different people.

[Drake Moonslayer]

People have given me that comment and "What if your snake bites you"

I laugh and explain that my son knows how to uncoil the snake if it starts to choke. I also explain that my snake biting me is a lot less than their dog or cat biting them.

On the bright side. Part of my family refuses to come to my house because of the snakes. That works for me because those are the family members I do not invite over and do not want over anyway.

[Drake Moonslayer]

I have found that most people that make the comments like these and I am sure worse are afraid of snakes because they are uneducated about them. I have some neighbors that were scared to death of snakes when I moved in, within a week I was not allowed to hang out with them unless I had one of the snakes with me. All I did was talk about the snakes and educated them on the personalitys of the ball pythons and showed them how docile they are and also how responsible I am with my collection. Its really funny when I moved in they would not set foot on the driveway they were so scared of the snakes. Now they are going to be buying some of my clutchs when they hatch.

[Marrissa]

I used to get bothered. Now I don't. Just calmly respond with the truth. I hear that myth about sizing up all the time and start with "Well actually, that's a really common myth..." and then launch into how snakes aren't intelligent enough to measure their food with their bodies, how no snake can swallow a person, how a bite is two pin pricks that hurt less than a paper cut, etc. Just calmly dispel the myths and misunderstandings if they say something and act whatever about it. The people that are genuinely interested will keep asking you questions.

I've found the best way to be an advocate for snakes is just by people knowing I have them. Once they start asking questions about them and their care, you know you've got them. I've gotten quite a few people who would freak with a snake in the room to the level where they hold them. You've just gotta act whatever about it, not force it, and let them come to you with questions.

I think the biggest thing to non snake people is they generally thing that snake people are these weird cultish people that like to have "dangerous" pets. Me being a normal enough human who just happens to have a lot of snakes, peaks interest about the snakes. And the second you say "python" their eyes get big (most people associate the word python with 20' man eater), so I follow that with the actual size of the snakes and their temperaments and show pictures of all the morphs I have. The pied is very popular. Best you can do is open up their minds one person at a time.

[hanzo_baseball]

I think part of the charm about owning snakes is that they aren't the same run-of-the-mill pets as dogs or cats. If everyone knew how great it was to own snakes, it would diminish part of the fun mystique of owning them. Just my 2 cents.

[enginee837]

You can't fix adults but do everything you can to educate and expose children to them. Eventually the world will change around all of those who refuse to change with it.

[wolfy-hound]

What Marrissa said.

Also, you should think more about why you care what other people are saying/thinking. Me, I don't care what others think of me owning snakes.

Some good responses I've used..
"Ewww, I hate snakes!"
"Oh, I love ALL animals!"

"Why would anyone own a snake?"
"Lots of people don't have time or space for a dog or cat. And kids who are allergic to furry pets can still have a snake or lizard!"

"Won't it bite you?" "Has it ever bitten you?"
"Oh, the worst it can do is like a papercut. I've been mauled by a pomeranian once, that was scary! And kicked by horses, boy does that hurt. The snakes are harmless."

"I'd NEVER own a snake!"
"That's fine, I love them enough to more than make up for you not owning any. I'll take your share of the snakes and you can have my share of the budgies! Those little birds bite so hard!"

And of course, when someone does say deliberately asinine things like "I'd kill that snake if I saw it" I look them dead in the eye and tell them quite calmly "That snake is my pet and if you touch it, it's the same as if I went to your home and said I'd kill your dog because I don't like *insert breed of dog*".

I've had hundreds of people over decades that begin with "I hate snakes!" and "I'm terrified of snakes" end up as people who become fascinated enough to touch and hold a snake... often within minutes of talking with me around a ball python. I've had little girls that the parent states are completely terrified of all snakes come up within five minutes and stare fascinated at a ball python I'm holding and then want to touch it. I let them touch it on the tail usually while I hold the head end well away or on the other sided of my body. They learn that snakes are not slimy and feel "neat" and look really cool.

I completely loathe when someone proudly runs around saying how they scare the public with their snake or thrust a python at someone when they hear the person is scared of snakes. Because really, we are the only ambassadors for snakes and the whole herp culture that many of these people will EVER see or hear from. If WE don't show them that snakes are just another pet, then they will continue to have a poor opinion of snakes.

[stephy.lang07]

We have royals and a pitbull lol I'm no longer bothered by uneducated or just pure ignorant people. I'll teach if they will listen but I will not waste my time trying to convince people that my pets are sweeties and not vicious killers lol

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