Is there really a huge controversy over reptile ownership??

[Soord]

ive had both but mostly it is fear. Ive found out a vast majority of my friends wont even hold my snakes and a couple wont even come to my apartment because of them. Ive also found that many apartments are biased against snakes from my house hunt this fall and that many will allow leos but because of one snake living in a toilet in new york like a million apartments turned me down as soon as i mention i had snakes

[Bennie1986]

My catholic family legitimately believes Satan takes the form of any snake.

To be more in depth.... They believe the story of Adam and Eve is, rather than symbolic, a non-fictional account of two people and God. And so they think all snakes are descendants of Satan.


Herp Derp

Do they eat pork.... cause demons were driven into a whole pack of pigs and I know plunty of Catholics that eat pork lol!

[Bennie1986]

What about the part in Genesis that says that mankind is over all creatures of the earth? Snakes are God's creatures. That means if you want a snake for a pet that is your choice.

This was my first thought.

[KingWheatley]

What about the part in Genesis that says that mankind is over all creatures of the earth? Snakes are God's creatures. That means if you want a snake for a pet that is your choice.

A fair argument. But the snake wasn't a snake at all. In the story, it was Satan, and in some scripts it was Satan who took the form of a dragon. And it was God who removed his legs and arms to force him and his offspring to crawl on their bellies.

So owning a snake as a pet is like having a shoulder demon whispering falsehoods in your ear.

Keep in mind that we are specifically talking about my very heavy Catholic family. Who don't believe in evolution. "You can't 'evolve' outside your own species. A fish can't become a dog, then a monkey, then a human." (And yet sit there and argue until they are blue in the face over how Jesus changed water into wine...)

It's not that a fish became a dog, then a monkey, then a human. An aquatic creature evolved lungs, became amphibious. Then offspring of that creature developed depending on what environment they were in. Mammals grew fur and nipples. Reptiles had exterior armor. Then they evolved to suit their prey items. And their mating behaviors. Then you got your monkeys, wolves, etc from those.

Regardless. My point being that they believe snakes are evil because of the Catholic teachings in the past. Lately, the beliefs have changed, as Catholicism has always done, to absorb new followers. They adopted what other Christian religions would describe as "pagan" beliefs. It wasn't just Catholicism. Christmas, Communion, Easter, and even the upside down cross. These were adopted to twist already existing rituals to meet Christianity. It's actually quite fascinating. But that's dangerously shooting off topic.

Despite changing beliefs as a whole, my parents still accept the old teachings and nothing else. Snakes being the spawn of evil.


Herp Derp

[KingWheatley]

Do they eat pork.... cause demons were driven into a whole pack of pigs and I know plunty of Catholics that eat pork lol!

I don't know if that's still part of the teachings, but yes. They eat pork. They eat fish on fridays, and go to church nearly every day with all six of their children. And they all fast on certain days. They are half-siblings and as I am the "out-of-wedlock" child I am already predestined for Hell.

So it was not surprising that I got a snake as a pet. To them.


Herp Derp

[KingWheatley]

ive had both but mostly it is fear. Ive found out a vast majority of my friends wont even hold my snakes and a couple wont even come to my apartment because of them. Ive also found that many apartments are biased against snakes from my house hunt this fall and that many will allow leos but because of one snake living in a toilet in new york like a million apartments turned me down as soon as i mention i had snakes

The phobia is as bad as spiders. Once people are more informed, the phobia is replaced by fascination. As long as the party in question is open minded.


Herp Derp

[Bennie1986]

I don't know if that's still part of the teachings, but yes. They eat pork. They eat fish on fridays, and go to church nearly every day with all six of their children. And they all fast on certain days. They are half-siblings and as I am the "out-of-wedlock" child I am already predestined for Hell.

So it was not surprising that I got a snake as a pet. To them.


Herp Derp

Sums up my issue with Catholics...

[Nellasaur]

I had a very good friend throw this article in my face literally just today as proof that I was irresponsible for keeping as many herps as I do. (I have 11 in my collection, for the record. Total.) Never mind that the herp hobby has changed a lot in the 12 years since this article was first published; that the fella being cited is clearly referring to wild-caught specimens; that all my herps are captive-bred. We exchanged some very heated words on the topic.

So this thread is timely, is what I'm saying.

[LightningPython]

My grandparents were not impressed when I got my crested gecko. They nearly flipped when I told them I got a ball python. Plus 6 more snakes, and every time the topic of snakes comes up they say im gonna catch loads of diseases from them, they'll escape and strangle me in my sleep or i'll get bit and get seriously injured or something ridiculous like that.

My friends at college think I'm nuts when it comes to my animals, I mean it's not every day you see a teenage girl who has a "massive"snake in her bedroom (shes only 7ft atm). I had one guy almost freak out after I told him. He said it will literally kill me once the snake gets full grown.

But, these people have never met my snakes in person(yet) so they can only judge and jump to conclusions over what I tell them. I try to make it seem my snakes are harmless, but the lack of understanding makes people think they are worse than what they are.
I dont let people opinions deter me though! My animals are my life. I dont drink, or go out to parties, or any of the other stuff people my age do, and I think its good that I am working towards making my animals lives better rather than ruining my own.

Whatever floats your boat, dont let anyone else dictate what you want to keep as a pet, and if they keep you out of trouble, its great

[the_rotten1]

@Nellasaur So all of this guy's reptiles died young and he's claiming to be an expert? Sounds like a load of bs. What about people who've kept reptiles for 20+ years and watched them grow to a ripe old age? I suppose they have no idea what they're talking about.