Snake haters

[distaff]

I don't bring it up unless the person asks me about pets or my hobbies or if someone is at our house. Even then, unless it comes up and we're giving a tour of the house or something, I don't bring them out or dwell on it.

I also don't post a lot of pics of them on my FB page due to negative comments from family that I've friended and at least one friend that has an actual phobia.

Most people I've dealt with think it is strange, but after I talk about how low maintenance they are, how they don't smell, eat / poo infrequently, etc. they kind of get the ease of it but still aren't interested lol. I try to compare it to keeping fish that you can handle to help them understand... They can understand appreciating how fish look / act but not touching them or having a "bond" with them, so that helps them understand why I would want reptiles...it is the same kind of concept only with handling added in.

A good many show fear or disgust (usually that is fear hiding behind disgust).

I don't want to be very in-your-face "you must accept my hobby as great" because that is the opposite of how I'd want to be treated.

For the most part, my family disapproves of me keeping reptiles and I don't have any local friends except one, who like them. I mainly discuss them here and on FB groups. My husband is cool with them (he doesn't do any maintenance, but likes to feed and handle sometimes) so that is good enough for me.

I definitely avoid taking them outside into the front yard, etc. because I don't want the neighbours getting riled up and trying to ban them.

BF has been very supportive. The vivs take up a lot of space, and each new acquisition raises the electric bill a bit. Then, there is the frozen mice box purchase every so often, and I don't think we are saving any money by going with raising rats, but I like feeding home-grown. BF doesn't maintain the snakes, but does like to watch when I feed.

I always ask guests if they are afraid of snakes before bringing them into the back half of the house. I do take mine outside, but this area is pretty laid back - about the opposite of any HOA mentality, and I'm not keeping pythons anyway. If any of the neighbours want to outlaw Lampropeltis, Elphae, or Pittuophis (all three of which I've likely mis-spelled), I'd suggest that they take more walks around the area, and patrol for road kill.