Home page issue

[Texas Dan]

yeah.. umm. snake BYTES.

See the word play there.. if the name of the show was Snake Hugs.tv, I could understand where the problem is.

If you go to a car site, and there's a video of a car crashing on the front page, are you gonna stop driving?

[kc261]

I think it's great that we can all laugh at someone getting bit by a snake. But when some Legislature who knows nothing about snakes, needs to make an informed vote on whether to outlaw our hobby, and visits our site for information... Will they laugh too?

I agree with this, although I also agree with Nathan saying that a forum is probably not the first place a politician comes to gather information. I'm more worried about the teen who is trying to convince his/her mom/dad to let them own a snake, and shows them this site, and so the mom/dad gets pushed further in the "no snakes" direction.

As far as Connie's post about "some of us are jaded about snake bites" and "those who are offended shouldn't own snakes"... wow. That seems a bit over the top considering Jenn and I have both said we aren't personally offended, just concerned about the impact it may have on who knows who might see it. (For the record, neither of those 2 quotes are word for word Connie's, but I believe I kept the meaning the same. If I didn't, Connie please clarify.)

Yes, I agree that showing this clip of a snake biting will get clicks and will get people to watch snakebytes. But are the ones who are hoping to see "more snakes biting people and blood", the same ones we, the herp community, want to attract? IMHO, showing the public what they want to see is not always good. Shock value may lead to clicks, but it is not a good thing. I find it very ironic and hypocritical that the herp community as a whole complains a lot about the bad press that snakes get. But when snakebytes puts out an ad that shows that being bitten by a snake is 33% of what owning snakes is about (based on it being one of 3 brief clips), that is just fine. Huh?

I absolutely agree with all of those who say that we should not try to hide that snakes bite sometimes. Some bites can be really bad, even fatal, and potential owners need to know that. But I'm not sure that getting that knowledge out there (as if it isn't already) will result in fewer irresponsible owners. Many of the irresponsible owners are the same ones who are attracted to snakes because of their big bad reputation. This kind of goes back to showing the public what they want to see (lots of dramatic snake bites) instead of the truth (yes, it happens, but it isn't what snakes and owning snakes are all about).

Connie suggested that if someone asked Brian he might change it. I will agree that at the very least he should be made aware of this thread just in case he isn't already, so I'm going to send him a PM, to avoid any possible "talking behind his back" type thing. Then changing it or not will be his choice. I just started talking about it here because the thread was already started. Also, I do think talking about what the herp community should be presenting to the public is a valid topic here, and it just happened to come up because of the snakebytes ad. Actually, to me, it is more HOW it is presented rather than WHAT. I have NO problem with the clip... just that it is a very major percentage of a very short video loop which is displayed on the home page of bp.net.

[littleindiangirl]

As far as Connie's post about "some of us are jaded about snake bites" and "those who are offended shouldn't own snakes"... wow. That seems a bit over the top considering Jenn and I have both said we aren't personally offended, just concerned about the impact it may have on who knows who might see it. (For the record, neither of those 2 quotes are word for word Connie's, but I believe I kept the meaning the same. If I didn't, Connie please clarify.)

Well, I do have to comment that changing a few words does change the meaning of my entire post.

Originally Posted by littleindiangirl
If someone is offended by snakes biting, than perhaps snakes are not for them in the first place.

I think that you've changed my post to sound completely different by writing this:

those who are offended shouldn't own snakes.

Of course, if you don't see the difference, I can't force you to.

Plainly, if someone that comes to this site and sees the snake biting, and is horrified, disgusted, offended... then yes. Perhaps snakes aren't for them. No?

[kc261]

Plainly, if someone that comes to this site and sees the snake biting, and is horrified, disgusted, offended... then yes. Perhaps snakes aren't for them. No?

Let me start off by saying I agree with that completely. That wasn't how I interpreted your post that I paraphrased earlier, and maybe I misinterpreted. It felt, when I read it the first time, that it was intentionally left ambiguous to possibly include Jenn and I. So I appreciate your clarification.

I thought saying "those who are offended shouldn't own snakes" was close enough in meaning to "If someone is offended by snakes biting, than perhaps snakes are not for them in the first place." Sort of like saying "those who are allergic to peanuts shouldn't eat peanut butter cookies" is close enough in meaning to "If someone is allergic to peanuts, than perhaps peanut butter cookies are not for them in the first place".

I think maybe what made it sound completely different was taking away all the context? I dunno. Anyway, I do appreciate your clarification of what you meant.

[littleindiangirl]

I think maybe what made it sound completely different was taking away all the context? I dunno. Anyway, I do appreciate your clarification of what you meant.

"The written word is the lowest form of communication."

I don't know who said that first, but I think we've just seen a great example by yours truly; moi

[frankykeno]

I think it's great that we can all laugh at someone getting bit by a snake. But when some Legislature who knows nothing about snakes, needs to make an informed vote on whether to outlaw our hobby, and visits our site for information... Will they laugh too?

I must say I had a good laugh over the idea that a politician or his lackey's would ever bother to actually research or ask the people involved in something about the laws they might draft that affect us. "Informed vote"??? Boy that did give me quite a laugh!

Somehow I doubt most of our overly well paid legislators are going to be hanging out at BPNet. It might force them to actually speak to those they supposedly represent....imagine that!

[rabernet]

Jenn,

Thank you for your concern. The admins review all ads before they are put up. We did not and do not find this particular ad to be concerning and we will not be asking Brian to change it. If he chooses to, that is entirely up to him, but we stand by the ad if he chooses to keep it as it is.

We do thank you for sharing your concerns!

[recycling goddess]

thought i'd toss in my 2 cents worth... as i got change from the grocery store today LOL

when i first came here, to this site... i didn't own any snakes. honestly i was scared to death of them... i was coming to figure out what the best snake would be for my son. we were trying to decide between a corn snake and a ball python.

it was during the research portion that i fell in love with ball pythons... the way they look, they was they moved... i was hooked.

if i had seen that ad when i first came... we probably wouldn't have gotten a snake. i'm being honest here... so please don't judge me... i was really scared of snakes. i couldn't even hold our when we first got him (now i have 12)... the thought of the snake leaping out of it's enclosure and biting me would have sent me over the edge.

what did i find when i came here? i found caring, supportive people who were willing to assist me to make an informed choice. i am and will continue to be forever grateful for this!

in the end, my son decided he didn't want a snake anymore... and i bought myself one instead LOL ah how life creeps up at ya eh?

that's it... i think i used up a toonie with that post... *runs to the car to get more change*

thanks for listening...

[BHB]

I just got a chance to see this post. I think I can agree with both sides on this one. You have to remember that we are learning through this experience as we go. When my grahics guy sent me the ad I thought it was classic, but I have to agree that maybe I didn't think it through all the way??? Although we are a show that will include "snake bites" from time to time. We are about reality and in our world we all get bit a lot. It has nothing to do with being a professional, it has to do with us handling a ton of snakes. That being said I agree that this might not be the image that we as a community want to see when visiting a forum. I'll get a new ad up within the next couple of days. If anyone in the future sees anything wrong with something that we do please let me know. I might not always agree, but the whole goal of our show is to increase interest in our hobby. I wouldn't want to ever hurt that. Thanks for everyones well thought out comments, Brian(BHB)

[Custom Exotics]

That being said I agree that this might not be the image that we as a community want to see when visiting a forum. I'll get a new ad up within the next couple of days. Brian(BHB)

Man, I really didn't see anything wrong with that ad, I liked it alot, and most people on this forum who have a good amount of snakes have been hit a time or two, its just part of the hobby. When you are working with a reptile whos vision is as it is, without proper precautions (and still sometimes is inevitable) you will get bit. I loved the ad, but I understand you taking it down, you aren't one who causes controversy, warranted or unwarranted. I respect your decision, but don't see the problem.