Is there really a huge controversy over reptile ownership??

[kath_]

Same here- but there are always some unreasonable people in the world, and use their religion as a reason for their bias.

The funny thing is that (I mentioned in another thread recently), the "serpent" in the genesis story isn't stated as a snake. God actually "took away the serpent's limbs and cursed it to crawl on the ground forever" or something or other only after the fact, which means it had limbs. Which means that the serpent was not a snake. These people need to stop using the serpent=snake excuse! LOL

My friend's mom actually won't let her get a snake for religious reasons and calls them "the representation of Satan". And I always follow up with the same argument that the "serpent" actually got its limbs taken away by God so it wasn't even really a snake to begin with. It hasn't gotten me really far but she's also afraid about my ball python breaking out of a padlocked cage at night and strangling me in my sleep...

[kath_]

I really think it's the fear of the unknown, lack of knowledge, and general unwillingness to learn is what makes people so mean sometimes.
People don't even WANT to learn about snakes and reptiles and how amazing they are. It's pretty sad. Doing all my research about reptile care and different kinds of snakes, chameleons, and lizards was honestly a huge part of the fun of getting my ball python. And I'm always learning something new, even though I actually have one. Buddy makes every day so much fun for me!

[mom_of_bananachip]

I'm female, and I love my reptiles.

I'm a science teacher, and I get questions about why I keep them all the time.

A lot of it has to do with the lack of understanding of these animals, mainly the difference between a 'wild' animal versus a domesticated one. People have a lot of misconceptions. The way I see it, its better to address their questions as a science teacher and as an experienced hobbyist, rather than allow the gossip and misconceptions roam free and brew.

Usually, when I get a bunch of people enthused about my reptiles (giving them a chance to take care of them, interact with with), the love for exotic animals spread like wildfire. The expectation that ALL ANIMALS MATTER holds ground, and people, kids and adults alike, simply just accepts my reptiles as norms in the community.

[mom_of_bananachip]

.... one of the reasons I fell in love with BPs is that my son was born in the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac calendar. My first interaction with a BP just reminded me of my son - friendly, cute, inquisitive.

So you can say that I have a soft spot in my heart for snakes... not that I BELIEVE in that zodiac stuff, but being that my family is Chinese American, and the Chinese Zodiac hovers over our culture, I can't help but think about my boy everytime I play with my BP.

[distaff]

In the past, I had only had negative experiences with other's pet snakes. They were regretted purchases - unwanted animals languishing with the minimum of care in ugly bare tanks. I had no positive associations at all with them as pets, and only knew that illegal smuggling trade resulted in a lot of dead animals, and sick animals with unnecessary sad fates due to greedy cruel people. I think this came from an early reading of a National Geographic article (we subscribed when I was a kid). That kind of thing had a big influence on me, but then, I was the kid sending off spare change to Green Peace to stop the bludgeoning of baby Harp Seals.

Back a couple of years ago, I'd find myself thinking about snakes while spinning wool and flax. That activity tends to be somewhat hypnotic anyway. I started researching them, and unexpectedly discovered that I wanted one.

To me they are kind of a symbol of cosmic energy - they have a fun new age hippy theme about them. I find the Genesis story intriguing because humanity got smarter after Eve was coaxed to take the bite; with a knowledge of good and evil, and an ability to make the choice, we became adults, and were no longer children.

I think discretion is a good thing. If people aren't going to take it well, I don't need to share. Compared to the '70's that I grew up in, we live in a VERY prissy society. Taking offence seems to be a central part of most peoples' daily existence. Really, it is not worth wallowing in.

[noodlestsc]

Compared to the '70's that I grew up in, we live in a VERY prissy society. Taking offence seems to be a central part of most peoples' daily existence.

You just offended me with that statement while I was in my internet safe zone and I'm making a formal complaint to the mods to have you banned!

I'm in the construction field, where you better have tough skin or you will not survive. My favorite is when I get into heated arguments with my contractors, having them tell me to my face to go "F" myself, slamming doors as they leave, and then an hour later we're joking and having coffee together like it never happened.

[Coluber42]

I think what really makes the difference for a lot of people is realizing that snakes are really just animals like all the other animals. They have poop and saliva and blood, they eat and they get eaten, they mate, they lay eggs or have babies, there are many different species which have different habits and diets, just like every other animal. And that in a lot of ways, they are a lot like us! They have ribs and backbones and skulls, they have kidneys and lungs and can stomachs, they can overeat and get obese, they can get put on a diet and exercise regime and slim down.

When I occasionally run across people with a knee-jerk aversion to snakes, they've often never considered these things. A surprising number of them think that snakes are invertebrates. Or ask whether they poop, and how they do it - it never occurred to them to think that a snake poops the same way and from the same general location as a fish or a human or a bird; or that even on a snake there is a difference between head and neck, neck and body, body and tail.

When they realize those things, a snake's peculiar body shape and way of moving becomes demystified somewhat. Other than how everyone's pet is special to its owner, there's nothing special about a snake. It's an animal like every other animal.

[blue roses]

I have never really had anyone give me a hard time about my keeping snakes, but i have heard all the uneducated reasons why i shouldn't have them as pets. And yes, the religeous reason has come up a time or two.
Now me , being a real smartass, i usually will make a remark like and i have 2 black cats also, and if i get the face, i then follow up with something to the effect of well, what kind of pets would you expect a witch to have. I also neglect to tell them i have dogs, a parrot, rats, chickens, and a duck.

[KingWheatley]

Religious? Like how?!?! I'm a Christian as is my family and I've never heard one religious objection to snakes!

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

[Reinz]

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.