gotta agree with zulu on this one, maybe herpers are not on the same scale (no pun intended) but a lot of things started out this way, civil rights, gay rights, the right to carry a firearm for self defense, etc. At the beginning of each of those times the prevailing wisdom was to keep your head down and not rock the boat. instead a few did rock the boat, and changed things. there are few of us so we need to be noisy but not obnoxious, factual but at a third grade level (typical politician mental capacity) and most of all we need to have our snakes out there, educating the public. When i bring my snakes out i get the inevitable eww response, followed by lots of questions, and then the can i touch it? of course i'm not carrying around a 9ft boa but the more ppl who get educated or desensitized to the presence of snakes, while not owners themselves, might remember "the snake guy" that they had such a positive experience with.

case in point: neighbor and her 12 yo daughter stopped by the house on feeding day, both terrified of everything (dogs, cats, snakes, spiders etc.) I mentioned that my snakes was feeding and to please keep as quiet as possible. well both of them were fascinated, they had never seen anything like that b4. i showed them into my snake room, a little squeamish at first but totally enthralled with the snake. i won't say they lost their fear of snakes at that point, but it did make an impression, and later the daughter even asked to touch the snake. did I make a difference? maybe, in a small way, i hope.

sticking our heads in the sand is not going to help our cause. most ppl have never even seen a real snake up close b4. and many if introduced properly, and educated a little would, i think take away a very different attitude towards our hobby. plus it gives us a chance to dispel all those ridiculous rumours about snakes some ppl have.
mike
-----
..1 Jayne "The Hero of Canton", Ball Python
..1 Edmund Slackbladder, Mexican Kingsnake
..1 El Diablo "They haven't built a cage I can't get out of" Pueblan Milksnake
(Currently serving 25 to life in a Maryland Supermax
______________________________________________________

Me; And finally monsieur a wafer thin pinkie
El Diablo: blaggh
Me: ah sir its only 1 leetle pink one
ED: ahh, sod off! I'm full
Me: ah sir hmm? its only wafer thin?
ED: bah! i couldn't eat another thing I'm absolutely stuffed. bugger off!
Me: ah sir, sir just ...just one......?
ED: ok just one
Me just the one.
Me: voila!
Me: bon appetite!.......

[ Hide Replies ]

• Snake on the beach - boneiface, Tue Mar 11 13:12:31 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - superdave1781, Tue Mar 11 13:33:54 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - boneiface, Tue Mar 11 14:48:09 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - superdave1781, Tue Mar 11 15:06:12 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - DMong, Tue Mar 11 18:23:08 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - dekaybrown, Tue Mar 11 19:16:55 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - Hollychan, Wed Mar 12 14:47:36 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Wed Mar 12 18:30:19 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - Hollychan, Wed Mar 12 19:34:16 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Wed Mar 12 19:52:51 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - Hollychan, Wed Mar 12 20:04:55 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Wed Mar 12 20:24:50 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - superdave1781, Wed Mar 12 21:11:54 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Wed Mar 12 21:31:34 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - DMong, Wed Mar 12 22:11:08 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Thu Mar 13 08:58:07 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - DMong, Thu Mar 13 10:50:57 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Thu Mar 13 13:30:42 2008
• point taken !.......n/p - DMong, Thu Mar 13 13:38:11 2008
• RE: point taken !.......n/p - boneiface, Thu Mar 13 14:09:54 2008
• RE: point taken !.......n/p - HydraZulu, Thu Mar 13 14:19:56 2008
• RE: point taken !.......n/p - DMong, Thu Mar 13 16:00:39 2008
• RE: point taken !.......n/p - HydraZulu, Thu Mar 13 21:18:51 2008
• actually, more importantly.......... - DMong, Thu Mar 13 23:46:43 2008
• RE: point taken !.......n/p - superdave1781, Fri Mar 14 12:47:24 2008
• I forgot to mention this....... - DMong, Thu Mar 13 14:35:17 2008
• RE: I forgot to mention this....... - HydraZulu, Thu Mar 13 14:50:41 2008
• Sorry, I just had to.... - dekaybrown, Fri Mar 14 05:54:58 2008
• BINGO ! - DMong, Fri Mar 14 08:21:07 2008
• RE: BINGO ! - Hollychan, Fri Mar 14 16:21:18 2008
• RE: BINGO ! - HydraZulu, Mon Mar 17 09:07:32 2008
• RE: BINGO ! - mldolan, Fri Mar 21 10:16:51 2008
• RE: BINGO ! - Hollychan, Mon Mar 24 21:32:54 2008
• RE: BINGO ! - HydraZulu, Tue Mar 25 14:40:53 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - markg, Tue Mar 11 19:21:10 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Tue Mar 11 21:21:07 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - superdave1781, Wed Mar 12 07:52:16 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Wed Mar 12 08:42:40 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - markg, Wed Mar 12 13:33:56 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - Sonya, Tue Mar 11 21:20:19 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - HydraZulu, Tue Mar 11 21:23:57 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - dekaybrown, Wed Mar 12 12:48:29 2008
• RE: Snake on the beach - DMong, Wed Mar 12 13:27:42 2008