Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just about to report a vicious personal attack against one of the members here. Glad to see that you deleted it so quickly.

There was a message in very poor taste about Rob. I notified the moderators immediately.

Glad to see that others did the same.

Best wishes,

sxo792

Cleaning up house and keeping things legitimate for the next generation of forum users near and far. Outstanding.

Jerry Kruse

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I can't wait until my son is your son's age. I am sure he will be there soon enough since the time is "flying". I have asked others privately before but I think it makes a good forum topic...

To those of you with children: If you have reptiles at your house, what type of conversation do you have with your children?
In all honesty, most cities frown upon reptile collections. So what do you ask or kids to say or "not say" about the snakes at home? Do you explain not to say anything about them? Do you ask them not to say anything around the neighbors?

Best Wishes,

SXO792

I think we discussed this topic offline last year?

First off, DON'T rush it!! The kids grow up WAY too fast as it is.. My oldest boy (Michael) recently turned 5, he started school this year and it feels like he was born last week!

I thought about telling him not to mention the snakes to anyone at school. Then I thought about it and he has never brought it up to anyone in the past, so I just let it go..

Honestly, he has been around snakes his whole life. I don't think he considers it anything out of the ordinary to have a hundred or so in the house..

So, far there have been no issues and everything I have is completely legal, so I am not really all that worried about it.
But, I will keep you posted if i run into anything..

~ Mike Russo

My kids talk about it whenever they want and its no biggie.Most other kids think they are really cool cause they have a werid dad that has hundreds of snakes.
I have over the years many many times taken several snakes to there schools and did little talks and let then see and touch things they normally never would be able to.
I guess it just depends on were you live etc... there are no restricions of any kind here.

Shannon

"I have over the years many many times taken several snakes to there schools and did little talks and let then see and touch things they normally never would be able to."

That's very commendable, has a young one ever tried to touch it in the back and it bit him?

I always let them touch it in the back.thats the safe zone.

L8r

This is a topic that insterests me as well. I also have three youngsters and my 4 year old wanted to bring some snakes to preschool for show and tell. Although I was unable to attend, I allowed her (accompanied by my wife who works at the school) to take a couple of hatchling sized milks and hognoses. I was told that things for the most part went great. My daughter was also talking about the snakes at the local public library and they asked my wife if I'd be interested in bringing in some snakes for a group of younsters and do a little presentation. I hope to accomodate this summer. No negative feedback yet, although I'm sure some oppose.

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Joe

Jeez Steve, we hit an area of commonality and I'm glad to be in the company of so many men with a passion for their children. My deepest appreciation to all of you. Both as a herpetoculturist and psychotherapist, i have very interesting conversations with my daughter both about nature and conservation as well as feelings and relationships (of course, on a level that a nine-year-old would be appropriate to engage in lol...). But when it comes to talking about not only what daddy does for a living when on a play date and amidst another parent (mental health people are like taboo rather than something more "acceptable" and measurable such as a heart surgeon), and THEN to mention that we have reptiles as pets?!?! Let's just say it's been tough since our daughter began attending a new school in 2006 without people having a "raised eyebrow" after her admissions of truth to her classmates! She explains that since we can not have a dog (co-op board won't approve...) it's the next-best thing, and the best part is that we can breed them and not have to walk them when it's cold outside. So we manage in silence, as none of our neighbors know about our collection. Co-ops can be very political as to what is accepted in it's "micro-environment" if you will. Unfortunately it is by-and-large the history of irresponsible folk that wound up in the public eye because they did something downright stupid, as well as internalized childhood experiences that derived from a relative's terrifying narrative or an unfortunate negative experience that has never been corrected. A very interesting topic -- one that could stand a bit more exploration from time to time.

Jerry Kruse

My daughter with a couple herp buds in the Pine Barrens -- Andy Marchese, Brandee, and Gerry Wronski.

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I used to teach kids in an extra cirricular activity class in Arlington Texas on ecology and herpetology. This was way back in the day.

I am very interested in the type of communication and methods that others have with their children on the topic of reptiles.

Thanks for all your feedback.

Best Wishes,

SXO792

Steve, I taught Boy scout groups at winter and summer camps for 6 years the Reptile and Amphibian Merit Badge. It was hands on, a little paperwork, some sketching, and being able to view the four types of venomous found in Texas, not all species but rattlesnakes were covered with a diamondback. I also utilized a TPWD ranger for an alligator presentation and wildlife enforcement and conservation. I was as open to them as I would be to any adult, because it was serious to me that they learn to respect the animals and learn herpeticulture. They were to keep the eggs from laying to hatching of a reptile or ampibian, or keep one for a month and show all pertinent info on a form. It was very interesting to hear the folklore that they had heard and divide fact from fiction.
We also did hikes to id herps in the field and night hikes to stalk frogs and toads by their calls. Sadly, little Johnny and I will be breaking the law if we venture onto the rows. it is still taught at the camps, which are privately owned. I haven't done it in a few years, but I hope to continue to help in this way in the future.

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Todd Hughes

Tell them what you want them to know and what you want them to say. My kids are both grown now but I got more than one call from the mother of the child that my daughter was spending the night with after my daughter asked, where do you keep your snakes? Evidently, not a question they expected. My kids assumed that everyone had snakes.
Later
Rick

It will be awhile before my new herpin' buddy blabs, but to tell you the truth, I don't even care! Everything I own is on the up and up, and he lives in Virginia and I'm in Texas! My kids probably didn't think it was too big a deal, my daughter doesn't care for them, my son has herped with me and helped me in the snake room but they aren't big in his life either. Their friends though, that is another matter! Who doesn't want to check out the weord Dad's snake collection, lol!
The buddy I hope to change the world's opinions on herps with, Christian Thomas Rich, my first grandson, was born March 17, 2008. I told my daughter to hurry up and get him ready for the Gries ranch trip!
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Todd Hughes

n/p

Gracias!
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Todd Hughes

My daughter has been in my snake room from the time she first walked. I have pictures of her in diapers hanging out with me in the snake room. As far as what I tell her to say or what not to say? This is how I feel about it. I live way out in Eastern Long Island NY(10 minutes from the Hamptons)in a small neighborhood with about 75 houses piled on top of each other. Everyone knows everyones business. They all know I have the snakes. Was it the boaphile delivery with 30 four foot cages in my driveway that gave it away? Is it the monthly rodent delivery that gave it away? Or is it the one time my wife(or me for that matter) said something about the "snake room" to one of the neighbors that gave it away? It doesnt really matter because they all know I have them and not one of them has even been in my snake room. Before my daughter was born I kept two pairs of Eyelash vipers. Did I worry that my neighbors would drop the dime on me saying I have "dangerous snakes" in my house and the DEC would come in and find my illegal snakes? NO! Why? Because I went and researched it and obtained the proper permits. My point is this......no matter what we do for the most part.......we are outcasts! We love snakes and to most people thats not normal. If we keep it legal, it really doesnt matter what we keep. I would never tell my daughter to lie. As a matter of fact, I hear her bragging to her her little friends that she has snakes and Daddy has a snake room. She knows the rules, NO ONE goes into the snake room(its locked anyway) without daddy. Period. And the snakes never ever ever go outside! What scares me more than anything else in this ass backwards state is some un-trained DEC character getting the call that I have dangerous pythons in my house(nope I dont even own one), responding and not knowing a Boa from a Milksnake. THIS IS A VERY LIKELY SENARIO in the NY metro area anyway. This is why I keep a framed copy of the most recent NYS law on whats legal and whats not as well as copies of any of the permits I possess. They are hung on the wall in the room. If you're legal and smart, you wont have to tell the kids anything. And you will sleep better at night knowing that you didnt have to ask them to stretch the truth in any way. They learn quick so if daddy says its ok for me to lie about the snakes for a "good reason" maybe its ok for me to lie about school work or where I have been for the last two hours or blah blah blah, you get the idea. Thanks for listening to the long post. Mike Panichi

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honesty is my only policy

Great post Mike, agree 1000000%!
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Todd Hughes

Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. This is a very interesting subject in my opinion. I think we are viewed as outcasts. I wish our public opinion was more of that like California (Shannon) but here in the thumping belt, Snakes are still evil creatures and if anyone catches wind of a collection, it is normally embelished on the news and you become the center of attention. King snakes turn into exotic vipers, hognose into cobras and so on... Then neighbors hate you...

I think I am going to keep my room locked. I will show my herps to my son from time to time as he grows older to get used to them. Talk about them. Install knowledge and confidence. Then when he gets older present him with the room and go from there. I think younger children play and brag about their parents and inadvertanley give information that may not be so popular with others.

Again thanks to everyone. Great topic and great correspondence.

SXO792

This has been a most interesting discussion. As a snake owner from the time I was a young kid growing up on a South Texas farm, I can say that I have never heard any negative comments about what I raise. In the last 33 years of teaching, I have had some species of colubrid in my elementary classroom for about 90% of the time. It is a real treat for the students to get to watch the snake eat on Fridays. I have used that with especially difficult kids and they actually behave so they can get to watch the snakes eat. If they have been real good, they might even get to touch or hold the snake (with a great deal of supervision). It's amazing to see how some big sixth grade kids react to a rat snake when holding one for the first time in their lives.

My three sons have grown up around snakes and even today as adults, two of them own snakes. Their mother might say it is in excess, but as adults in their 20's there are much worse things they could be spending their money on. With the 8 snakes I have at home now, the neighbor kids are always coming by the house to look at the snakes.

As I have introduced snakes to children over the years I have always tried to teach them that snakes are not to be feared or vilified. They are to be respected and admired for the wonderful creatures they are.

Bill

Great post Bill!

I 100% agree with you that "there are much worse things they could be spending their money on".. I hope that when my children are grown they choose to spend their money on somthing like this.

This has been a great thread overall.. Thanks for starting it Steve!

~ Mike Russo

Mike,

I can post all the topics I want... It is you the contributers that respond and make the topics great. This forum is only as good as those who contribute.

Most are getting to know me after posting here for over 10 years now.

a. I like jokes and humor.
b. I think we all deserve honest transactions when purchasing animals.
c. I think it is our duty to educate those new to our hobby. (pass on what we have learned)
d. I think it prudent to speak up when we can and defend our hobby when we must.

That was more than I really wanted to say.

Thanks Mike for the response.

Best Wishes,

SXO792

I share the same opinion about the moderators on kingsnake. They do a tremendous job scanning the hundreds of posts each day ensuring we have a professional and courteous forum to ask questionsand post comments. I'm sure others will agree, Kingsnake is the gold standard in the reptile industry.