Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When at work today my co workers asked why I took off for the weekend. When I told them I was going to the local herp show to look at ball pythons for my collection, they replied (as most people do)..Eeeww.. why snakes.. why do you like them so much?
Well to this I replied, "I don't have to work with them 9 hours a day"

But after all joking aside, the only thing I could tell them was that they fascinate me. And that they are beautiful, surpising creatures. I was just wondering what others have said in response to this question.
And also.. what to do with house guests who don't like snakes.
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This is courage.. to bear unflinching what heaven sends. -unknown

0.2 chocolate lab Harley and basset Capone
1.0 leopard gecko (Nacho)

Most of the people that know me aren't surprised. I have 3 dogs, two cats and a 60 gallon fish tank also. On top of that I am a Biology teacher and used to work for a veterinarian. Their response is usually, "that figures, you live in a zoo".

But for those people that don't, I tell them about the same thing. When I describe the myriad of colors and patterns (and show some pics if I can), they are amazed.

We've had friends and co-workers want to come over just to see them. But for house guests that don't like snakes, all of ours are kept in one bedroom. When we explain that they are in locked racks or cages, they are usually fine with it as long as they don't have to see them. My mom is terrified of anything with scales, though. She won't come here anymore. That's ok though- we just go to visit her.

Cheers.

Well, similar anyway. Somehow snakes came up while I was talking to my co-worker downstairs over the phone. I told her I breed ball pythons. Her responses: "Ewww, I hate snakes, I hate rodents, my son would love you, you must be single." I tell people it's my thing, and has been since I was like 2 years old. Try to redirect their ignorance when they say something retarded (the other day I heard people back the aisle from me arguing over whether water snakes were poisonous or not), and I told the girl today that my wife couldn't care less because she doesn't even know they're here. They don't bother her whatsoever. Cause it's MY thing. As far as houseguests who don't like snakes...stay somewhere else. Then you wash your hands of 2 problems, their fear of snakes encroaching on your personal space, and THEM encroaching on your personal space.

People that know me know I have a glitch in my system for reptiles and accept it. Those that don't get the same answer though. I've been fascinated with snakes for 50 years and I don't think you can delete them from my life.

As for the house guest, is it family, friend, are they staying for an extended period of time? Sorry but many things contribute to how a situation like this should be handled. I generally just smile and say "they were here first"

Quig

I used to have a kingsnake, people would say "eww snakes..."
So I made them touch it, and they were like WOW its not slimy and gross.
Their fears perpituate in the apearance of the snake, which is creepy if you think about it. Get them past that, ur good to go
Cheers
ps I just bought my first Baal Python... and I have 2 dragons a tarantula and a emp scorpion, now after i explain all that, many more people are weirded out by them all.

cheers!

Pitoon

I don't get that all the time but I simply say they are cool! And I offer an example of different things for different people. For example, I ask them about dogs and to name the weirdest one they like. To that I reply "What the heck is so fascinating about a hairless dog or one with a smashed in nose...".

The key is education. I have a lot of visitors from Iceland. You can bet there are no native reptiles there. At any rate, most are always intrigued to see my collection and almost always reply the same thing after touching a snake the first time: "It's not slimey" with surprise. At the end of the session, they too think they are cool. Ah, amazing what you can do with an open mind.
>>0.2 chocolate lab Harley and basset Capone
>>1.0 leopard gecko (Nacho)
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

ok, im a dork, because sometimes i enjoy their responses. at least i know i wont get unwanted visitors if they are afraid to come to the house- LOL.
the people at work that know i have a snake think im weird/crazy. one lady is TERRIFIED of them, and she and i have talked. she wouldnt want to be around it, but shes asked a few questions. I think its a natural survival response to be afraid of them, to a degree. until research was done early man didnt have a way to know what was dangerous, right? so why not just be scared of them all so as to ensure survival. and sometimes peoples other personal beliefs dictate things they are afraid of...
either way, education does go along way. im a great example! when i was a lil kid i was SOOOO scared of snakes. the family knew what i had found by the blood curdling scream! but as i got older and learned more i began to be interested, and eventually, i wanted one as a pet. i got a corn snake to start - having done allll my research i thought it would be a great lil starter. i ended up keeping it for several months but had to give it away due to some life changes. fast forward to now, i still LOVE snakes. i cant get enough of being around them and watching them etc. so i have my ball python and want MORE, of course. more ball pythons and any other non-venomous i can get. lol.
so far as what to tell people- hmmm, i usually tell people they are really interesting, sweet critters. and they can make a really great pet if you are willing to make sure their care is done correctly.
alot of people still give me the eeewwwwws and tell me they dont care, they dont want them around...lol...
in that case, dont come to my house! if you know theres a snake in the house, you deal with it when you show up. but then again, so far, Zenith is in the bedroom, so its not like everyone sees it if they come in the house...
of course it helps when you dont have alot of people coming over anyways...ahahahaha...
and all my family lives in a different state, soooo no worries there, but they all know im crazy anyways...lmao..
My boyfriend knew i liked snakes and wanted one as a pet before i moved in. now hes already made mention of getting more. so im glad hes on my side about it...
ok, so a long windy story to answer your questions sorry...
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~Snake Charmer~

.....the ONLY people that come here ARE snake people......
not friends , well....they are snake people ....not family....
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.....me the mice the dog and the snakessss......well.....there IS a woman lives here, she claims to be my wife....I think if I had a wife she would clean my snake's cages.....Ha
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I enjoy my pythons....to each his own...I can't hit a seven iron for [bleep] but my friends don't know a pied from a spider. They will spend 100 a weekend golfing and 1k on clubs a year, my dough goes to my snakes.. Again, to each his own.

They don't bark, meow, and make a bunch of noise. They don't ruin the furniture or carpet, no begging for food or attention, don't need to be walked or let out, I can leave for a week without a pet sitter, cleaning is minimal, they only eat once a week, If I decide I want to hold them they don't care, if I never hold them at all they're just as happy.

My boyfriend's crazy mother is terrified of snakes but manages to not flip out when she's here. She's religious on top of it and thinks they're "evil" and also tells my boyfriend stupid stuff like "I just don't think its right that you're living with snakes." Aside from her I've heard some some of the dumbest questions like "Do you keep them in cages?" or "Aren't pythons poisonous?" I understand the phrase 'There are no stupid questions.' While that may be true there certainly are a lot of inquisitive idiots.
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Everyone has eaten and everyone has been eaten.

lol i hear ya about the inquisitive idiots...
the lady i mentioned from work was asking if i have to feed it a rat every day. and then she asked me if i was going to eat it. i was like WTF! NOOO its a pet..lol...and when i told her i didnt feed it every day, and that i fed it prekilled baby mice that i thaw out she wanted to know where i kept the frozen ones. i told her in the freezer. she was kinna grossed out by the fact that theres dead mice in the freezer with my food.
ahahahahah...
only yall (other reptiles lovers) would understand a freezer of ziplock baggies of dead things in the freezer right next to the frozen pizzas and ice cream..LOL...
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~Snake Charmer~

To keeping the mice in the freezer
You know what... I keep dead chickens and cows in there too.
just dont grab the wrong bag!

......people think ALL snakes are poisonous.....(I tell them no, you can eat them )....

.......agreed with no noise no begging...(usually) ....

tell your mother -in-law that God created all creatures and therefore snakes are not evil (that one is from online here by someone )......
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I really try to avoid talking to her at all. I just need to find something she's even more afraid so she'll stop coming over. To be afraid of snakes is one thing, I can at least understand that. If she could have just stuck with that I wouldn't care, but noooo she had to cross the crazy line.
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Everyone has eaten and everyone has been eaten.