Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I saw a T.V. show last week were this guy was having all of his snakes taken away from him. He had some nice snakes in good health and well maintained. I believe I saw tree boas, ball python morphs, etc. Apparently ball pythons are illegal in San Fransico for some odd reason. They treated the guy like he was a mental case. Are we all animal horders? Must we now fear being exposed on national T.V.? Having our snake sheds rooted through by the local weatherman? Having our cases documented for future treatment? Perhaps soon they will have a drug to treat our condition?

The producer of the TV show "Hoarders" was fishing around here on the forums for snake owners/breeders for her future episodes a couple moths ago. The moderators deleted her posts(which was a VERY good move) because everyone knew full freakin well that her intentions where to fully-exploit the snake hobby and how most of the general public would also view it.

Looks like she9the producer) found someone somewhere stupid enough, and willing enough to be on TV regarding it anyway.

That stupid TV show would have put even more negative spotlight on responsible snake keeping which the general public knows absolutely nothing about anyway, and make it into something HUGE that it definitely isn't just for pure entertainment value.

Are cattle rancher's thought of as animal hoarders..LOL!...hell no they aren't. But have a small to modest collection of snakes and then you get the.....WHOOOOAA!!!...EWWWW GROSS!!,HOLY CRAP!!!...GEEEEZ!!!..THAT GUYS TOTALLY INSANE MAN!...etc...

At least that's what the targeted 97% of the American public would think..LOL!

Now I guarantee there are plenty of dirtballs that certainly DO neglect the heck out of their snakes and hoard them in the most digusting conditions imagineable, and they shouldn't EVER be allowed to own any again on top of legal repercussions, but as we all know, even with snakes that were well-cared for, the public would still gross-out on them regardless..it's just the way it has been since the beginning of time. That's why I never even responded to her inquiring post at all. When it comes to snakes and the general public, the snakes always seem to loose!, and so do all the countless thousands of very responsible snake owners.

cheers, ~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I AGREE, PEOPLE fear what they do not understand! S.B.

That's it exactly..

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Good point on cattle ranchers doug. I know some people out on a farm who have several horses, goats, hogs and chickens. Lots of chickens. I buy fresh eggs from them and im not the only one. They also have a few dogs and cats running around. I dont think they are mentally ill. Nor the thousands of farmers like them lol.

ya, we are all just taboo.... lol

Yes, I hear ya John!

People seem to get hoarding and propagating for hobby/business in any numbers very mixed up. Especially when it is something they are ignorant of........ like snakes.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I think it's a serious problem. If you are a pet enthusiast that breeds and keeps a large collection, and someone calls you a horder, demand that they recognize what a true horder is. A horder is not defined by the number of animals they keep, but by the fact that they put their collection above the wellfare of themselves, or their families, or the animals themselves. I have met people that have had only a couple of animals and meet that description, and I have met collectors/ hobbiest with hundreds of animals that are well maintained that do not.

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I see a strong parallel to this and gun control. Protect us from ourselves. If you do or collect something different from the general masses, or those that know what is best for you, you are judged strange weird, or mentally ill. Bill.
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...three years ago it was just another snake cult...
The Retic is King.
Anacondas-the other Dark Side.
Afrocks-the dark side of the Dark Side.

And that is precisely the sort of confusion/ignorance/intolerance of the general public when it comes to reptiles and herpetoculture that HSUS and the other AR groups know, and regularly exploit to their advantage.

You see, it is often far easier to initiate, and get legislative or regulatory action taken against animal ownership when any and all opposition has been (or can be) marginalized in the public's eye as much as possible including by portraying said groups as "dangerous", "mentally unfit", "irresponsible" "animal hoarders" who all need some sort of help or intervention.
Like you said, it is really a form of control AND manipulation of public opinion.

I agree,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, lol