How many of you guys have run into people who think small colubrids like garters and kings don't have teeth, and therefore can't bite/aren't dangerous? I've heard this from many people, including one guy who owned a cal king and believed that it could kill king cobras but refused to believe it could bite him. I guess that the part of the snake people are afraid of is the teeth, and if you don't think it has teeth, you're not scared of it.
Also, it sounds strange, but people who aren't 'into' animals have trouble believing that small baby animals grow into larger, adult animals. I used to work at a petstore, too, and I can't count the number of times I was in front of the rodent cages saying, '
Yes, these small, BABY rats grow into these BIG rats'
'Really? These are the same thing? These get that big?'
"Yes! They grow! They get bigger!'
I think this explains the unwanted RES/iguana/other large reptile problems we're having. No matter how many times you tell people they get bigger, no one ever really believes you.
humanity in general
Erin B.