Non-reptile people

Some people don't like reptiles...that's fine with me - I don't push my interests on anybody. Live and let live only works when both sides agree to it, though. Many of us have been put in the position of having to defend our interest in reptiles...I don't mind those conversations as long as the person isn't spouting nonsense. Recently, I have had the pleasure of having several such encounters. The first person found out that keep snakes, and after a few introductory questions hit me with "what exactly do you get out of having a snake?" As she attempted to dismantle my response, she informed me that if an animal could not be domesticated and was not capable of forming "an intimate relationship, interacting, and bonding" with their keepers, they should not be kept in captivity. Of course, she proceeded to insist that most other animals, incuding fish, are capable of forming these types of relationships. Then (this is the good part), she proceeded to tell me about an acquaintance that had once had a ball python...had it for several years, in fact, until THE DAY IT HAPPENED. The snake waited until everybody was out of the house, then broke out of its cage and ate a whole litter (7) of month old kittens and the mother (cat). She insisted that the snake was in its tank, plotting and waiting its chance to get at the kittens (despite telling me moments before that snakes' brains are too small to allow for any real thought processes). Of course, she would not accept me telling her it didn't happen, and clearly I was an idiot for not believing her...so now, not only am I some kind of freak, but I don't know anything about snakes, either, lol.

Thank you very much for the needed laughs! That's classic; it has to be one of the best I've heard.

yeah, I was torn on where to post that story...it isn't really a rant, but the conversation really took place (so Just for Laughs was iffy). I almost went with Gerneral Herp...

I'm sure that I dug my own grave with her when I wouldn't tell her how many snakes I have. Of course, I honestly don't know, but nobody really believes that response when I give it. (then, the response is almost always "You have THAT many???", to which I reply "No, not THAT many." Usually, the next step is the guess, and the usual number is ten - "Well, is it more than 10?" I concede that it is, but refuse to play any further.) I don't count them because, frankly, I don't want to know. I could give the other honest answer and say "too many", but then I would have to explain why I don't get rid of any, lol. I have convinced myself that that has to happen, though. I want to reclaim my life, so a good number will have to go. I'm thinking that I would like to cut my collection in half...but it's too close to breeding season, so selling them now just doesn't make sense. Next year, after the babies hatch (what am I thinking...I won't have time to put together ads and take pics if I have a good year -AAAAUGH!!)

Originally Posted by hhmoore

I want to reclaim my life

For a number of good reasons I sold off my boas and other large snakes. That still leaves a fair number of reptiles and othe course I still have many other critters; but that is OK, critters are part of my life.
I absolutely agree with you Harald that when it gets to the point where you are spendiing too much time to the point of using a word like 'reclaim' (and there is no magic number, it is different for everyone and the variables have to do with the rest of your life) then it is time to cut back.
Funny story about the cat eating ball python, lol.

If I had a dime for every time I get into a "What is the point of owning a snake" conversation, I would have enough money to buy a pack of gum. What can we do but laugh? These people have no interest in learning and expanding their knowledge, they simply want to always be right because reptiles are gross.

Believe me, Lucille, I did not use the term "reclaim" lightly...then again, I have taken many a good hard look at what I would do if I didn't have so many animals to deal with. That may be why I never seem to get around to cutting back, lol. If I open myself up to that stuff again, I might just turn around and immerse myself in animals again

I pretty much gave up talking about reptiles to nonherpers a long time ago. It suits me fine if no one knows I keep snakes. When I'm in the company of a friend and they mention to someone else, who I don't know, that I keep snakes, I always cringe.
When the questions start I merely reply with short vague answers and convey by my actions that I am totally uninterested in having that conversation. The questions usually stop rather quickly as I have this ability to make people feel awkward.

I have a very low tolerance for willing ignorance when it comes to reptiles. Being unknowledgable is fine, but making the choice to believe stupid things and insisting they are correct infuriates me. The fact is after keeping and breeding snakes for over 15 years now, I do actually know more about them than these armchair national geographic wannabees. I mean I'm not going to argue about the properties of a quark with a quantum physicist, why do they feel they have to argue about the nature of snakes with me?

I generally avoid the subject, as well, but this conversation was with a woman that I was talking to about other things. I have never mentioned snakes to her, so I was a bit surprised when she transitioned to the subject. I am also usually pretty good at shutting down discussions, but I didn't want to bring things to a screeching halt either (I admit to ulterior motives, lol).

It never ceases to amaze me that people with minimal experience deem themselves experts...and are so willing to demonstrate their lack of knowledge