Best way to bring up snakes?

Hi there,

So is there any generally accepted way of letting an interesting guy know that you keep reptiles? I would have thought that most males would like snakes, or at least tolerate them well, but I recently got a vaguely disgusted "feel" from a guy when I showed him my least offensive snake -- a 12" snow corn. I haven't heard back from him since. (The guy, I mean, not the snake.)

What's the ettiquete involved in inviting a guest into a room where a snake or two is kept? What about into such a house? Is there any way to tell polite indifference from fearful polite indifference?

Thanks muchly,
TS

LOL well until I got caught with the snakes in my apt (which is against the rules), I got mixed reactions from guys. If I think they're ok with it, I try and bring it up before things get too serious. But there was one time in particular with a guy that I was dating pretty regularly last year, and I just forgot to tell him that the snakes were at my place until we were already headed over there. Needless to say he didn't take well to the idea lol. I still saw him (even more actually) afterwards, but he never expressed any interest or concern about the animals lol.

Now I try to bring it up in the "getting to know you" phase, and feel out if the guy is an animal person or not, and if so, what kind of animals he's cool with. Anyone truly afraid of snakes I would not show my animals to, unless they wanted to see.

But, my animals are more important to me than any guy, so if they don't like it, too freakin bad

-Whit

But, my animals are more important to me than any guy, so if they don't like it, too freakin bad

You tell 'em, Whit!

Actually, to answer TS's question, any guy you find here will be OK with your herp collection, so why go anywhere else? Seriously, our opinions are gonna be skewed. If you kept really nasty things like scorpions or tarantulas I'd want to know up front (I like a head start when I begin running), so I would bet that non-herpers would feel the same way. But you want to scare guys off that don't share your interests. If you care enough to keep snakes as either pets or specimens anybody put off by that is not a serious long term possibilty. So get rid of them early, before you waste your time.

All of our friends know we have reptiles... some say "well i know i won't be visiting your house anytime seem" and thats fine with me... some people are extremely afraid of snakes and if thats their choice so be it. most everyone else that comes over knows we keep reptiles and if they ask to see them we will show them but if they dont we do not force it on them. eventually in most cases curiosity over comes fear and they want to see them.... if you have a passion for reptiles and a person you meet doesn't it can work one of two ways... he "deals" with them , in his own way (no touch or no look or no feed or whatever or no snake or lizard poo)and keeps you or he runs like a scardy cat

If you kept really nasty things like scorpions or tarantulas I'd want to know up front (I like a head start when I begin running),

ok i will be the first to say i am a big scardy cat when it comes to spiders,scorpions and centipedes. however if they are kept in a responsible manner i have no problem, i just walk by and go "yuck" or think in my mind "i got a can of roach spray with your name on it"

however that being said i would have absolutely no problem sleeping next to a room full of hots (kept responsibly)... consisting of things like lack and green mambas, saw scaled vipers, puff adders, cobras ect.

the choice.... spiders,scorpions or centipedes or black and green mamba's saw scaled vipers,russells vipes .... i would chose the snakes any day

oh and to answer your original question a bit clearer....

Best way to bring up snakes

you pet em real nice and sweet.

And don't say 'bite me'...lol..

Seriously. There are about 2 billion men in the world. I talk about my pets and all the things I like and don't like right away. Having been through several husbands I know ya can't change men; so the best thing to do IMHO is be open and honest from the getgo.
Of course, if they are just a one night, or one week, stand; just meet over at their place....

unless of course they have roommates or cats lol. (just kidding, cat people)

I tend to not bring it up at all. The snakes have their own room which is locked so unless the chick is really nosey(which is often)they never know they are there. But this one time one chick asked me why that door was locked and I told it was the room I dismembered people in. She didn't think it was very funny, but hey if she can't take a joke screw her.

And don't say 'bite me'...lol..

and hope it doesn't spit on you