I think I must have been living in a hole...

I have to be honest - I have been shocked the last couple of days at the comments I have been receiving from people about my snakes. I was finally able to post some pictures of me with Nike on my facebook, and I was so excited because I wanted to show her off to the world! And so far only ONE person has appreciated her. Everyone else has been going "EEEwwww why would you want a snake???" or "AHHH You have a snake! Snakes and I don't get along!"
The most shocking thing (to me) is that most of the people who are freaked out by my snake are guys - big guys who I know well and who are normally "tough". One actually refused to come into my apartment when he found out I had a snake!
I don't know where I've been - but I never had a problem with snakes, even if I wasn't interested in owning one until recently! I thought I might have one or two people, esp some of my girly friends, who wouldn't like snakes, but not all of them! I just didn't expect them all to think I was some sort of freak because I like snakes. I keep getting these looks... and its frustrating. People are so ignorant!
Thanks for letting me rant. I really wish I could find some people in my area to hang out with that have corns!

It's a funny thing.
And there's no figuring it either. I have been surprised by my friends as to who seems to like my snakes and who doesn't want any part of it. It's usually the men who are the most closed minded about it- unless they were reptile kids growing up. Maybe women are better prepared to just appreciate something just for it's beauty.. But anyway this ran against the "stereotype" I would have expected.
Oh except kids. I haven't seen one yet of either sex who doesn't love snakes if introduced to them right...

I havn't had a chance to expose them to kids - but I will eventually (I have LOTS of little cousins), so I havn't seen that yet. Maybe girls just are more accepting...

I think once we got over the fact that they are not slimy and won't kill you we fall in love.

The little 4 yro next to us just loves our snakes. He askes all the time if he can hold our snakes. His mom was against it but once she felt how smooth the scales were and how they acted being held by a 4 yro she was fine with it. Even mention that if he wants one when he gets bigger it's okay with her.

Just enjoy your snakes. Those that don't like them are the ones who are missing out.

Right now they call me the Snake Lady at work but no-one is beating on my door to visit. It's okay.

Well, I don't think it's a big guy thing to like or dislike something. My Dad was a Marine Drill Instructor and he was terrified of spiders.
If you want to see odd faces and eeewww! you should see my friends, most almost run if try to show them a picture of one of my snakes. At my age my friends are either retired or thinking about it and don't fancy a friend with snakes and mice. Many of my friends won't even come in my house, even my sister finds a chair far away from the snakes. I love her so much I now have them all over :grin01: which may be why she doesn't come over either. susan

It still puzzles me why so many people are so horrified by snakes. But it doesn't bother me all that much. As far as I'm concerned, they're missing out on something awesome.

The 'ewwwwwww!' reaction is almost universal from my work colleagues, whereas I've had to take pictures of the snakes in to show my patients :shrugs: Don't let it bother you, as Becks said, it's those people who are missing out through their predjudice

Thats true! I think I was just disappointed that I didn't have people to share my excitement with! Thanks everyone!

That's okay. Just a side note, it was my husband who wanted snakes so we go two from a co-worker who could no longer care for them the way he wanted. I feel in love and bought a baby in February and then two more babies last weekend.

I got real excited one day when my first baby, Gaia, shedded. I got the shed and showed it to my husband real hyper and happy; and, he just looked at me and said "That's nice, dear."

I guess he figures by now he started something.

I can relate, I think the only person who is as excited about my snakes as me is my brother- in -law. No one else seems to understand my obsession. Some people are ok with me having one, but when they fine out I have ten, they just think I'm weird.

Most of the people I work with have no idea I have snakes.
Then last Sunday when I went to work I talked to a collegue about the reptile show I just went to and told him how I picked up frozen mice for my snakes, and I thought he was gonna freak.(he was the one who brought up reptiles to begin with, dangit!).

Then a couple other people heard what we were discussing and asked how many snakes i had anyway. I told them and they all about squeemed out of thier skin and all I did was laugh at them.

Gotta love people's reaction when they have no idea how truly great owning a snake is!

Thats true - I do love shocking people! I should try and form a snake club at my college - I bet there are others out there!

I've found that my snakes are insane girl magnets. INSANE, I tell ya. And, it keeps all the chicken guys away from said girls. :grin01:

I'm very lucky with the people I interact with being so open to snakes and lizards. I'm pretty sure Tootse felt like a movie star this past weekend at my sister's graduation party.

Everyone had their cameras out taking pictures, asking to hold her, etc. And of course, Tootse won over a good many of the cold-hearted guests too. She's awesome like that.

In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say she was definitely primping herself in front of everyone. Hehe...