Idle curiosity: reptile stereotypes

I'm not new to loving snakes, but I am new to owning them. I'm getting quite into the hobby-- not in the sense of immediately buying a lot of snakes, however much fun that may seem, but in that I'm volunteering at a rescue, going to reptile shows, and trying to learn as much as I can about reptiles right now. I'm starting with corn snakes, because they are my first crush and also my pets, but am also having fun with my forays into reading about other kinds of animals, and playing with some of them at the rescue. Even so, I'm kind of the rescue's Official Corn Snake Girl-- we do the corns last, so if everyone else has gotten kind of tired of cage-cleaning, they can turn most of it over to me at that point and know I won't mind the poop and dead pinkies and will just be cheerfully burbling away at the snakes. (Which is great for me, because they really are my favourite part!)

All of this makes me a little curious about the divisions among reptile hobbyists. I know that some people are Snake People and some people are Lizard People-- not that there's no crossover, but in which kind of animal one primarily loves. And I'm going to guess that there are more subtle divisions as well. I know my fondness for corn snakes is not the most common snake-preference out there, despite how excellent they are for beginners. And I wonder whether, especially since I'm not a breeder but only a pet-owner, more experienced reptile hobbyists come to any immediate conclusions about me based on it. Asking around, the only stereotype I really got was that I am probably a bit of a n00b, which is certainly true in this case. But the only reactions I've really noticed are more jaded people finding my general enthusiasm rather charming, if perhaps a bit naive. (I got caught staring at the slight irridescence of a ball python's scales a couple of weeks ago, and those who caught me looked ever-so-slightly wistful behind their amusement. Heh.)

Do Snake People and Lizard People eye each other with slight perplexity occasionally, or is it generally a homogeneous and bucolic mixture? Does it signify anything to people that I am batty about corn snakes? Would it signify anything if I were nuts for ball pythons instead? Note that I am NOT looking for nasty stereotypes of unfounded allegations, and if you can't be responsible about what you type I would rather you didn't post here. It's perfectly possible to post objectively and inoffensively about the feelings of different subgroups within a group about the others. Let's do that, shall we?

If this topic is likely to descend into anything horrible, though, the mods can feel free to delete it. Like I said, I'm just curious, and I'd rather leave that curiosity unaddressed than start an unnecessary brouhaha.

Thanks!

:eek1:

wretchedprocess said:

Do Snake People and Lizard People eye each other with slight perplexity occasionally, or is it generally a homogeneous and bucolic mixture?

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I would not describe us as homogeneous, but neither does that mean we are divided into neat subgroups. I would describe us as heterogeneous along many axes. With respect to taxonomic favoritism, many members of the subpopulation of herpers represented at CS.com keep all kinds of things.

Oh, and I live in the city. :grin01:

Hmmmm, yeah. That wasn't the word I was looking for, was it?

wretchedprocess said:

Do Snake People and Lizard People eye each other with slight perplexity occasionally, or is it generally a homogeneous and bucolic mixture? Does it signify anything to people that I am batty about corn snakes? Would it signify anything if I were nuts for ball pythons instead? Note that I am NOT looking for nasty stereotypes of unfounded allegations, and if you can't be responsible about what you type I would rather you didn't post here. It's perfectly possible to post objectively and inoffensively about the feelings of different subgroups within a group about the others. Let's do that, shall we?

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Well, if you were crazy about BPs, you wouldn't be here! :rofl: BP lovers are obsessed with color & pattern variation, just like corn snake lovers. BP lovers seem to love the heft & solidity of their snakes & some find corns too "busy" & too active. Personally, I like the size & activity level of my corns, but I have one BP, Marbles, and he is super sweet & has such rich dark black in his pattern, I just love him!

As for the lizard vs snake vs turtle/tortoise thing, I know nothing except that there are lots of snake-and-lizard people here, and a fair number of snake-and-turtle/tortoise owners, and at least one person who jumps to mind who has snakes, tortoises AND at least one lizard. If lizards didn't tend to have more finicky needs than corn snakes, I'd probably have lizards too!

As for the boas/pythons vs smaller snakes thing, there seem to be quite a lot of people here who have at least one larger snake. There are some burm owners, there are lots of BCI & BCC owners. So again this place has attracted people who like both. I'll bet there are forums devoted to larger snakes where people think we are silly for keeping cornsnakes, rat snakes, milk snakes & hognoses! But those people don't hang out here so I don't know.

I have found that those that keep boas or pythons tend the look down on keepers of corns more than any other types because of their simplicity in keeping them. Not to say that all people that primarily keep bigger snakes feel that way, but I've run into that quite a bit. But that's all I've really noticed.

Yeah, hanging out with the ball pythons at the rescue, I do *like* them, but they just seem to *slow* to me. I like the corn snake wandering. Plus, my two being small, they can still play the Glasses Game, where they crawl around in my hair knotted on to my glasses for support. And that is one of my favourite things *ever*. I can't imagine a ball doing that, even if it were physically capable of it!

I also know now that some time in the next few years, I will be getting a Brazillian Rainbow Boa myself, as I am officially in love now, and that will give me plenty of time to gain more experience before I make the leap. And that will put me in multiple categories, too. Believe me, I don't think there are any hard divisions. After all, I had an iguana and a pac-man frog when I was younger myself. But it looks like all the reptile people are kind of One Big Happy Family after all, and my corn snake fixation makes me far less conspicuous than my bouncy n00b enthusiasm does. And that I am going to keep for as long as possible! Thanks for the answers, guys!

[small]Maybe I meant idyllic up there?[/small]

wretchedprocess said:

[small]Maybe I meant idyllic up there?[/small]

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I think you certainly meant idyllic.

According to Mirriam Webster, bucolic can mean idyllic. However, that definition is not offered by the Oxford English Dictionary. And, my impression of that word is that when it's used to connote idyllic, it is still in reference to pastoral/rural settings.

But I could be wrong. I'm not really a wordsmith. Just enough of one to make jokes when they come up.

The one I very occasionally get is from keeping garters. Some snake / other reptile keepers seem to regard them as somewhat of a trash snake & wonder why in the world anyone would keep them. However no one has been especially rude to me about expressing that opinion.

I don't get the lizard thing. Nothing inherently WRONG with lizards, its just not my bag. I don't get the gekko thing and I can barely understand the bearded dragon thing. (Although I DID want a horned toad as a kid! ) I'm not into burmese or boas because they're mostly brown and I find brown boring. I also have no interest in owning a snake that gets that big.

I DO think that people who want to get their first snake should start out owning a sand boa because they're slow and forgiving. ( I call them the box turtle of snakes! ) Then they should move up to corns, or milks or kings, ( I prefer the corns because of the variety of colors and I'm all about variety! ) then they should try garters because of their gregarious natures. But I think its an absolute crime to START with garters. They're TOO QUICK for a beginner especially a child and yet they're sold as good first time snakes and everyone says to feed them crickets which is NOT what they would eat in the wild. ( Ooops! I need to hop off my soapbox now. )

But I've seen this sort of thing in the horse business too. People who like Arabian horses, LOVE them and wouldn't dream of owning anything but an Arab. ( However I have noticed that when an Arab owner takes their horse anywhere, they usually also take the emergency equine first aide kit from HELL too! Hey, if their horse cuts an artery on the trail, miles from help and is squirting blood everywhere, they're prepared! )

So I guess its really how you look at it. I'm a little perplexed by my sudden, rabid desire to collect colorful snakes. But as long as I'm not going too crazy, ( ya know, make sure the bills are paid FIRST and everyone has good vet care, clean cages and all ) I guess I'm doing all right by my critters.

Devon

I don't like lizards so much, either. I mean, I don't NOT like, them, but they are so needy compared to snakes. Except I love Fatty Flatty Aunt Jemima Pancake Isabel more than anything on earth. Well, except for Dill the crip, but that's a different story. I'm not sure why. She's just funny and has a ton of personality. Easily as much personality as a cat or dog. I like that I can talk to her and she can hear me. I like that I can leave her viv open and she, for the most part, doesn't leave.

I love snakes AND frogs AND turtles... lizards not so much.

The only reason I keep snakes and not frogs is frogs are more of a pain to feed/breed. Turtles need more room than I have.

What an interesting thread!

I've kept turtles and tortoises over the years, and the occasional lizard (wild-caught brown ones of some type and the little green anoles, and once, even a Savannah Monitor), but I've always loved the snakes. All of them. Not that I want to OWN one of everything--some species are just more work than I'm willing to put into them (which may be one reason I no longer have lizards and turtles, although I LOVE Russian tortoises and would have kept mine forever if I could have).

I don't have any particular feelings regarding any particular group of animal keepers, because I love them all--the animals, AND the people who love them . Some reasons why I really like corn snakes and their ilk include variety, manageable size, easy care and generally decent personalities. Someday, I'd like a BRB, but not until I'm ready and able to meet their needs. As it is, I have Macaws (and dogs). Macaws are VERY high maintenance creatures--noisy, messy, needy, expensive to purchase, feed and keep. I think one class of animals who meet that description are enough for me just now .

That said, I have seen the passion for certain species and breeds, and that species and breed ONLY, in some people. Their intensity is sometimes frightening, for they aren't always able to see another point of view without looking askance at the person who doesn't share their very particular passion. Sometimes, that intense passion isn't always in the animal's best interest, imho.

I grew up on a small farm with horses, dogs, cats, fowl, the neighbor's milk cow in our garden (just checkin' that you're paying attention , and just about any creature I could catch. That included bobcat kittens, opossums, garter snakes (which were kept for a day or 2 then released), newts/salamanders, crayfish, turtles, catfish and lampreys (what?! Yep! LOL!), and once, a bat. I never got lucky enough to catch a baby raccoon or skunk, or I would have had those, too. I guess you can't just pick and choose your pets in that kind of setting--you just gotta like 'em all, without bias or prejudice .

Probably, though, if I had to label myself as anything, I would call myself a dog person and a macaw person. I have more of each of those species than any others, and like them enough, despite their care needs, that they're not going anywhere any time soon.

Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z) said:

What an interesting thread! ... snip ...
That said, I have seen the passion for certain species and breeds, and that species and breed ONLY, in some people. Their intensity is sometimes frightening, for they aren't always able to see another point of view without looking askance at the person who doesn't share their very particular passion. Sometimes, that intense passion isn't always in the animal's best interest, imho. /snip ...

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I agree with you there. I know some people that are so into one breed of dog that they would never own any other kind. I've always been a bit puzzled by that attitude, since there are so many neat breeds of dog, that all have something unique about them. And that doesn't even count all the mixes out there that are awesome animals.

I love corn snakes, I love the blackity black of MBK ♥, I have a rescued beardie who as really bad off when I got him, sure he doesnt do much... but he clings to me while I'm outside watching my kids ride their bikes & I'm reading a book & he clings to my kiddo's while they practice their reading & I tell them how proud Norbert is of them... he's a very useful dragon

I was once several years ago discriminated against for having corn snakes, I tried to rescue a cat from an organization & when you fill out the area that asks if you have any other pets, I filled in 'corn snakes' at that time I had a small handfull... they declined me because of it :shrugs: I asked why... they claimed they were a danger to the cat :nope: I told them they were in secured enclosures & that the fully clawed cat posed more of a danger to the small snakes ( educated them on the size, that they actually could not swallow a cat ) but that they would not even be in contact with eachother.

Regardless of my knowledge of both animals, I was turned away. :shrugs: