Lets hear all them questions

[4:20]

Why would you want to own a snake?
Will it bite me if I touch it ?
Why would you want to own a snake?
Have they bitten you ?
Why would you want to own a snake?
Do they just run loose through your house?
Why would you want to own a snake ?
Does it change colors?
Why would you want to own a snake ?
Can I hold it ?

I want a snake now !!!

[chong_python]

This whole thread could be summed up by 4:20's post
ask questions, buy snake.
its always the way it works lol

[Kury]

Being new myself, I'm still asking many of the questions. Maybe not completely clueless ones, but still a lot.

That being said... this, is what irritates me THE MOST:

People, who don't own herps, have never owned any, have never researched extensively, but yet think they know everything.

This one person I know, is the worst. We got talking about snakes biting, and she says "If a snake bit me, I'd teach IT a lesson!!!" That really irritated me. You don't "teach lessons" to snakes (the only one I've ever heard about that makes sense, is letting it bite you till it gets sick of it- or used to you)

And then feeding, she's like "Why on earth would you feed it dead? That's boring." Guess what; feeding isn't entertainment for humans. It's nurishment for the animal. Get over the boring aspect, buy a tv.

Other questions/comments like this, that are clearly thinking solely for the human- and in no way for the animals benifit, are the most irritating.

Other irritating aspects I've run into:

People thinking snakes are "evil"

People asking me (in disgusted tones) why I would want snakes.

People asking me to hold the animals all the time. 1. I don't trust hardly anyone when it comes to my reptiles. 2. Any ball pythons that are not on a feeding schedule yet- are NOT held. Even by me. Except for general maintenance.

The only other thing I can think of, is the first time my sister saw a ball python. "OMIGOD IS THAT POISONOUS????" (apparently the head shape is that of a poisonous snake ???) After explaining it to her, she still didn't get it into her head that I own no venomous snakes. Now she just has an overall bad view of my reptiles (except the crested gecko who she insists on holding every single time she's here) Since then I've gotten over it, because I realized she's actually just afraid of them. My mistake in thinking she'd be cool with it... ah well. Most of my family are irritated with me at the moment, such is life.

[dia]

I had one bloke come in and start telling me about how he has a 50 gal with 3 ball pythons. Already alarm bells were going off. Then he tells me how his friend asked him to 'baby sit' her two leopard geckos. Can any one guess where this story is headed? He explained that he thought the geckos would be more content in the tank because it had an UTH.
He had two questions - "Are leopard geckos poisonous, cause I don't want my snakes to die..."
and "Can I buy two new leopard geckos?"
Perhaphs not the most stupid questions, but a very unthoughtful owner.

There's always a lot of people asking what might be considered "stupid" questions, but it's part of my job to help teach em. Few things are as wonderful to me as having people walk away more educated and informed.
Now I have a question, actualy a Boy Scout asked me this, do chameleons see in color?

[BoidKeeper]

You paid how much for it?????
Cheers,
Trevor

[bryan139]

One question the public needs to learn to ask or doesn't nearly enough is "How big do they get?" I'm sick of seeing burms up for adoption because an uneducated buyer bought a "cute, little" snake from an irresponsible breeder who saw dollar signs instead of making the buyer aware. Sorry, I know it's off topic but i couldn't help think of it reading all these other questions.

[RepTylE]

Originally posted by bryan139
One question the public needs to learn to ask or doesn't nearly enough is "How big do they get?" I'm sick of seeing burms up for adoption because an uneducated buyer bought a "cute, little" snake from an irresponsible breeder who saw dollar signs instead of making the buyer aware. Sorry, I know it's off topic but i couldn't help think of it reading all these other questions.

Excellent point, byran. Too many people want to get snakes just for the "cool factor" and either their interest wanes overtime or the snake in question grows too big to handle (in more ways than one).
I believe that the boa that I rescued was one of those cases. The guy that had her said that she was really nippy and I would need to wear gloves to handle her. I got her home and left her alone for several days and when I decided to start working with her to tame her down I soon found out that she didn't need it. A sweet thing, she is content to be slung around my neck while I'm working away on the puter. I assume that the guy who had her became intimidated by her size. I haven't had even one aggressive display from her.

[daver676]

I love it when people ask me questions about my snake. It's the perfect opportunity to educate them and attempt to correct any misconceptions they may have.

[Tim and Julie B]

I love questions too. We were at a show once, and our display snakes were on wood pellets. A woman asked if that was it's food. I got to explain what the pellets were, then what the snake really ate. I watched the lady turn white, but I'll bet she will remember what snakes eat!

I was at another show, with some very cool fire millipedes and I was taking them out and letting kids handle them. (kids are great at shows, little to no fear of anything) After asking their parents if they could hold them, and the parents saying yes, I had some of the parents ask if the millipedes were poisonous WHILE THEIR KIDS WERE HOLDING THEM!!!!!!!!!!! I am sorry, but that is a ligitimately STUPID question. It's not if it is asked BEFORE HAND, but certainly is after the fact.

Otherwise, questions are fun

Julie

[HeatherRose]

Now I have a question, actualy a Boy Scout asked me this, do chameleons see in color?

The general concensus is yes, they can see in colour. Most diurnal (awake during the day) lizards can. Diurnal lizards' retinas contain cone cells, and animals with cone cells in their retinas see in colour. Most nocturnal animals' retinas lack these cone-shaped cells. I heard from our tour guide on Iguana Island (in the Turks and Caicos Islands) that iguanas and other lizards are attracted to the colour red, and anyone with red nail polish on should watch out for their toes

[Lokismommy]

I had my aunt e-mail me after I sent her a pic of my carpet python on top of my head. And she asked me if I can play with my snakes. I was thinking yeah they play fetch but instead of using a ball they use my fingers. lol

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by dia
do chameleons see in color?

I'd have to agree with Heather, but for different reasons. My reasoning would be that since it is generally understood that these animals convey various emotions and other signals (aggression, submission, breeding condition, etc) through colour changes, then for another chameleon to be able to decipher these colour-coded messages it would obviously have to be able to "see in colour".... Usually the animal kingdom is full of these cause-effect evolutionary relationships. If something as important as communication is almost completely reliant on colour changes, then the eye would have to be equally capable of perceiving this wide spectrum of colour. Just like vocalization and hearing in other phyla.
Cheers,
Ryan