Stop insulting my pet - Page 2

bluewind · 04-04-17, 12:23 AM

Rid: Oh my! My Lily is almost like a mini version of your Lily XD

Here's a picture attached of her from when she was a little over 2 years old.

Akane: It's understandable to do when it's a safety concern and you aren't out killing every green snake and vaguely snake shaped thing. And I also have family members with a phobia of snakes. I always try to respect their needs as best I can. Two have warmed up to Lily and even held her which I thought was pretty cool. The hardest one is my sister because her two youngest boys love Lily and they can be very persistent on wanting to hold her and not understanding why they can't until mom leaves. They even tried to teach her once on the difference between good snakes (not venomous and eat things like lizards and mice, but if they aren't a pet, they are wild and not safe to touch because they will bite) and bad snakes (venomous, unsafe, notify an adult, but they also eat mice so that's why even bad snakes do good things) that I had taught them (there was also some other things like never unlock a cage without an adult because they could get out and get hurt). That was very hard not to laugh at.

Magdalen · 04-04-17, 10:48 AM

Nice sand boa! My first snake was a sand boa.

I don't usually tell people I have a snake. Cause it's either ewww or it's going to eat your cat. Umm if my two foot snake can somehow eat a cat I'd be impressed. I've always stuck with small snakes and I always get the cat thing.

Scubadiver59 · 04-04-17, 05:20 PM

It's not so much the eating as the "hug of death" I'd be worried about!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magdalen

Nice sand boa! My first snake was a sand boa.

I don't usually tell people I have a snake. Cause it's either ewww or it's going to eat your cat. Umm if my two foot snake can somehow eat a cat I'd be impressed. I've always stuck with small snakes and I always get the cat thing.

bluewind · 04-04-17, 06:27 PM

Magdalen: Thanks. I absolutely adore her. I did a lot of research before deciding on a breed. I went with Sand Boa because of size and temperament. I got her from a local pet shop. I only paid $90 (which included 2 months of pinkies) because while she's well bred, the owner who had only been in business a few months was terrible at handling and caring for snakes so he couldn't sell her. Had her in a critter keeper by the birds and yanked her out scaring the crap out of her. She really REALLY didn't like him (and he didn't like her either), but she melted when I got her, so I talked him down.

I bought almost everything for her. I had a second normal colored one with my now ex, but I insisted on getting Lily because he wasn't keeping both (he had already kept almost all my furniture). I found out later that he planned on keeping the other (she's still well) because the woman he left me for and moved in my house (they are now married) loved her, but they had found a buyer for Lily and her stuff. So I'm very happy I put my foot down.

I know! I will never understand that.

I think I'll always stick with small snakes. They take up less space and are easier to handle especially with my bad left arm/hand. I'll probably even stick to this one breed because I adore them so much.

Scubadiver59: I don't see even that (small constrictor snake killing a cat) happening with smaller snakes. It's not only about length, but mass as well. While I can't speak for all smaller snake species, my large full grown female sand boa (who road around in my coat pocket the other day) subjectively could not hypothetically constrict a cat to death (and would most likely get killed by even a declawed cat first), but maybe a kitten. But seeing as the species I keep isn't a high energy species, her going after and constricting a live kitten is very very low especially as she has been eating nothing but frozen her entire life. I can honestly only see it happening with a kitten with a very hungry snake raised on live food or maybe one being actively attacked. Now larger snakes might be a different story as I have no experience with them.

Scubadiver59 · 04-04-17, 10:51 PM

You took me WAY too literally...I was being facetious!!!!

bluewind · 04-05-17, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scubadiver59

You took me WAY too literally...I was being facetious!!!!

Lol! This is why we need better ways of conveying text meaning online XD

Seriously though. I've got that response in real life. Plus I belong to an atheist forum that's constantly flooded by people of various religions who take the NOPE, YOU'RE WRONG approach (and the comment section of Dumbing of Age which has a flood of anti LGBTQ+ comments every new update before Willis has the chance to delete them), so I'm use to people who make you go ...so why are you here again? It's like they are playing Pokemon and think that battling us will allow them to weaken us enough to where they can catch us for their cause. They have a small predictable move set and act all surprised when we're prepared and are immune to everything they throw at us. Where's a repel when you need it?

... I have revealed I am a nerd on so many levels.

Stop me if I ever start talking about Skyrim (1000 hrs just on my favorite character who's an Argonian)

Lefitte · 04-06-17, 03:42 AM

That's pretty awful that so many people around you are like that. I haven't had a truly negative response yet. My family are mostly not into them and my aunt gets the shivers [she was nearly strangled once many years ago while handling a giant solo, took a few big guys to wrestle it off of her, I'm assuming she panicked and it wasn't quite that bad but that's all on the owner of the snake for letting her handle solo], but everyone's okay with them. My mom gets freaked out a little when touching them and must always know where the bitey end is but she's absolutely in love with my hognose who runs around his cage all day long.

Just recently in my sign language class, my teacher asked what pets we had.. hah... I gave a long list and asked how to sign 'snake'. She gave me a funny look and was like REALLY? And then told everyone she didn't like them but I had three, like I was crazy, but it was playful and not truly mean. Meanwhile my Spanish teacher has had to housesit snakes before and likes them. I'm pretty open about having snakes, a lot of people around here have them or know someone who does. It's pretty cool.

Once when I took my BRB to PetSmart, a little girl freaked out and asked to touch him. Apparently she had a snake at home and loved them. I thought she was terrified at first but then she looked like she saw a puppy! My niece's friends are the most scared people I've come across. I never approach people even in my own house when I have them out and I warn people that I do. Most recently her friends were freaked out but wanted to touch him while my niece laughed at me and called me Snow White.. as I wrestled a snake from off the top of my head and a cat from off my leg while he was asking me to pick him up. She thought it was pretty hilarious. Her friends said something about how my niece was trying to get me to come up from behind them and put the snake on her and I was just like "What? Nooo. I don't want my baby hurt. Are you crazy? That's a terrible idea!" A little part of me flailed at that idea. He's not even 2 yet and still tiny and I can just imagine him flying so far... Nononono that is the worst idea ever. I wouldn't even do that with a rubber snake to be honest, no need to make peoples' fears worse.

GyGbeetle · 04-06-17, 11:07 AM

My mom has an irrational fear of snakes, and freaks out whenever she comes over. She's given me the same excuses that OP has provided, regarding them killing the kids, the cats, etc... It blows my mind, but to each their own. As long as she doesn't hurt my babies if I go out of town, that's all I care about.

Now finding a pet sitter during my out-of-town trips, that'll be a different story entirely!

dannybgoode · 04-06-17, 11:09 AM

Some of the larger snakes on here could easily kill cats, dogs, small children, adults...

Doesn't mean they will though so the fear is still irrational but I understand it to an extent.

GyGbeetle · 04-06-17, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannybgoode

Some of the larger snakes on here could easily kill cats, dogs, small children, adults...

Doesn't mean they will though so the fear is still irrational but I understand it to an extent.

I had a baby boa in my hands, and my mom turned around not realizing I had this teeny tiny baby in my hands. When she realized, she literally jumped *out* of her shoes and back about 3 feet. My husband thought I had killed her. It was a baby! So irrational. I do get it, and so badly want to force the educational aspect of it, but I know it won't go anywhere, especially when those fears aren't based on facts.

My most irritating question so far is: don't they carry salmonella? They may not have venom, but they're poisonous because of the salmonella in their saliva. Yes, I'm going to die from salmonella exposure from a snake bite. That's absolutely correct

Scubadiver59 · 04-06-17, 01:01 PM

Can you add me to your will so I can have your snakes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GyGbeetle

I had a baby boa in my hands, and my mom turned around not realizing I had this teeny tiny baby in my hands. When she realized, she literally jumped *out* of her shoes and back about 3 feet. My husband thought I had killed her. It was a baby! So irrational. I do get it, and so badly want to force the educational aspect of it, but I know it won't go anywhere, especially when those fears aren't based on facts.

My most irritating question so far is: don't they carry salmonella? They may not have venom, but they're poisonous because of the salmonella in their saliva. Yes, I'm going to die from salmonella exposure from a snake bite. That's absolutely correct

GyGbeetle · 04-06-17, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scubadiver59

Can you add me to your will so I can have your snakes?

buahahahahaha! I'm adding my mom as the caretaker. HAHAHAHAH!!!!

We're actually going to be updating our will over the next couple of years, since our snakes will most likely outlive both myself and my husband (more likely me, given my declining health, but you never know). We're looking into lifetime situations where we also provide a stipend from our life insurance to support at least a sizeable chunk of their care (i.e. $30,000 per snake, to be donated to a local zoo or local organization that accepts these types of donations, and won't just take the money). It's something that's been weighing on my mind heavily since I realized they will live most likely around 30 years, and I probably won't see past 60-65.

Scubadiver59 · 04-06-17, 03:05 PM

Well, you never know! Be positive, eat right, get some exercise (if you can), and you may just make it!

I jut hit 58 and still got my three snakes (King, Corn, and BP), and I wouldn't mind a Boa and a SD Python, but I'm planning on at least making 80, like my parents and all my grandparents, so I may outlive one or two of my scaled children. At least I hope I will.

Now, about my own exercise program...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GyGbeetle

buahahahahaha! I'm adding my mom as the caretaker. HAHAHAHAH!!!!

We're actually going to be updating our will over the next couple of years, since our snakes will most likely outlive both myself and my husband (more likely me, given my declining health, but you never know). We're looking into lifetime situations where we also provide a stipend from our life insurance to support at least a sizeable chunk of their care (i.e. $30,000 per snake, to be donated to a local zoo or local organization that accepts these types of donations, and won't just take the money). It's something that's been weighing on my mind heavily since I realized they will live most likely around 30 years, and I probably won't see past 60-65.

Doug 351 · 04-06-17, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GyGbeetle

buahahahahaha! I'm adding my mom as the caretaker. HAHAHAHAH!!!!

We're actually going to be updating our will over the next couple of years, since our snakes will most likely outlive both myself and my husband (more likely me, given my declining health, but you never know). We're looking into lifetime situations where we also provide a stipend from our life insurance to support at least a sizeable chunk of their care (i.e. $30,000 per snake, to be donated to a local zoo or local organization that accepts these types of donations, and won't just take the money). It's something that's been weighing on my mind heavily since I realized they will live most likely around 30 years, and I probably won't see past 60-65.

Well... I'm 60...and I sure took the MOST DANGEROUS route to get there.

You'll probably be around longer than you think. But, I'll care for your snakes for much less!

RedTailRutiodon · 04-06-17, 09:06 PM

I'm really glad I've never heard anything this extreme, but I've had people weirdly skittish around my snakes. Yes, he moved suddenly, but only to hide his head under a coil, jesus he's a baby ball python, calm down dude and why are you afraid of my boa, she's laying on my bed literally not doing anything.

I've also heard the old "I heard from a friend of mine's cousin's step brother's father in law's cat that boas will measure you out until they're long enough to eat you!" story about five times. My housemate's pug weighs more than this snake, it's not eating me.