Smoking - and do your animals have a choice?

[lakeridgekennel]

3 people in my house and we all smoke And where some of my reptiles are is the basement/the spot me and my friends all hang out down there and most of us smoke. I have really never thought about it, when all my friends are down ther i put a fan on but i know that does almost nothing. I think we might start smoking up stairs no alot more.

sean

[Katt]

One rule of the house, NO SMOKING.

I think my animals have a right to not be exposed to potentially harming substances.

I have bad asthma as well and cigarette smoke just makes me want to curl up and die. I can handle a bit, but too much and I get an attack, which can last for days.

That and cigarette smoke leaves such a stink. I regurge smells better.

[thunder]

no one has mentioned this yet, but reptiles, whether they can get lung cancer or not (i know they can get other types of cancer, at least lizards can), have an extremely low tolerance for smoke inhalation. even small amounts of smoke in their lungs can be deadly. this is why, if you have a fire in your herp room, animals that were not affected directly can just drop dead. i myself am a smoker, the only one in my house, which does not allow smoking. if i do smoke in the house (bad me) it is far, far away from the herps, and with the window open.

[hudson]

I quit smoking six weeks ago, not because I wanted to (I enjoyed smoking), but because my daughter wanted me to. Although when I did smoke, I smoked outside out of courtesy for my child, my husband, and my animals.

Kate

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

EVERYONE:

Very good input from everyone and great to see everything is civil and informative as well. Like I said in the beginning this is really just a topic for discussion about smoking around animals. I am one that believes freedom of rights, and if your a smoker you have the right to smoke but I also believe in your freedom that it should not affect another' s freedom. Years back I worked in construction and some manufacturing plants. Both situations smoking was accepted as long as it did not affect the work production. So being a non-smoker was rather hard. I had to be creative to find places on my breaks and lunch hour to find fresh air. Even in those situations alot of my co-workers smoked and decided it was fine while I was on my time at work. Dead wrong those few minutes a day I needed the fresh air.

Not sure if everywhere but our province is pushing the smoking laws. I can finally go out to a restaurant with my fiancée or family and enjoy a meal with it tasting like mint or vanilla or just standard cigarette smell. All my friends and family know my no smoking rule. Not saying they have to stop, just saying stop around me. So this way they have there rights I have mine. Spend 2 hours free smoke with me you still got 22 hours to smoke in that day

OK, lets hear more on the smoking near your animals and thoughts on it from all members. I believe this is a good topic by its relationship and consequences involving animals.

Continue....

Tony

[beanersmysav]

Yea here in NY you can't smoke in bars, resturants, public places etc thank god nothing worse than holding your breath while eating.

[latazyo]

we recently passed a ban of smoking in all workplaces except bars....which stinks because the ballot was pretty confusing and a lot of people voted for more than one choice,but ultimately the smoking in only bars won over the all out smoking ban

[munchy]

i NEVER smoke anywhere in the house, nevermind near my herps. its obviously horrible for us humans (i know lots of people who have had relatives DIE from it) so i can only imagine what kind of damage it could do to my little snakes or my precious precious kitties for that matter. if its too cold for you outside then QUIT.

[Linds]

I used to be a heavy smoker (sometimes even exceeding two packs a day ). I admit when I was a lot younger (and dumber) I did sometimes smoke around my pets. It was very selfish and I feel awful that I did that. I feel bad for everyone I subjected that filthy, harmful habit to. I've quit (over 3 years now) and actually adopted a super healthy lifestyle. I actually can't stand even being anywhere around smoke anymore. Shad0w's comments were right on the nose, and I agree with everyone that chooses to keep their herps smoke-free

Originally posted by ravensgait
Yeah smoking is bad for ya !yada yada yada, Man you can't even visit reptile forums now without some yahoo's going on about it as they eat their junk food and sit their overweight selves in front of their computers sucking down a soft drink.

Speak for yourself. There is no need to talk down to those of us who do not wish to poison ourselves, or at the very least, our herps. It also does not make us hypocrites, as you seem to think. You may sit around pumping yourself full of junk, but as has been stated already by several members, some of us DO enjoy a healthy lifestyle. I myself am near the end of my personal trainer certification, and generally avoid highly processed foods, artificial additives, preservatives, etc. and mostly enjoy a holistic, active (as possible) lifestyle.

Someone said something about their cats and reptiles not having cig smoke in their natural environments IE their house??? Um hate to mention this to ya but a house isn't a natural environment to them.

Captivity may not be 'natural', but at the same time, we aren't poisoning them either.

[ATBlover]

TONY, I was just asking a question...and it seems you came down hard on me.....all i said is that my mum quit smoking about a month ago and that she never smoked in my room...i don't think thats a bad thing......I wouldn't want to hurt my snakes or lizards..but atleast i took the time getting my mom off of cig's....and now i guess my snakes won't SUFFER anymore...Thanks...Connor

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

ATBLOVER:

Originally posted by ATBlover
I was wondering if snakes can be effected by smoke?

Originally posted by BOAS_N_PYTHONS

In simple I believe smoking affects everything, be it small or large, be it livinging or not. Smoke alone penetrates just about anything and can layer itself on anything as well. Anything from clothing - walls in a room - furniture - our lungs and that means animals as well will be affected. Actual damage is alot of people' s concern now with health issues on themselves and people around them. So thinking any different about animals is not really an option they are living, they breath, they inhale and some damage is done no matter how you look at it.

I think you misunderstood me.
I was just answering your reply is all, nothing direct at you.
Hope all is fine.



Tony

[ATBlover]

sorry tony
i didnt mean to react like that....No hard feelings man!...Connor

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

CONNER:

no problemo

Tony

[ATBlover]

kool....tony do you have any JCP's?

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

ATBLOVER:

Originally posted by ATBlover
kool....tony do you have any JCP's?

Had a few now only have 1 pair left.

Tony