I do not know anyone else who keeps reptiles, aside from who I chat to online and hold up in Pet stores. Nor do I come accross wild snakes often either. Even at the local RSPCA where I volunteer people recoil in horror when tell them what I have at home and I dont even have what would warrant a 'collection'!
When my friends and family initially heard I had decided to get a snake for a pet it took them a while to come round - literally, for some! :lol: But here I am, a mere couple of years later, and when my friends come over they say hello to Prism and Jester and even dont flinch if I happen to have one out when they arrive. Aside from hearing the old wives' tale about the snake 'sizing' its owner up in bed to eat it (tell me - who hasn't been told that one at least a hundred times!) I am often asked any miriad of questions - what are they like, what do they eat, are they friendly, how do they behave... etc, etc, etc (yes, I have even been asked whether they eat vegetables! )
I dont consider myself an expert by any stretch, but I like to think I have contributed to the education of my small network of people in the spirit of education being vital to many of my passions regarding environmental issues and general animal welfare.
And then this happens.
A close friend of ours who is now more than happy handling one of our pythons and has learned a lot with us, works as a mechanic down in a factory strip out east. He came round after work a week or so ago pretty down, and over a Jack or two tells us about his day, where a 'black snake' had ventured to the back of the strip of factories and been spotted by a co-worker.
How exciting! I originally thought - if only I had been there!
It wasnt long before a group had congregated around it and when my friend saw them he tried to convince them - go inside, shut the door and it will be long gone by the time you come out later. He wanted them to leave it so he could call us and find out who to call to get it removed.
But fear had mixed with testosterone. Under the guise of 'we dont want it to get into the sheds' they decided to behead it.
I'm proud of my mate. He argued, and when they didnt listen refused to be a part of it - dare I be glad that I have at least impacted one person's reaction?
No where near a happy ending though.
Just wanted to vent. Stigma that leads to this kind of destruction just infuriates me.
When my friends and family initially heard I had decided to get a snake for a pet it took them a while to come round - literally, for some! :lol: But here I am, a mere couple of years later, and when my friends come over they say hello to Prism and Jester and even dont flinch if I happen to have one out when they arrive. Aside from hearing the old wives' tale about the snake 'sizing' its owner up in bed to eat it (tell me - who hasn't been told that one at least a hundred times!) I am often asked any miriad of questions - what are they like, what do they eat, are they friendly, how do they behave... etc, etc, etc (yes, I have even been asked whether they eat vegetables! )
I dont consider myself an expert by any stretch, but I like to think I have contributed to the education of my small network of people in the spirit of education being vital to many of my passions regarding environmental issues and general animal welfare.
And then this happens.
A close friend of ours who is now more than happy handling one of our pythons and has learned a lot with us, works as a mechanic down in a factory strip out east. He came round after work a week or so ago pretty down, and over a Jack or two tells us about his day, where a 'black snake' had ventured to the back of the strip of factories and been spotted by a co-worker.
How exciting! I originally thought - if only I had been there!
It wasnt long before a group had congregated around it and when my friend saw them he tried to convince them - go inside, shut the door and it will be long gone by the time you come out later. He wanted them to leave it so he could call us and find out who to call to get it removed.
But fear had mixed with testosterone. Under the guise of 'we dont want it to get into the sheds' they decided to behead it.
I'm proud of my mate. He argued, and when they didnt listen refused to be a part of it - dare I be glad that I have at least impacted one person's reaction?
No where near a happy ending though.
Just wanted to vent. Stigma that leads to this kind of destruction just infuriates me.