Good Luck Adam Youre a good Kid and youre head and heart are both in the right place unfortunatley its human nature to fear what we dont understand and youre Mom is probably acting that way because its hard for her to listen to her 15 year old son speak so passionatley about something like life and respect for nature. What you need to do is exactly what everyone,said educate them and show them how mature and intelligent we all know you are! Then youd be suprised at how much they would listen then.

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-Ron

If Im not back in five minutes...just wait longer!
-Ace Ventura

When I talk to the children I use the analogy of "If we didn't have snakes on Our planet we would be knee deep in rodents", snakes are more beneficial than people want to believe.

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Adam,I'm so sorry that you had to experience this!
You should show your mum this website,and let her see how many people love reptiles and specially show her Jay's website and what he does at schools!!
Maybe she will eventually see that she and your family are in the wrong!
All the best to you and I do hope that it will never come to this,your mom taking away your reptiles!!

Thanks Jacky. I find that adults are much harder to talk to then kids about this subject. They seem to have watched too many bad movies where the snake is the bad guy. Just explain it the best you can, some people will listen, some will not. Whatever you do don't critisize or argue, that only strengthens their reluctance to accept snakes for what they are. Shy creatures who control the worlds rodent population.

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thanks for the replies everyone. The news has spread all over the family property. I AM A "VEGAN ANIMAL LOVER" or whatever they call it lol. anyways. Even my adult cousin who wasn't there knew about it and gave me a lecture about 'WHAT IF IT HAD BITTEN ONE OF THE BABIES?!?' and stuff and I was like whatever. It will take a loooooooong time to get them suaded if at all. but thanks for the ideas and support.

jay,
that is EXACTLY what told my family when they asked "WELL WHAT GOOD ARE SNAKES ANYWAYS? THEY SHOULD ALL BE DEAD" and I said, "without snakes, the rats would be so overpopulated that mosquitoes would no longer be the primary concern". But do they listen? NOOOOOOOO

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

Adam, believe me I know how hard it is, but you can't let yourself get upset, this just empowers the people who are "misinformed". Take a deep breath and try again on another day.

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thank you jay, but I really do think this is a lost cause. I will always keep trying though. Little things here and there. But whenever someone says something about snakes and my mom hears me start to say something in their favor, she gets all mad and tells me to "hush up about the snakes" and someone else says "the only good snake is a dead one". They feel just as strongly that every snake should die, as I do in thinking that they all should be given another chance.

I am not one to argue usually but this really ticks me off. But I dare not speak a word about it again, grounding and loss of my herps could be a consequence.

But I gaurantee you, that the next time someone sees a snake, i'll run straight for the bucket and the shovel. Before anyone has a chance to say otherwise, i'll be off finding a new spot to set if free. But I hope to God that I see it first.

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

Adam, I have an uncle like that, his favorite phrase is "Shoot it", So I just take the children and explain everything to them. In the long run it's more rewarding personally to work with kids.

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Answers are great. But I prefer questions!

Visit me at www.jaysreptiles.com