So while I was waiting at the vet the girl who owned the 80 pound Boa was talking to me and the assistants...She was going on about how she was not a people person and did not like being around people at all and had no friends and no offense to us but people were evil and she had a snake because people are evil...

I was agreeing with most of what she said but yeah...do you find that most reptile owners are a little high on the nut job chart? Why? I myself find that most reptile owners are a bit essentric if not in looks, personality. Why did you guys want to own your first reptile and do people view you as different?

I found I could relate to snakes and the misunderstandings about them. You can really find out who your friends are when your outside with your snake getting your dose of Vitamin D and someone walks by and are completely disgusted by you because of your snake...not just the snake...but you. Have any of you had this same experience?

As far as looks go. It seesm that the people who dress gothic like snakes. I don't like that because they try to be associated with evil/devils and when they bring snakes into the mix it makes them look evil. As for me. I guess I dress in what could be called normal. I will come out and say I'm weird though. I'm antisocial and agree with the afore said views on people, but I would never say my owndership of reptiles helps me cope with that. I don't quite understand where she's coming from with that.

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~Jason Richardson

Yeah I had to agree that a lot of people are evil and I DO like animals more then people. But I don't go around to people saying no offense I do not like you because people are evil...I like people but it makes me quite upset how close minded a LOT of people can be about some things expecially when it comes to the caring of animals and misunderstandings of reptiles.

I think I'm very normal with my snake addiction,,,,it's everyone else that DOESN'T own one that's weird,,,,lol. But you are correct, alot of reptile owners have that "look". I myself am a jeans and T-shirt kinda guy though I do have tattoos.

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

Everyone has tattoos these days but I think people associate them with the 'evil looking goth snake owners' lol...I was going to get a tattoo...of a snake at that but everyone told me it wasn't suitable for office girl who was with the public because people well judge you for it and it can make your day suck. Gee I remember a old lady being disgusted by me because I had orange hair...ok maybe I'm not normal all the time lol...but it looked awesome! And then I saw someone who didnt want to eat at a fast food restraunt because a girl had her ears pierced and she thought that was dirty...ok...lady...you're in a FAST FOOD RESTRAUNT...anyway...

No tats here yet either,,,but I'm almost there...but I still get the "Oh my gosh, you have snakes!!" I am an office manager for a physican and yes he thinks I'm weird to,,,,but at least I get to ship and recieve everything from the office ..Jeans and tshirts are pretty the norm for me to...I agree, its everyone else thats weird

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MARSHA
A man without a woman is a bachelor, A woman without a man is a genius!.

We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart!

Haha, Ohk, Im not goth, nor do I look weird..but I do act weird , I dress like everyother 19 year old chick does for the most part. No facial piercings, ears pierced and bellybutton. Brown, curly hair...and I still get that reaction from people when they ask me what Im into, and I say Reptiles...you know, they take a few steps back and force out that smile and say "oh..well thats nice" Alot of people just dont like reptiles, I would say if they had fur maybe people would think they are cuter, but come on..who wants to see a 30 ft. retic with fluffy patches of fur??

My husband and I went to a reptile expo here in Switzerland and were surprised to see the vast majority of people selling reptiles were "biker"-types with tattoos and piercings. (A lot of the buyers looked like that too.)
I thought I was in the wrong expo and expected to see Harleys instead of cornsnakes!
Now I know why people are surprised when they hear we keep snakes -- we definitely don't fit the "look" here. We're jeans and T-shirt people, non-smokers, no tattoos.
My husband was willing to get snakes because they are clean, quiet, have no hair, don't do silly tricks, don't mind if you leave them alone all day and he doesn't have to take them out for walks.
I like them for all of the above reasons and that they are elegant and mysterious. I am a social person and do not use my reptiles to alienate people... if anything I try to help them understand how interesting reptiles are. Most of the time they'll listen and ask a lot of questions. (I don't think they'd ask a "goth" why she keeps reptiles! It would be "obvious" and fit right into the stereotype.)
I guess the weirdo reptile keepers just stand out more than the normal ones.

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Andrea

Actually reptile keepers come in all looks and from all walks of life. Everything from bikers to school teachers and all points in between. Sure a lot of eccentric types of individuals do keep reptiles, but then again so do "normal" appearing people as well.

And the reasons for keeping them are as varied as their owners' appearances and lifestyles.

Part of our problem is that, throughout the media, reptile keepers in general are portrayed as weird, crazy, or downright criminals. I would not be at all surprised to find that many of the more radical appearing people get reptiles, snakes in particular, not because they are really interested in them but to further enhance their "image". You generally see these types out in public with their animals hanging around their necks irregardless of whether its actually warm enough for the animal and who take great delight in freaking people out and frightening them.
They really do a lot to help our image.
This is not to be interpreted as being true for everyone who is a little different in appearance. I myself have a non conventional appearance with waist length silver grey hair, tattoos and earrings.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I am an at home mom with 7 kids....I surprise a lot of people when I tell them I have snakes, lizards, etc. I just had a family party at my house yesterday (it had been a while) and my mother in law wouldnt sit in the living room because of all the snakes lol!!! She camped out in the dining room ....guess she doesnt like creepy crawlies like I do. But I dress frumpy but normal lol and I also sport a couple of tattoos...one of an iguana....Lyn

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Warmest Regards from Lyn