How do you deal with it?

[HerpMad]

Howdy,

Its anybody else sick of the myth and legends that the general public "know". lol
I'm just over correcting people when they see my collection of herp books on the shelf and they come out with, "did you know that the Taipans and pythons are interbreeding?" and "my best mate was chased by a fierce snake the other day!" and my personal favourite of calling snakes "poisonous" and a bajillion more that i just cant think of at the moment...

Should we as herpers keep correcting the myth-conceptions by using the rolled up newspaper of truth and enlightenment to discipline the puppys?
And unfortunately risk coming across as pretentious douchebags?

Or just bite our tongues and smile and nod and let them go on about their lives blissfully unaware of the invisible wake of vacuous crap they leave behind...

Perhaps im just venting for the sake of it

Shane.

 

[Snake-Supplies]

Depending on the situation,

My cousins boyfriend is a know it all...

I let him think whatever he wants to think, so when he does say it he looks like an idiot...

Otherwise, I let people know that whatever it is, is not the case.
As with the "poisonous" part... I've given up on that... They know what they are talking about, and we know what they are talking about, so I let it slide.

Then tell them why.

 

[Icarus]

i get so frustrated by people's ignorance - my dad told me it was cruel to keep a snake in a tank by itself because it would get 'lonely', and at lunch the other day my friend told a dramatic story about a giant 3 metre red belly black that chased her brother while camping. I have no problem with people being uneducated on a subject - after all, i don't know everything about everything - but what i can not stand are people who despite being uneducated spread their ignorance to others with their made up stories and false information.

 

[Wild~Touch]

Some people aren't ready for the truth

Each "episode" is different.

Some people don't have their hearing aid turned on and never will

Others listen wide eyed and appreciate the explanations

Main thing is don't lose your cool and be rude to the ignorant ones - Just keep explaining in a quiet but persistant manner

With extremely ignorant people ask them to contact the Museum the experts will sort them.

My neighbor likes to kill red bellied blacks and thinks I should like to hear about it.....haven't seen him for awhile

(think my last little "chat" may have curbed him.)

Remember this: Intelligence is Power

Cheers
Sandee

 

[Icarus]

you want the truth? you can't HANDLE the truth!

 

[NuKL7]

I believe that you should correct them, after getting my first snake recently i realised how much the 'public' know of snakes... barely any.

The public i was referencing to is my family and close friends however the absence in knowledge may be because of the people i hang around but still.

So my vote is YES! Educate those people so maybe less people become so scared of snakes for made up reasoning.

 

[Tinky]

I like to correct them.

I also like telling people that I hit kittens over the head with a shovel, because they might bite you.

 

[-Peter]

I like to correct them.

I also like telling people that I hit kittens over the head with a shovel, because they might bite you.

I tell a similar tale but it involves a seeing eye dog and the threat to my children. Its in a harness for godsake, cant be safe.

 

[Bluetongue1]

HerpMad,
Congratulations for trying!

My best advice is to get used to it. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who just don't want to know. And snakes are only one area, but definitely one where many are totally ignorant and there are a lot of old wives tales floating about as well.

No doubt you now understand the wisdom behind the old saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

Blue

Wild~Touch
Other than muttering something about them “obviously not being thirsty”, I have also used the “Don’t take my word for it. Ring ###”.... and give them a relevant expert they can contact e.g. museum, zoo, ARP etc. It can be surprising how much weight it adds to your argument even if they do not intend to do so.

Sometimes I will ask them a string of questions that they cannot answer... such as “Which Australian snake is responsible for more deaths than any other? How long are an adult Taipan’s fangs? What the longest venomous snake in the world? Is the Death Adder in the Adder Family?” Etc. Then I will say: “I know the answers to all those questions and more. When you know as much about snakes as I do, come back and we will discuss it.” I usually use that strategy for someone who tries to put you down in front of an audience.

 

[JackTheHerper]

"I saw a 30 meter python the other day" "Oh Sweet!" "Yeh it was GIANT"
"Do snakes poo?"
"Snakes are poisonous"
"I killed a snake because it could have hurt my dog" "Could have called a snake catcher"
"My first snake is gonna be a taipan, i will be real carefull with it"

All things that make me mad....I gave up trying to change the mindset of common folk

 

[HerpMad]

hahaha i havent heard that one yet lol, but thats a doozie.....
"you keep snakes? you should get an Anaconda!" (slaps own forehead)

 

[JackTheHerper]

hahaha i havent heard that one yet lol, but thats a doozie.....
"you keep snakes? you should get an Anaconda!" (slaps own forehead)

Oh i forgot the anaconda ones, or the people that say they have wild caught animals

 

[J-A-X]

If you can educate them without sounded like a big headed egomaniac then go for it. I always love it when people take a a few steps back from my Coastal enclosure when he swings his head around to check them out (securely behind 6mm glass that is double locked LOL) and they ask if he's poisonous....... 'no his kisses wont kill you but his cuddles will take your breath away.' I then have to explain that he is a constrictor ! ! then just smile and wave them on their merry way.

 

[dragonlover1]

yeah the world is full of ignorant people,this is why we have such a problem with islamic terrorists,it's exactly the same thing.people who are deliberately"educated" with misinformation cause so many problems

 

[Origamislice]

i love when people tell me that they're buying their first snake and they say it's a cornsnake that they're buying from their freind. they get a mouthfull and a half.

also the classic "Watch out your snake is trying to sting you with its tounge!!" :facepalm:

 

[Tsubakai]

If they are ignorant and close-minded then I don't bother. However if they are only misinformed but open then I will teach them a little.