My house isn't a zoo

[goReptiles]

So, I hate when people want to come over and see the animals. I'm not a petting zoo. Plain and simple. I can take pictures and show you, but I'm not a big fan of people in the house, and neither are my parents.

I meet local people in public places; I'm sorry you just can't come over.

Now, a lady my boyfriend works with is trying to find a home for her boa. I'm not sure what kind, age, gender, etc. He didn't ask, but he told her that I would take it. Great...

The catch is, she wants to come see my geckos and snakes... Um... That's a problem.

First off, where does he think I'm going to put a boa, assuming it's a red tail. Second, when I told him many months ago one day I'd like one, he told me no because of the size. Third, he knows I snuck the last 3 in the house. I can't sneak a large snake in with a large tank.

Yes, she is giving all the supplies, tank, etc. She doesn't want to get rid of it, but her husband has been after her for a while to.

And, my house isn't a petting zoo for people to come over and view the animals. I have some in my bedroom and some in the reptile room. The reptile room has other crap in in that my parents decide to store in there. My bedroom is my bedroom.

I have no problem taking pictures of geckos, snakes, frogs, tortoises, enclosures, racks, whatever.... But, I'm sorry you just can't come in the house.

Oh! And who gives him the right to tell someone I would take a large snake from them no problem. What the crap! I want one, and have no problem taking it, but ughhh....

I'd love another snake. I have been looking for another ball python, but dangit... I know I don't need it. I actually almost had myself talked out of getting the ball python I was inquiring about.

 

[goReptiles]

edit/update: it's a ball python not a boa. 5 or 6 years old. She was given the snake by someone. Her husband doesn't like snakes. He's only eaten live twice, and has been a hardy F/T feeder since the 2nd mouse scratched him when feeding. It's supposidely a 5-6 foot male named Ed.

if I can figure out where to put another tank, I guess I can take him. I still don't and won't have the lady over bc my house is not a petting zoo.

 

[sunshinegeckofarm]

i feel ya on the my room isn't the petting zoo. that sucks your boyfriend assumed you would want the bp before asking you. i hope for your sake its healthy and eats good.

 

[Ehatcher]

Ill show some people the animals when they are at the house visiting, but mainly close friends and relatives. I would NEVER let some joe smoe come over to my house to see my animals, mainly because i never know what their intentions are. They could be casing the joint for all i know. I dont want my expensive flat screen, my fiancées jewelry or any other valuable to be stolen in a home invasion... and worstly, someone doing damage to my house while breaking in to steal my animals. Its pitiful what the times have came to and how many THIEVES there are out there.

 

[goReptiles]

Danielle, yea I thought that was crazy, he just assumed I would take it. I don't have as big of a problem knowing it's a BP. I was more upset when he said boa. I want one, but no room right now. I'm still concerned that she's saying is a near 6 foot male. I asked him to ask what size tank the snake's in, so I can figure where to put it. I'm just not sure how I'll get it in the house past my parents. Ha. I could get the snake in, but not another tank.

Eric, friends and family that happen to be over is one thing, and I've done that. But I don't let people I don't know into my house, even if they are buying a gecko. I have lost local sales because of that, but I'm sorry, I don't trust people. We have cameras all over the exterior of the house and a few inside the house to watch the dogs when no one is home, but still not the point.

 

[adam&nikki]

Ill show some people the animals when they are at the house visiting, but mainly close friends and relatives. I would NEVER let some joe smoe come over to my house to see my animals, mainly because i never know what their intentions are. They could be casing the joint for all i know. I dont want my expensive flat screen, my fiancées jewelry or any other valuable to be stolen in a home invasion... and worstly, someone doing damage to my house while breaking in to steal my animals. Its pitiful what the times have came to and how many THIEVES there are out there.

i hear what you are saying i let people i know com and see my animals or people that are buying an animal from me i live in an a apt that is always locked and my only door is lockd up like fort knocks but i dnt like people thinking im a petting zoo or just a place to see some neat reptiles

 

[goReptiles]

I won't even let someone over who is buying a reptile. I'm sorry; it's not going to happen. I had some sketchy dude asking to come over a few years ago. He quit talking to me when I said no. He wanted to see the selection and see what else I had and let his son see everything. What was available he saw online. I don't have a problem bringing a few to a public place to make a decision, but not my house. He didn't even say anything about a son until after I said no the first time, he kept on and mentioned a son out of the blue.

People are crazy. If I don't know you, you're not coming over.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Whitney, you're definitely not crazy! We don't let people in our house either. I don't mind occasionally letting close friends' kids touch a few geckos but letting buyers come over to look isn't even an option. I don't care how nice or honest a person may seem, if they insist on coming to "pick a gecko out" then they have to get one from someone else. We don't even do local pickups in public places anymore. It's amazing how many sketchy people there are out there and we've met a lot of them! lol

 

[robin]

we only let close friends in to see our animals and i do not let them touch them (cept kelli who digs in the cages LOL). i do not even tell people i have reptiles. i mean yeah you guys know but no one local except my one neighbor.

also since my "facility" is so small it is hard for two people to be in there at a time LOL

 

[goReptiles]

I'm glad it's not just me... Mel, I've met a few. I did business a few times with a local person, but when they started playing games. I told him I couldn't do business anymore with him. When he started telling his friend about me, and trying to sell geckos he bought from me to the friend, and the friend emailing asking how much the initial guy paid to see if he was getting "ripped off," then asking what else I had, telling the 1st guy then the 1st guy immediately asking me about it and trying to buy before his friend could. I was like I can't play games. Ya'll need to figure this out for yourself.

I don't mind the 1st guy selling to his friend, but his friend shouldn't have asked me how much I sold to another customer.

I've been text harassed before by local people. When local people ask for availability, I cringe.

 

[Ga_herps]

I think the whole letting people from who knows where in to see my collection is not a good idea either. Suppose they get injured somehow. Last thing I need is some jack*** gettin bit then lawsuit city. I do however have a neighbor that I really do hate. He knows I have herps and just can't stand there is nothing he can do to cause me troubles legally. Every now and then I go out in my back yard with one of the adult boas just to rub it in I never take any out front though. I would'nt want a car getting in a wreck because they saw the crazy dude with a big snake around his neck. The only people that get to see my collection is friends, and relatives. I really do love all my herps and could not imagine losing them over something crazy.

 

[justindh1]

I guess I think a little different then most people! I don't let everyone come over to my place but do everyonce and a while. I have let buyers come by my place to see the geckos and talk about reptiles in general. I am a bit paranoid when I do but they only get to go into my reptile room and all the other doors are closed. They see my front room, my hallway, and the reptile room. I have really have no problem with it but I guess being a guy is a little different. Plus I do have a 12 gauge tactical shotgun sitting in plain view in my reptile room. I want people to know that there are ways that I protect myself. Its funny seeing peoples reaction to it sitting right there.


I have no problem letting any of my friends or family see or touch my reptiles. Of course I do have the ones I let people see and touch and the ones that no one gets to touch. I find that one of the most enjoyable experiences is when my friend and family wants to ask questions about my hobby and like to see my reptiles.

 

[adam&nikki]

I guess I think a little different then most people! I don't let everyone come over to my place but do everyonce and a while. I have let buyers come by my place to see the geckos and talk about reptiles in general. I am a bit paranoid when I do but they only get to go into my reptile room and all the other doors are closed. They see my front room, my hallway, and the reptile room. I have really have no problem with it but I guess being a guy is a little different. Plus I do have a 12 gauge tactical shotgun sitting in plain view in my reptile room. I want people to know that there are ways that I protect myself. Its funny seeing peoples reaction to it sitting right there.


I have no problem letting any of my friends or family see or touch my reptiles. Of course I do have the ones I let people see and touch and the ones that no one gets to touch. I find that one of the most enjoyable experiences is when my friend and family wants to ask questions about my hobby and like to see my reptiles.

thank you the more people know about reptiles in general the better there has been alot of bad press latley so if we can educate a few people the better.iv run into people that are like "oh reptiles are slimy and gross" i bring to my house and show them that no they arent they are beautiful animals.

 

[Northstar Herp]

I think I understand the ideas behind not letting folks in to see your collection, and def. if the idea is that you run some kind of petting zoo, and maybe it's because I'm only a few years into the whole reptile thing and haven't met any sketchy folks yet.

But to give a little balance to the discussion, I'll give you my take on it. I actually prefer buying local when possible, not only to save on shipping, but for some other reasons as well. I like to see the operation my stuff is coming from because of all the pictures you see of horrible ones. If the cages are clean and the other animals are well taken care of, I feel better about buying the one I'm interested in. It would actually be suspicious for someone local to say no to me coming over and picking out an animal or seeing their collection. Reading the BOI gives me the heeby-jeebys, so how do I know they aren't future bad guys? But on the flip side, I understand that they don't know I'm not a future bad guy either. But I'm not, honest...

I get all the work in my business from word of mouth, deal with same salesmen by name all the time, and develop relationships with folks my business brings me into contact with. So far, at least, I'm treating reptiles the same way. I feel better about a face to face discussion and a handshake than replying to an internet ad, and seeing the housing adds to that comfort.

 

[Tony C]

It would actually be suspicious for someone local to say no to me coming over and picking out an animal or seeing their collection.

I agree, I would refuse to buy from someone local if they didn't let me pick it up in person.

 

[Franks_Geckos]

I've only let someone into my house to see the collection on two occasions. One of the guys lives around the corner and knows where I live anyway. Our kids go to the same school and he also goes to my gym. He bought several geckos from me for his son, and he showed me his backyard pond for Koi carp at one point as well. I guess we are neighbors in a sense. The other family came down from the city to pick out a couple of Cresteds for their son. They have relatives that live down the block from me as well. Once I found out who they were beforehand, I was certain that they would not be a problem to have in my home. But in most cases, I am not a fan of having anyone over as I don't need the stress of worrying about whether someone would actually try to steal or damage anything in the house. If people are local, I usually just arrange to meet them somewhere between our two locations.

 

[Kristi23]

I really don't like people coming here. One is because we're always doing construction. The other is that my husband works weird hours and I'm a pretty small girl. It just doesn't feel safe to me.

However, my daughter's friends seem to think we're a zoo. The last one that stayed here on Friday was in love with all the animals. I heard "they're so cute" more times than I can count.

 

[rubym]

I have on occasion let prospective buyers see our collection. I have a few times let them come to my home for pick up but not taken them into the reptile room. Not that I have anything to hide as far as how I care for my reptiles.....I am rather ocd about my tank care, lol. I would be mad if some one broke into my home and stole my TV but I can replace my tv.....if some idiot were to decide to break in and steal reptiles I would be devastated!!!! As far as the petting zoo thing, having 3 teen boys in the house that always liked to drag in friends, I got used to them all wanting to see the animals. They were all very respectful of my rules- LOOK do NOT touch my reptiles!!!! I cant remember ever having an issue with one of the kids not obeying the rules. Alot of them were very intrigued by the reptiles and a few even got into the hobby after being introduced to reptiles by my kids. On the other hand I wouldnt want people just assuming it was ok to drop by and see them. My husband is also very good at volunteering me to take on another rescue,lol. If we werent married, I may have had to wring his neck by now but since we are and he does help with rescue care...I more or less just smile and find another spot for a tank,lol.

 

[Yamori]

Lol, good thread, allot of similer experiances.

I usualy have a few visiters a week, sometimes ill come home from work and am just trying to relax when somone will pop over.

Im happy to have my perents over and let them see my reptiles as they love my little geckos and my monitor but then there is my sister and her kids...

I admit at first i let them in my reptile room and was kinda on edge knowing that at any moment they may do something crazy, knowing kids. They were hands on all over my tanks, trying to open the doors, banging on the glass. i no longer let them or my sister in there, i just told them stright, Sis, you and your kids are banned from this room, alright.:main_laugh:

There are also many times when people i know come over with wild reptiles, rescues and such lol like im Doctor Dolittle or something.

1. It is illegal to keep wild reptiles.
2. I havnt any spare tanks or room to house them.
3. They carry diseases and parasites and dont want them anywhere near my reptiles.


I mean, its a nice thought, people know i love reptiles so if they see a blue tonge skink, a gecko they catch it and bring it to me.

I say thanks to be polite but the moment they leave i let the poor litte reptiles out in my back garden. I now try to explain to them that its crule to take a wild reptile who was born raised and has lived in the world and put them in a cage. 9 out of 10 times they wont eat and will lose wight and get sick etc. My reptiles are captive bred, they have been in a tank since day one and dont know any different.

You just have to try and educate people, family, freinds etc

As for the person who started this thread, if people were treating my house ike a zoo i would say this-

Its great that you are taking an interest in reptiles, if you want to learn more about them i can reccomend a good book but i can't be letting anyone and everyone in to my house or pretty soon it will be no different than a petting zoo. im sure you understand. As for taking the womans Snake, if you want it take it, if not just tell her thanks but no thanks. you have to speak up or people will just assume that if they find a snake or reptile that you will gladly take it.

Cheers-

Darrem

 

[jfreels]

My wife quickly realized last week how it may not be OK to throw "my" reptiles into the hands of her friends. *I* take care of all the reptiles. *I* know their schedule. *I* know how to read them.

My wife had a friend stay the night last week. Wifey thought it would be cool to get the boa out to show her friend. Her friend has seen snakes at the pet store, but nothing around 4'+. Well my wife didn't know the boa was shedding and just went clear. Even though she goes clear, she doesn't like to be handled until after shed. Wife got a real loud open mouth hiss when she reached into the cage.

Unfortunately, her friend thinks we have a mean snake now and probably will never hold the boa. My wife does like all the reptiles, but she generally only handles them when I have them out. I think I'll start keeping a little log on the vivs so she will know for future reference. I'd hate for her to get one of the snakes out the day after a feeding.