Reptiles Are Abhorrent? Not to this troper.

Me and my family live in Southern California, and we've always had encounters with fence lizards lying around in the sun or crawling along the walls all day. Except when an extremely excited lizard crossed my path, my family and I were never afraid of them. We got sad whenever any of our cats caught and ate one of them, even in our house, because we found them endearing. On the other hand, we absolutely despite mice and rats. We would practically cheer when our cats tried to catch and eat one (which was unsuccessfully). To us, they were vermin who crapped wherever they went and gnawed on anything they could get their grubby little teeth on.

So from this, was there ever a time where you preferred reptiles over certain mammals that you didn't like?

Oh yea, pretty much any given lizard I like much more than some mammals walking around thinking they're "Advanced", some of them are real assholes.

But really I like reptiles, especially small lizards. it's cool how fast they can run.

edited 1st Sep '13 11:18:59 AM by Joesolo

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I always loved reptiles, especially snakes. I like most animals, but I really think reptiles have an undeserved reputation.

But then again, I also like rats and bats and pidgeons... I guess I was a lot more scared of my neighbor's pet ferrets than her pet grass snake.

"You fail to grasp the basic principles of mad science. Common sense would be cheating." - Narbonic

Some snakes terrify me: black mamba. They live on hair-triggers, those. <_<

But, I don't mind reptiles. I even like legavaans, even though I know how dangerous they are when full-grown. I've had a baby clamp itself to my finger before (the bully who put it in my desk was a bit disappointed when my only reaction was to hold my hand out and go, "Yours?").

I used to own a ball python named Envy. He was surprisingly timid, but very friendly once he got to know you.

On the black mamba: the black mamba has the weirdest thing to it: it's always smiling◊. Snake enthusiasts, take warning: it is not laughing with you. It is laughing at you. What's about to happen to you is the punchline.

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I don't mind reptiles, and kind of like snakes. I have a fond memory of holding a snake at a zoo on one of our trips to Australia. What I don't like in animals is poison.

Laws are made to be broken. You're next, thermodynamics.

And yet you held a snake in Australia.

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exactly my thoughts.

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It seems to me that the main reason most people think Reptiles Are Abhorrent is that they think everyone else thinks so, but the majority of people are actually okay with snakes and lizards nowadays. I know I am. Like the OP, I live in Southern California and have caught my fair share of them, and been happy to simply observe plenty more.

Stuff what I do.

I have a neighbor whose oldest son likes to play around with all sorts of animals. He brought a snake over once and I petted it, and so did my son. My son also went on a trip to a petting zoo a short while ago and my wife got a beautiful photo of him holding a decent sized python or boa, I forget which. I'm trying to teach him to respect animals without fearing them.

My wife, on the other hand, loathes snakes.

edited 1st Sep '13 9:21:43 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

I think snakes are very pretty. Not going to touch one unless it's tame and non-venomous, but they're just very pretty animals. Don't mind lizards and turtles either.

Be not afraid...

Well, despite being poisonous this guy is known for being relatively tame. Though most snakes are timid save for the Death Adder from what I've read.

I personally do not mind snakes, especially on a plane. Not that I've met one.

I too live in Southern California, and I too love reptiles. Really, I love all wildlife, and although I'm mostly a birder (452 species and counting on my life list), I enjoy seeing any kind of wild animal. To me, seeing a new reptile or amphibian or mammal or butterfly is just as exciting as seeing a new bird.

As far as local herps go, probably the one I want to see most is the Red Diamond Rattlesnake, with California Mountain Kingsnake a close second. I'm also very frustrated that I have never seen a wild California Kingsnake, despite them being one of the more common snakes around here.

I love reptiles! I used to have a green snake that I caught in the wild, and trained to wrap around my arm like a bracelet. It freaked the other kindergartners out.

It strikes me as unfortunate that the only sapient lifeform on this planet is a mammal, and not a reptile or an insect. They have always appealed to me as having a sort of alien elegance and grace, as opposed to the fleshy clunkiness of mammals.

Smile for me!

The world is divided into three categories for a snake: Food, Threat, Irrelevant.

Snakes, even the poisonous ones, are typically pretty calm and okay to be around as long as you remain in that third category. It is, however, important to remember one crucial fact of snake handling: a reptile is not a mammal. It is not a pack animal. It does not desire your companionship and value you as a respected member of its community. You are not its friend. You are food, a threat, or irrelevant.

edited 2nd Sep '13 12:54:58 AM by TobiasDrake

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I will attempt to catch one of those lizards who live in my neighborhood, next summer. They are pwetty and moe~

My President is Funny Valentine.

I have no opinion of reptiles.

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All good people love reptiles.

This is a fact.

Put me in motion, drink the potion, use the lotion, drain the ocean, cause commotion, fake devotion, entertain a notion, be Nova Scotian

Um... some snakes are quite OK with the whole group-thing. Boomslangs are usually quite happy to ball up together for the winter (or, just at night, even in the summer)... And, you'll often find siblings together. Particularly sunning (as once happened to me trying to get to school and we found a pair catching the rays on the gate together — best excuse, ever!). They were of about an age and patterned pretty alike. Some have been known to group-hunt: one to act as beater, the other as assassin, so clutchmates who get along sticking together is not that surprising.

Of course, if the size-disparity is too much and a group has no (or little) relation to each other, well... the smaller ones generally do get munched.

edited 2nd Sep '13 5:21:15 AM by Euodiachloris

Doesn't reptile appreciate the heat produced by us superior warm blood mammals? I thought I heard somewhere that they appreciated handling for at least that reason or something. It could be bullshit too I guess.

Myself I like reptiles, but I wouldn't keep one because I couldn't even be trusted to maintain a plant in good health, let alone an animal.

I'm not really sure what your trying to imply with this.

Put me in motion, drink the potion, use the lotion, drain the ocean, cause commotion, fake devotion, entertain a notion, be Nova Scotian

For starters, they don't have heat regulation (and loss) like mammals do. You can accidentally cook your reptile if your expended body heat is a little too above their optimum. They can take a certain degree... but, once their core temperature has hit the max, that's it.

And, for furthers: they don't respond to tactile stimulation in quite the same ways. Different sets of autonomic reactions. Which can really be a problem in snakes... certainly the venomous kinds... and monitor-types (they can lash out on automatic pilot if you touch the wrong bits without meaning to: which won't help the resulting broken leg any).

edited 2nd Sep '13 11:44:36 AM by Euodiachloris

I guess that's a fair point.

I suppose I just got "Mammals are your friends and reptiles aren't" vibe from that post. But I was probably reading too much into it.

edited 2nd Sep '13 8:57:58 AM by DrStarky

Put me in motion, drink the potion, use the lotion, drain the ocean, cause commotion, fake devotion, entertain a notion, be Nova Scotian

I used to have garter snakes in my yard sometimes, I still have the shed skin from one around something. Haven't seen one in years though.

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This alligator, it's adorable.

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.