>This is just unbelieveable. As a member of two large reptile online
>communities Ive never heard of anyone doing such a thing. ....Most
>charge a reasonable but rather large adoption fee... ...Im am sorry
>I dont usually get so upset but I am tired of reptile owners always
>being seen as Devils in disguise ready to feed any cute fuzzy creature
>to thier snakes.
>
>Yes I know that there are idiot pet owners in all realms but this just
>seems rather unlikely.. Please dont think Im saying you the person who
>wrote the message made it up at all, but it just seems unlikely to be
>something that happens often if ever again.. So please think long and
>hard before judging us reptile owners... We do love our ferrety
>friends and our cats and dogs too....
>
>Cc

Hi CC;

I wanted to point out the obvious in reply to your reply to Susan in
Arkansas. Susan did not say that what happened to her happened often,
she did not judge anyone, she merely gave a heads up about what
occurred and while you, and a few people whom you know, may feel
ferrets are dangerous to snakes, I seriously doubt that most
snake/reptile owners are any more thoughtful or intelligent or
RESPONSIBLE than owners of other animals. Here I am speaking of
the population majority member and the average type person (which
statistically are one and the same in the general population). And I
do know that they are quite capable of rendering prey harmless to
their reptiles.

Even though I am NOT a reptile person, I have seen with my own eyes and
KNOW PERSONALLY of snake people incapacitating prey for their snakes -
whether you do it or not.. it happens. Hit the animal over the head,
while it twitches, the snake grabs it, strangles it, then swallows it.
I do believe one of those people could easily overpower an innocent,
especially a trusting, ferret. What do you think?

There are idiots - everywhere, there are differences of opinion -
everywhere, there are different Methods of Keeping Pets - everywhere,
and there are people who do whatever - just to see what happens -
everywhere (that's how a lot of the worst animal abuse occurs). This is
just to name a few differences that maybe aren't really so different.

I don't think there is one experienced rescuer out "there" who would
NOT say that people, the majority of citizens, ARE still pretty
narrow-minded and selfish when it comes to beliefs and treatments of
non-humans. Not to mention some being flat out stupid - But Stupid is
allowed to keep pets in this country - because often Stupid's brother
or sister, you know Ignornant or Indifferent, is making the laws...

Animals are neglected and abused EVERYDAY in this country and most
people perpetrating these acts don't even realize how awful they really
are as owners. Reptile owners are just as guilty as mammal, bird,
amphibian or fish owners. Wouldn't you say? or don't you know?

As for free - well nothing in life is really free - is it? We pay a
toll one way or another. Rescuers determine how to rehome a pet based
on many factors, and money is NOT always exchanged as an adoption fee.
Oh and I too have had people call me up wanting a free ferret and to
"Take one off my hands". I've had people call me up wanting to adopt
ONE YOUNG WHITE ferret for biology class. and now I'll move on so as
to not say what I REALLY think! Remember - there's all kinds of people
out there.. you and me included.

Now specifically for Susan's post a bit of further comment may help
make her concern seem less unlikely and more right on track. Again no
one has said that this happens all the time or often, she said it just
happened to her and wanted to give everyone a heads up - including to
you as a ferret owner. No one maligned reptile owners or reptiles for
that matter, sorry you took her caveat that way.

I do not believe she posted in her FML message what she said to me and
that is that these people were hoping to get a ferret or two that did
NOT come with a fee, but rather one (or more) who is older or ill and
just needs a new home.

Then, as I believe she did state, she heard a man in the background
wanting to know if she, the woman looking for ferrets, had found any
yet. She said she was still trying. AFTER Susan did more interviewing
she found out what the woman wanted - snake food.

If she didn't post that info.. well there it is and I hope it helps
clarify why Susan felt as she did and I really think I would feel the
same way given the same circumstances. BTW - "do you have a snake", is
not the first thing out of most rescuer's mouth; in fact I rarely ask.
And when I do ask it's because of something "they" have said that
alerted me to that fact.

If you think this still HAS to be a hoax (which gee it could be), then
I refer you to my comments above - and I'll see if I can get you a
sign.

But I ask you -- DOES IT MATTER if this was a hoax or reality? Seems to
me it's better to give a heads up than to sit quietly until something
bad does happen.

In my opinion, If this person was just kidding then she should be known
far and wide for her sick joke - because to ferret people, and here I
really believe that I can speak for more than a fair majority, feeding
one of our ferrets to a snake is beyond unacceptable and the person
who thinks it's funny is not someone most of us want to know any more
closely than by name, maybe sight recognition.

Your email sounded a bit like you think the rest of us see reptile
people as searching for free fuzzies and furries to feed to scaleys..

Here I can NOT speak for anyone other than myself. but YES.. I do
believe that if the AVERAGE snake owner can get a free, undiseased,
unmedicated mammal or bird to feed to his/her snake, especially a plump
one, even if just twice a year they would jump on the opportunity like
a chicken on a June BUG... are you saying that you wouldn't? Hmmm
atypical owner. ATYPICAL was not mispelled.

Peace among species!

Vicki

He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot
forget falls drop by drop upon the heart. And in our own despair, and
against our will, comes Wisdom by the awful Grace of God...Aeschylus

[Posted in FML 5483]