tailsandkabuki:

I feel like worst part of owning a snake is the fact people feel no shame in directly insulting you, your passion or hobby, and your pet.
Two days ago was my grandma’s birthday. She’s always loved Kabuki and had been very supportive (Understanding not so much, but supportive) of my love for snakes and always takes time out of her day to ask me how he’s doing and bugs me to post pictures of him on Facebook for her.
So I whipped up a photoset of my latest and greatest pictures and tagged her in the post.
The first comment I get, from someone who I don’t even know (one of my Grandma’s friends, I assume) is “[My Grandma] why would you want these?”
First of all, who are you? Who are you to come on my private post, a set of pictures of a little baby ball python, and without knowing who I am or what my connection to our mutual friend is, and say some shit like that? I hadn’t even gotten a like or a comment from the person who I posted them for before this woman makes a comment with a clear distaste for the animal picture.
I am a photographer. Photography is an art. To sit there and tell someone you don’t like their art isn’t okay. Kabuki is so precious to me, that’s like calling someone’s kid ugly, it’s just fucked up. I am a complete and total stranger and people just- say shit like that.
Kabuki came to work with me Thursday before last. He was surprisingly well met by my coworkers, a bunch of actors and actresses and of course the rest of the theatre tech crew, but with any concentration of 30+ people, I received comments.
“It’d make a nice belt.”
“Gross.”
“I’d love to rip out his little spine and see his tiny bones.”
How is this okay? What part of reptile is unequal to loved pet? Because damn, I probably give more fucks about my snake than this hick bitch does about her dogs.
Whatever your opinions or thoughts are on pets, whether it’s reptiles, spiders, insects, etc.- the owner doesn’t want to hear about the awful things you wish you could do to them, for no other reason than a typically irrational fear. Please remember these animals are loved and emotionally and financially invested in, and are living things. It’s not okay. Please. Be polite and just ignore it if it bothers you.