# What do you class yourself as then.. eh?



## TSKA Rory Matier (May 27, 2007)

What are you?

Simple question, but as usual l am after info, and opinion.

And if you have ticked 'other' what is other to you?

Thanks

Rory


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

life long amatuer naturalists........herps are a tiny part of the world.


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

Hmm i went for Exotic pet owner as i believe my snakes are my pets. It was either that or exotic animal keeper.

I make the distinction of pet/animal owner because im fond of alot of my snakes. Ive gotten to know their personalites (in so far as snakes have them) and the various different ways they need to be treated.

I dont however consider snakes to be companion animals. They dont have the emotional range to be able to interact with you in the way that an intelligent mammal can.

I think there are lizards which seem to be more 'friendly' though i think we differ too much.

I was considering earlier, if i was small enough my reptiles would eat me, even though im their 'friend' and owner.
A dog however probably wouldnt. They may decide to play with you but a reptile would just see you as another pinky. :lol2:
We never really bond with reptiles.
Just my opinion.


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## TSKA Rory Matier (May 27, 2007)

"They may decide to play with you but a reptile would just see you as another pinky". 

Rather large pinky Tops, albeit l guess how you were holding your snake in the first place?

Although Dora my wolfhound is big enough to eat me and Nerys!

The new term 'companion animal' l struggle with tbh, l am willing to be flamed for this statement alone, but l think it fair that where as a dog, cat, ...parrot, and yeah skunk [they are!! lol], and perhaps a few others can be seen as a companion.

They can not kick back and get peed with you, although the skunks do seem to like wine and cider.................l am told!

But reptiles l don't personally see as companions, although, if you were perhaps the only person in the house and your reptiles answered you directly, maybe then.

But l dont really like the term, equally as much l don't like the term hobby or hobbyist for it is like you collect stamps, or train numbers, it just seems disposable as a term.

Exotic Animal Keeper and pet owner, l think would suit me.

Rory


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

TSKA Rory Matier said:


> "They may decide to play with you but a reptile would just see you as another pinky".
> 
> Rather large pinky Tops, albeit l guess how you were holding your snake in the first place?
> 
> Rory


You should see some of them eye me up come feeding day.. :lol2: Even full sized they seem to think im worthy of a go.


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## hayley_o (Jul 24, 2007)

Tops said:


> Hmm i went for Exotic pet owner as i believe my snakes are my pets. It was either that or exotic animal keeper.
> 
> I make the distinction of pet/animal owner because im fond of alot of my snakes. Ive gotten to know their personalites (in so far as snakes have them) and the various different ways they need to be treated.


I agree and have gone for the same option. I love my little geckos and beardies to pieces and feel really close to them. They've all got their own personalities and they're all great. The beardies especially are really friendly and some interaction does happen with them.

My snake, for some reason, feels a bit different. I do love her, but as Tops said before, if I was small enough she wouldn't think twice about eating me, and I too have considered that lol. I still think she's great, but perhaps I'd be leaning towards 'exotic animal keeper' if I had her and nothing else!


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Ive put other 
Im a *Pet *keeper 
Be it snakes lizards birds or dogs and cats at one point or another we have had "family pets" and even now we still keep the "normal" stuff. Its just more so now that our reptiles have also become "family pets" considering we have changed the minds of about 10 people based on the fact we keep snakes etc. We have allowed them to see exotics as harmless pets and except them in to the family home. 
Gees my mum even has her own corn and for some one that wouldnt even pick up a worm and is affriad of "creepy crawleys" i think its safe to say we changed her mind lol.
So we dont just fit in to the exotic pet keeper box lol


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## wozza_t (Jan 4, 2007)

I went for exotic pet owner, as none of my pets are native to england, so i guess they are all exotics.........
And when you consider the way some animals like to be 'petted' then yeh i would say the majority would see them as pets.:2thumb:


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## JAM3S (Jan 17, 2007)

I went for exotic animal keeper. I wouldnt really class my snakes as companion animals but maybe my idea of a 'companion' animal is different too other peoples. I spend alot of time trying to give my snakes a good enviroment to live in and they all have there own characters but they dont sit with you at night, watch tv with you or even know what kind of mood your in.


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

*OTHER.*

I see myself as an observer. I like to watch what animals do and how they react with humans. I've had a go with bee keeping, tropical fish, mice, rabbits. My current interest, besides snakes, is flying a bird of prey and my dog helps us to find game for him to catch.


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## Dan (Jan 11, 2006)

I am a herpetologist (feels like i'm at an AA meeting!!)

Websters dictionary:
One versed in herpetology, or the natural history of reptiles.

Dictionary.com:
a zoologist (a specialist in the branch of biology dealing with animals) who studies reptiles and amphibians


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

reticulatus said:


> I am a herpetologist (feels like i'm at an AA meeting!!)
> 
> Websters dictionary:
> One versed in herpetology, or the natural history of reptiles.
> ...


 
so what is your favorite desmognathus?...i like fuscus the best.:no1::lol2:......just a teasing!!:2thumb:


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## This is my Clone (Jul 8, 2007)

I think of myself as a Zoo keeper and a teacher. I love to observe my Reptiles, and to let others observe them. I also like to teach people about them, and there's no better feeling than helping someone overcome an irrational fear of snakes/reptiles.

My dream come true would be to like David Attenborough (sp?) and spend my life observing them in the wild.


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## Dan (Jan 11, 2006)

HABU said:


> so what is your favorite desmognathus?...i like fuscus the best.:no1::lol2:......just a teasing!!:2thumb:


I prefer D.monticola.
You picked the wrong one i'm afraid - i was playing with this genus last week :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

EddieLizzard said:


> I think of myself as a Zoo keeper and a teacher. I love to observe my Reptiles, and to let others observe them. I also like to teach people about them, and there's no better feeling than helping someone overcome an irrational fear of snakes/reptiles.
> 
> My dream come true would be to like David Attenborough (sp?) and spend my life observing them in the wild.


 
that's a naturalist all day long!!:no1:


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## toyah (Aug 24, 2006)

TSKA Rory Matier said:


> The new term 'companion animal' l struggle with tbh, l am willing to be flamed for this statement alone, but l think it fair that where as a dog, cat, ...parrot, and yeah skunk [they are!! lol], and perhaps a few others can be seen as a companion.


While a pet may provide companionship for the owner, I am really against the term companion animal. It is an AR term that is gradually being used to erode the rights of pet owners. I am not the "legal guardian" of a "companion animal" - I am the owner of my pets. Small but major distinction.

I would call myself a pet owner for most of the species I own, and possibly use the term fancier, particularly for the corns. The dictionary defines a pet as an animal kept for companionship or amusement - and I imagine that the vast majority of people here choose to keep the animals they have for their own amusement (or else - why are you keeping them? to make yourself miserable?).

The whole collection/collector term annoys me as much as hobby seems to annoy you, Rory. A collection to me is stamps, and the term collector when applied to animals, to me brings to mind an animal hoarder.


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## TSKA Rory Matier (May 27, 2007)

toyah said:


> While a pet may provide companionship for the owner, I am really against the term companion animal. It is an AR term that is gradually being used to erode the rights of pet owners. I am not the "legal guardian" of a "companion animal" - I am the owner of my pets. Small but major distinction.
> 
> I would call myself a pet owner for most of the species I own, and possibly use the term fancier, particularly for the corns. The dictionary defines a pet as an animal kept for companionship or amusement - and I imagine that the vast majority of people here choose to keep the animals they have for their own amusement (or else - why are you keeping them? to make yourself miserable?).
> 
> The whole collection/collector term annoys me as much as hobby seems to annoy you, Rory. A collection to me is stamps, and the term collector when applied to animals, to me brings to mind an animal hoarder.


The terms used in this poll are predom terms applied to us by the exotic keeping community as well as you have pointed out by the AR community.

AR recently called everything an exotic, everything - cats, dogs the lot!

I don't like the term hobby, this has been discussed.

I don't like the term Collector, it is an AR term of recent times, for they wish to show to those who keep no animals that we are not keepers but we are hoarders.

I have 'collectors' on my client base, but the difference is that they do collect, butterflies and insects - all dead. They are collectors.

I think the term hobby should be dropped for l do believe it does indicate to others external to the keeping of animals as a disposability, not really worth caring about.

I think the term collector to live animal species is wrong, but not to the collector of specimen [DEAD].

And no, with reference to exotic animals - companion is also l feel wrong, l will stand the hypocritical replies on my comment about skunks, as they are still an exotic species, they are not a domesticated species to the likes of cats and dogs - they can be, as can many other animals - domesticated to a degree.

They can use a litter tray, they do respond when their names are called. But then equally as much the porcupine Wilma, recognises her name, or our smell or even just our presence but she is not a companion animal, nor would she respond well to the household environment nor is she litter trained.

Its a difficult term - companionship, especially when used with animals. It is hard enough to find true companionship with humans at times. So to coign the term alongside animals - hmmm. 

A touchy subject l do agree, but with exotics such as reptiles, l struggle to see that and them as anything bar exotic animals or in the pet term. For they can be referred to as pets and many keepers do, hence why the inclusion of exotic pet keeper.

So flame away, y'all.

R


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

reticulatus said:


> I am a herpetologist (feels like i'm at an AA meeting!!)
> 
> Websters dictionary:
> One versed in herpetology, or the natural history of reptiles.
> ...


I'm more of a herpetoculturalist myself.


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## Daredevil (Jul 10, 2007)

I'm an exotic pet owner!!


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## Dan (Jan 11, 2006)

Scoffa said:


> I'm more of a herpetoculturalist myself.


As i would think most of this forums members are.


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## Andy b 1 (May 14, 2007)

exotic animal keeper


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## Xiorell (Aug 15, 2007)

Other for me.... something along the lines of

"I'm new at this shit and I know it, but fully intend it to lead to bigger things.

You didn't have that option.


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

I chose other.

I am an Exotic companion animal keeper.

I chose this because after removing myself from reptiles as such, I now live with Ichi - I don't own her, she oes her own thing, I merely care for her and live by her side.

She is an exotic mammal yes but she is also a companion - she openly shows when she is happy or not, he lets me know when she wants my company or my attention and she is a fully independant member of our household. By independant I don't mean working etc lmao 

I would also class myself as a herpetolist as I continue to srudy nad research reptiles.


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## arkreptiles (Sep 26, 2007)

We've gone for exotic pet owners cos we love all our reps!!! Would also consider ourselves herpetologists/herpetoculturalists as we are thirsty for knowledge and understanding the natural history of these animals and enjoy creating conditions within which they can thrive...

If it wasn't for our day jobs I think we would be over-run!!!!


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

Other: Insane


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