Jan 28 2009
Eeeek! It touched me!
When you have a cat or a dog, you can be pretty sure that you won’t have people over visiting your house on a regular basis that will be afraid of your pet. Most people can handle interacting with cats and dogs, even if they don’t particularly like animals. But when it comes to reptiles and other exotic pets, it can be harder to find people who are comfortable being in close vicinity to them. Some people actually have severe phobias to snakes and spiders, and won’t be able to even set foot in your house if they know that you have them inside.
Some visitors to your “home herpetarium” will be the complete opposite. They will want to touch and hold everything they can, and may stick their heads into enclosures and pick up animals before you can tell them not too. These types of people may seem like they would be better to have as visitors, but in reality they can be alot of trouble. If you have snakes that are prone to biting, or tarantulas that do not like to be handled, you could wind up with a wounded visitor before you know it.
It is a good idea to always keep in mind that just because you love your scaly or 8-legged or hard-shelled friends, other people might not. Make sure any visitors you have to your home are aware that the animals are there, but also ask them up front if they have any fears in regards to them. If they do, make sure everyone is placed within their enclosures during “guest” time, and don’t make a point of showing them off if your visitor isn’t up to it. If you have a visitor who is very into seeing your reptiles and exotics, let them know the rules for touching and handling before you bring them over. Telling them they will get bitten before it happens is alot better than trying to explain afterward. 
