Any situation which brings other people into the presence of your herps creates a double obligation on your part.
You must take measures to ensure the safety and comfort of both people and pets.
I am a believer in educating the general public about reptiles, and providing opportunities to view these many beautiful and fascinating species.
It is important to remember however that education is not synonymous with contact, and that many people are uncomfortable around or even outright
afraid of reptiles. Most reptiles are also uncomfortable or frightened in unfamiliar circumstances. This makes for a somewhat tense and unstable situation
even with the best precautions.
Simplest advice - avoid random encounters between people and your herps. Taking your harmless three-foot Ball Python for a little walk may seem like a good
way to get it some fresh air and sunlight, but it isn't worth the risks. You will have little control over any encounters. Children, for instance, excited at
seeing a snake may come running up, frightening the snake. The snake will react, possibly causing you to drop it, and may bite in this stressful encounter.
I suggest these few simple rules:
1. Never surprise anyone with a reptile.
If you do this, especially intentionally, you not only set yourself up for an "incident" but you also intensify others fear and revulsion of reptiles. This
is exactly the opposite of what the responsible herper is about. You never know how an individual will react to the reptile or vice versa.
2. Never use a reptile for "macho" displays.
Showing off by draping your 12 foot Retic around your neck (and similar stunts) is not unwise... it's downright stupid and dangerous. Herping is a great hobby,
but a hobby is not worth dying for.
3. When taking your herps to public displays such as reptile shows, have a safety plan and stick to it.
The plan should include getting your animals to and from the site, public contact with the animals (or prevention thereof) and measures to protect both from
harm and discomfort, and contingency plans for EVERYthing.
One additional word of caution; as with most things, if you must err, err on the side of caution.
For further reading, I recommend
The Scales of Justice by Taryn L. Hook-Merdes, Esq. REPTILES Nov 1997
Also check out the article
The Responsible Herper At Home
