family just don't get it.

[lysinlight87]

I met up with my mum the other day & had a catch up. She asked how my zoo was. I explained that I'd lost a hamster to wet tail & the other is on anti-biotics to which she said, "oh well, he'll probably die too." Cheers mum. Then I explained that I couldn't get my tree snake established and it refused to eat, to which she said, "oh well, let it die then." I know she's not trying to be nasty, she just doesn't understand animal husbandry I guess...I think she doesn't realise that's there a responsibility involved.

Then to top if off, she asked if I was thinking of doing house-work anytime soon...parents!

 

[fluxlizard]

I know she's not trying to be nasty, she just doesn't understand animal husbandry I guess...I think she doesn't realise that's there a responsibility involved.

The way animals are thought of the past 25 years or so is just different than it used to be. At least here in America. Probably there too.

When I was a kid vet care for small animals was not very common at all unless it was dogs and cats. Kids went out and caught creepy crawlies all the time or had a pet hamster or bunny for a while and many died early deaths and nobody shed a tear- except very young kids who hadn't been desensitized yet.

I think media has changed a lot of our attitudes about this. Also a great distance has been placed between agricultural society and the rest of us that wasn't there before.

Life and death is just a fact on a farm, moreso in yesteryear. Eating often meant going out and killing a chicken or something to eat. And even city dwellers understood a lot of that. Rodents similar your hamster competed with us for food and spread disease, so when one was seen it was killed, snakes were sometimes poisonous so they were considered threatening and icky and they were also killed.

Now there is a huge gap and we live in a kind of artificial environment that keeps us kind of innocent in some ways and allows us to be a little kinder and gentler toward our fellow beings. And in most ways, that's a good thing. But that probably isn't how your mom was programmed to think when she was developing her life view.

I wouldn't think poorly of your mum, just realize that she grew up in a different time when life was a little more harsh in some ways...

What was difficult for me was moving to my current rural community about 11 years ago and after learning I was interested in herps, everyone wanted to share stories with me about our common interest. Only their stories focused on how they run over box turtles and kill snakes. It can be challenging to see them as decent human beings, but people are complicated and these same folks often would literally give someone the shirt of their back if it would help them...

 

[lysinlight87]

I don't feel badly towards her, it's just frustrating cos I work hard for these animals and she doesn't understand. I'm busting a gut for this tree snake, even though I've been told by many people he probably won't make it.

When I was a kid, my pets (hamsters, budgies, rabbits) got vet treatment if needed so I'm lucky in that respect. One time when she had my rabbit put down and told me afterward! (It was the right descision though)

I grew up watching Animal Hospital, Vets in practise, RSPCA documentaries...so it's engrained into me to think of animal welfare first. I joined Action for animals, which is a kids club that the RSPCA run. I did volunteer conservation work & now I'm a zoologist, so we are very different in that respect! I don't think much of that exsisted when my mum was growing up- TV was new then! You're right about the rat, snake thing- to her they are diseased & digusting.

I actually get frustrated by the distance from the agricultural side of things- it's a living for the farmers, an industry. most people don't like to face the fact that the lamb on their plate was once running around a field but I think it's important to acknowledge that & appreciate it.

 

[fluxlizard]

I grew up watching Animal Hospital, Vets in practise, RSPCA documentaries...so it's engrained into me to think of animal welfare first.

LOL those sort of programs didn't exist when I was a kid. But I did sometimes watch mutual of omaha's wild kingdom which the parts I remember often had animals getting eaten by other animals. LOL

most people don't like to face the fact that the lamb on their plate was once running around a field but I think it's important to acknowledge that & appreciate it.

Me too.

 

[Decadancin]

I can relate! When I was growing up, (still a debate about if I actually did) my grandma from Ireland visited and asked me why I had a rat in my room. It was a gerbil. I used to let him run around the house in his ball and she couldn't understand it! She would tell stories of rats climbing the drapes in the house and they were NOT pets. Even the pet cats were really not pets, but pest control! Don't worry what others say if you know you're doing the right thing! And make sure to invite her over when the house is a total mess! You know it gets to her, and she'll wonder where she went wrong! He He

 

[lysinlight87]

And make sure to invite her over when the house is a total mess! You know it gets to her, and she'll wonder where she went wrong! He He

lol my house is always a total mess. I'm thinking I should go round hers & say "soooo, when was the last time you cleaned the oven?" & see how she likes it lol I'd probably get a slap

 

[absolutbill]

I can relate to this. When I was training my dog to become Canine Good Citizen certified (so she could visit nursing homes, etc.) I was pretty nervous. She's a boxer, and a rescue, and there are 10 steps in the test - fail one and you fail the test. My mother knew I was nervous about this but trying not to upset the dog and said, "Don't worry if she fails the test, it's not like they will kill her." She told me this as we were leaving to go take the test and I nearly burst into tears! Holli passed and got McDonalds as a treat, but I've never forgotten what Mom told me, even though she swears she didn't intend it to be mean!