premammalian
Hatchling Member
Hello beardie community,
This will be a somewhat different post, and I don’t know if it is suitable for that section of the forum. It is not about questions on salmonella prevention from reptiles. I am a reptile hobbyist for some years now, I unfortunately past from the fear phase by reading so many alarmist articles too, but I finally recognized how small the risk is, even more when I realized that I was playing with animals and reptiles from as long back I can remember with no problems whatsoever. The problem is that not all people take the risk in perspective. So I need your support and help if possible for a somewhat unique situation. Sorry if my English are no good, this is not my native language.
So I enrolled with some other people my age and my mother as well in a physical therapy program. Here we will have various courses to get a certification to become assistants of a physical therapist. My mother has been divorced from my father years ago, and I live mainly with her. My mother also hates reptiles, and although I believed she does it just to play boss or whatever, she might actually fear them. So, because we quarreled too much two years ago with no one backing off about my collection and staff, currently I have most of my collection in a spare room of my father’s house. Here in my mother’s home I have only my rabbit, my crested gecko and some transient insects I am going to feed to the latter. I cannot move the gecko with the others, because of the high temperature this place gets at summer. In the last years, my grandmother overwinters in our house as well. She is from a village, where now she feels alone and vulnerable in the winter with no one nearby, so she comes to the city to her daughter. I know that the elderly are more vulnerable to salmonella infection, but firstly she has been in contact with chickens and other foul for the whole of her life, and still is in summer, and secondly, she has no contact with all of my animals, reptilian or not, so no risk. That doesn’t mean however that my mother would not use this fact to cause me problems with my reptiles. My mother will fool you by seeming quite open, liberal and light-hearted, but if something important is perceived as threatening for her, she will swiftly change to a ranting, ironizing, threating and distant monster that will first exhaust her opponent for some days or weeks and then try to listen to him. I am an adult of 23 and feel oppressed in this environment. I really want to gain independence, but at least for that year it is not possible.
Now how do physical therapy and a mother not wanting reptiles go together? They do. Perhaps in order to feel their time, those responsible for the program did put some less relevant courses in it like hygiene. Upon hearing about that, I quickly became terrified. Yes, hygiene covers too many topics, but what if, what if in a thousand, reptiles will be mentioned? How will my mother respond? How will others, if she transmits the information? Will she terrify her family, who is composed mainly of animal-hating self-righteous shouters who frequently visit her home and intervene? Will she exaggerate, as she likes to do, thereby defaming our hobby and our animals in our smallish country? Will I not be allowed to keep the remaining reptile with me? How will my father, who generally is much cooler and grounded in reality, but can also suddenly fear something for no apparent reason, will react? Will he disseminate the information exaggerated? What will happen?
So I have been panicked, and I ask you, particularly those who work in paramedical professions. First, how likely is that in a general hygiene course, reptiles will be mentioned? Second, how likely is, if they are mentioned, that much detail will be allotted to them? And third, how should I react if they are mentioned?
My mother really does not belong in this program. She is a pensioner and she has stated clearly that she just goes there to pass her time and learn to make a good massage for her family. I am trying to dissuade her, for example by telling her that it is pointless to wake up too early and going to hear boring classes for so long hours, but she isn’t getting so easily convinced. I don't want just learning massage to end in a tragedy for all involved. I am really in fear now. I have struggled with severe anxiety and depression in the past, and these days the symptoms have been triggered again. If the problem doesn’t recede, I might go for professional help again. And you know, people cannot leave you alone. They will see you not talking, not wanting to go out, neglecting jobs that must be done as a problem with them, laziness etc. It is not that. I have even started to neglect my animals. Hopefully hibernation season is starting, and I fortunately won't need to care for them.
So if you don’t want to help, ignore the post and I will really have no problem with you. But if anyone wants to tell something, just reply.
This will be a somewhat different post, and I don’t know if it is suitable for that section of the forum. It is not about questions on salmonella prevention from reptiles. I am a reptile hobbyist for some years now, I unfortunately past from the fear phase by reading so many alarmist articles too, but I finally recognized how small the risk is, even more when I realized that I was playing with animals and reptiles from as long back I can remember with no problems whatsoever. The problem is that not all people take the risk in perspective. So I need your support and help if possible for a somewhat unique situation. Sorry if my English are no good, this is not my native language.
So I enrolled with some other people my age and my mother as well in a physical therapy program. Here we will have various courses to get a certification to become assistants of a physical therapist. My mother has been divorced from my father years ago, and I live mainly with her. My mother also hates reptiles, and although I believed she does it just to play boss or whatever, she might actually fear them. So, because we quarreled too much two years ago with no one backing off about my collection and staff, currently I have most of my collection in a spare room of my father’s house. Here in my mother’s home I have only my rabbit, my crested gecko and some transient insects I am going to feed to the latter. I cannot move the gecko with the others, because of the high temperature this place gets at summer. In the last years, my grandmother overwinters in our house as well. She is from a village, where now she feels alone and vulnerable in the winter with no one nearby, so she comes to the city to her daughter. I know that the elderly are more vulnerable to salmonella infection, but firstly she has been in contact with chickens and other foul for the whole of her life, and still is in summer, and secondly, she has no contact with all of my animals, reptilian or not, so no risk. That doesn’t mean however that my mother would not use this fact to cause me problems with my reptiles. My mother will fool you by seeming quite open, liberal and light-hearted, but if something important is perceived as threatening for her, she will swiftly change to a ranting, ironizing, threating and distant monster that will first exhaust her opponent for some days or weeks and then try to listen to him. I am an adult of 23 and feel oppressed in this environment. I really want to gain independence, but at least for that year it is not possible.
Now how do physical therapy and a mother not wanting reptiles go together? They do. Perhaps in order to feel their time, those responsible for the program did put some less relevant courses in it like hygiene. Upon hearing about that, I quickly became terrified. Yes, hygiene covers too many topics, but what if, what if in a thousand, reptiles will be mentioned? How will my mother respond? How will others, if she transmits the information? Will she terrify her family, who is composed mainly of animal-hating self-righteous shouters who frequently visit her home and intervene? Will she exaggerate, as she likes to do, thereby defaming our hobby and our animals in our smallish country? Will I not be allowed to keep the remaining reptile with me? How will my father, who generally is much cooler and grounded in reality, but can also suddenly fear something for no apparent reason, will react? Will he disseminate the information exaggerated? What will happen?
So I have been panicked, and I ask you, particularly those who work in paramedical professions. First, how likely is that in a general hygiene course, reptiles will be mentioned? Second, how likely is, if they are mentioned, that much detail will be allotted to them? And third, how should I react if they are mentioned?
My mother really does not belong in this program. She is a pensioner and she has stated clearly that she just goes there to pass her time and learn to make a good massage for her family. I am trying to dissuade her, for example by telling her that it is pointless to wake up too early and going to hear boring classes for so long hours, but she isn’t getting so easily convinced. I don't want just learning massage to end in a tragedy for all involved. I am really in fear now. I have struggled with severe anxiety and depression in the past, and these days the symptoms have been triggered again. If the problem doesn’t recede, I might go for professional help again. And you know, people cannot leave you alone. They will see you not talking, not wanting to go out, neglecting jobs that must be done as a problem with them, laziness etc. It is not that. I have even started to neglect my animals. Hopefully hibernation season is starting, and I fortunately won't need to care for them.
So if you don’t want to help, ignore the post and I will really have no problem with you. But if anyone wants to tell something, just reply.
I can see that your fear is starting to consume you and hope that I or others can help. Try to remember that the way we might think that the worst thing is going to happen rarely happens. Try not to worry about it constantly. I know it's easier said than done. 
