The majority of my pets are exotic, meaning a rare, or unusual animal kept within human households, which is generally thought of as a wild species. I don’t think I have many animals, although the common dog-lover might say I do. Besides our family’s cat, I own a Chinchilla, a Leopard Gecko and a Bearded -Dragon. Over the years, I’ve learned what my scale-babies like and what makes them tick. And I have accepted that they are not going to be happy animals 100 percent of the time. They have bitten me before, most of the time when hand-feeding, or after my decisions of delirium of startling them.

My experience with reptiles? When I was young, I was terrified because to me, reptiles were scary. My uncle had an iguana and some bearded dragons, but other than seeing them I was okay with our pets at the time, a cat, a hamster, and some fish. Forward to present day. With a veterinary technician who specializes in exotic animals as a boyfriend, you tend to come into contact with many unique creatures and learn a ton. When we first met, he owned a leopard gecko and a ball python, and that was the first time I held any type of reptile. Look at me now. I own three exotic animals, I like snakes (my favorite being the 8-12 foot Albino Burmese Python), and I love huge creatures with scales.

Not only am I interested in the psychology behind a person’s mind, but I like pushing people to overcome their fears. I like teaching people that just because their second grandmother three times removed was bit by a rattle snake on vacation in Arizona sixty years ago, does not mean you have to be frightened forever.

I think these creatures are interesting because unlike common misconception, these animals have feelings, just like me and you. Reptiles might not be as cuddly, or affectionate as a dog, but believe me when I tell you that they have their own unique personalities, and are able to show affection!

I’ve also come to notice that my local pet store employees know me entirely too well by now, after going to the same store twice a month, for over 4 years. My purchases? Bulbs, and live crickets, or mealworms. Yum!

And I’m always curious as to what another shopper will say to me. I’ve been approached many times while standing in line at the register (mainly by women) who are horrified that I’m holding a bag of fifty live crickets. They will ask me what I feed the crickets to, or tell me how disgusting it is, or how I’m a murderer for killing crickets (Have you learned about the food chain, lady?). They cannot fathom why someone would own a lizard, whereas, I kindly reply with “they’re amazing pets.” I wish I could shake these people’s arrogance out of them and teach them what I know. So here I am ready to teach, as you, my reader, are ready to learn.

Common misconceptions that people have about reptiles?

They are slimy, bite, are venomous, they smell, and attack humans.

And to all of the above, I can tell you… If you do your research and talk to reptile experts, you can figure out the perfect reptile for your needs. Yes, some reptiles are slimy, but not all. Sure, they bite, like all animals, but if you give them no reason to bite you, they will not. Yes, some are venomous, but reptiles that are legal to own (sold in pet stores) are not venomous, because you can’t own a venomous animal in America without a permit. Yeah, they smell if you don’t take care of them. And no, there is no reason for any reptile to attack a human unless it has been abused, provoked, or you smell like a mouth-watering rabbit! Seriously, no reptile attacks humans because they are hungry.

However, I’ve found that a reptile’s food is more aggressive than an actual reptile! Yes, crickets bite. Try holding twenty in your hand and tell me they don’t.

Reptiles, like all animals, can sense fear based on a change in a person’s heartbeat. So if you are afraid of a reptile, your heart rate increases, and the animal senses there is something wrong. This causes them to act defensively.

Yes, bearded dragons’ beards puff up and turn black when they’re angry or threatened. It’s pretty insane seeing it for the first time.

You need to give reptiles their space and time, and don’t yell around them because they will get frightened.

When picking up a lizard, make sure their four feet are planted on either your hand or chest, or many of them will not feel safe and swing their tails in a motion similar to a child’s arms while trying to catch their balance on the street curb.

Some reptiles have a photo sensory organ located in their head called the parietal eye, also called a “third eye” or the "Jacobson's organ", which senses change of light. This means, if you put your hand five inches above a reptile’s head, they sense the darkness. This is why they usually run or close their eyes when approaching from above, as a defense mechanism.

Reptiles will never lose their instincts, which is why if you can tell they are bothered, you need to leave them alone.

If you have small children, you want the best for them, and you don’t want them to be afraid of anything, which would cause them to encounter obstacles in their life. So I come to you with a request: Don’t yell “Ew!” at someone in the pet store buying crickets because of your own reservations. Teach your children to respect all types of animals. Encourage them to not be afraid of animals that may look weird, or who don’t have fur and paw pads. You have the most power in your children’s lives and future; don’t coax them to live a life of fear. And who knows—your child can be the most respected and well-paid exotic veterinary technician in America one day!