I use the word "pet" when dealing with people outside the herp community because it's basically a fast, short way of saying yes, I have these animals in my house, by choice, because I enjoy them--if you define "pet" as an animal you keep for your own enjoyment, then the shoe fits. But I confess to not really liking it at times, and I think a lot of reptile people don't, for two reasons.

Number one is that these are animals that are not emotionally dependent on humans in the same way some other pets--dogs, cats, horses and most larger pet birds--are, and people like myself who find that an attractive quality, call it self-sufficiency, wildness, what have you--tend to feel the animal is being downplayed or belittled in some way by calling it a "pet." That's a silly, irrational way to think, but we all have our flaws.

Number two: a lot of us have seen people engage in stupid, reckless behavior that gets innocent people hurt or at least badly scared, and damages our hobby in an increasingly restrictive society. Inevitably the people behaving like such fools use some defense like "he's my pet, just like a dog" after they've created a situation where their animal has been frightened into biting or simply given some poor old lady a fainting spell, and thus a lot of herpers want to disassociate themselves from such a stereotype.

What it comes down to, though, is what sounds least affected and closest to the truth...and I guess, until a new word is invented, I'd follow your lead, Cindy. "Pets" says basically what needs to be said.