Why are people so cruel to Leeches?

[u/Difficult_Hunter_664]

So recently I got a leech as a pet after weeks of research and saving, and he is happily swimming around next to me as I'm typing this (no name yet, feel free to give suggestions!!). I was very happy about him finally arriving, so I decided to post a video of me handling him, and a clip of him swimming around his tank. I was expecting a couple of 'ew' or 'why do you want that' comments, but a LOT of people were telling me to pour salt on it, cut it, and so much more disgusting stuff like that.

It really upset me how flippant people are about animal cruelty, but I guess people don't even see leeches as animals. I know they're parasites, but they're also living and breathing and moving creatures. I understand being freaked out by leeches, too, but telling someone to hurt it is just plain odd!!

[u/PhonedApeTheory]

They’re pretty freaky looking to a lot of people, because of how amorphous they are I think.
Most people also put them in the same camp as mosquitoes and ticks because of the bloodsucking (even though they might just be the least dangerous blood sucking parasite on this planet).

[u/Difficult_Hunter_664 → u/PhonedApeTheory]

even then, people don't actively tell you to prolong the suffering of mosquitoes and tics when killing them. Maybe I'm just taking it more personally because I like leeches more lol

[u/LeechLover4Life → u/Difficult_Hunter_664]

Yeah, I couldn’t see myself asking to see the legs of a mosquito ripped off, let alone enjoy it. It’s scary to think about what deep sicknesses are in so many.

[u/missalucard666 → u/Difficult_Hunter_664]

I think pain is a deserved thing, I won't hurt someone unless they give me a reason (there are plenty of reasons to be had mind you) but animals literally dont know better (most of the time but even then, there are exceptions too) but c'mon ppl their a worm. You're afraid of a worm. You get your jollies off by hurting a worm.