Don't like snakes! Who's with me?

[bantamamba]

Hmm...from what I have experienced, the fear of snakes can be an extremely strong and irrational one.

I NEVER tell people I have just met or strangers...or even some relatives and friends that we have a pet snake in the house (Harry, our rainbow boa), because I never know how they are going to react. I always wait until I know them a bit better. If my interaction with them is going to be a regular thing, I casually ask "Do you like snakes?" I've encountered indifference, mild disgust, shudders, and outright mind blowing fear. A good friend of ours who had been coming to our house for months without knowing about Harry, suddenly couldn't even step in the door once she found out about his condo in the kitchen.

My cello coach, who has been coming here to give me lessons for a year now, does not know about the snake in the other room because I once asked the tell-all question...and she expressed her fear. I'm not sure if she could continue to give me lessons here if she knew the truth, lol.

Snakes are vital to the environment and I really detest hearing about people wanting to kill them simply because they happen to be afraid of them. They are shy, retiring and really quite amazing creatures undeserving of their reputation.

This thread is slightly odd anyway...sort of like opening a "Who hates ferrets??" thread. I bet if people started posting about their kids sling shotting ferrets across fields and how they'd rather kill a ferret than see it alive, there would be a lot more flak. People are allowed to have their opinions, this I know, but to "hate" any animal is unwarranted, even if they do not adhere to our personal preferences of beauty, friendliness or grace.

We have the ability to leave them be, to call someone out to relocate them away from our property if necessary...and HOPEFULLY as rational-minded humans, we have the power to not let our fear control us. They are not "satanic", they are not evil, slimy or mean, they are only animals, and made of the exact same stuff as we. Not pointing fingers at anyone in particular here, just ranting a bit about some familiar attitudes I've encountered regarding snakes and reptilians in general.

 

[TwistedSerpent]

So true, just because they aren't fuzzy or furry and have greatly adapted to life with no legs doesn't make them lower worthed or anything.

Can't help but sigh and shake your head when people freak out and scream as if they're dying over something to small and usually so harmless
To support their fears people read a snakes reaction as aggressive and wanting to come after them when in fact the snake is just ad scared thinking your going to eat it. Its defense, how nature programed them to keep predators off. A snake isn't going to waste its energy unless it feels it needs too. Venomous snakes aren't going to waste their one way of getting food unless they feel they absolutely need to.

Take the time to learn u biasly about them, you will find unrational fears going away, you will be able to identify them, as well as start to learn how to safely handle them. Teach kids to respect Ans learn instead of blindly fearing. There is no point to kill unneedlessl, so many of these snakes are no harm even to your animals.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I went to the barn this morning to feed & a 3 1/2 foot King snake is curled ip beside a pile of hay. NO WAY ARE YOU STAYING THERE!! I scooped him up & put him in the feedroom where he'll do more good! I had to give DW fair warning though.

 

[RAWR]

Snakes really arnt that bad. I killed on out in the coop the other day, im guessing it was a water snake. it was huge and going for the chicks.
but some snakes really arnt that bad. they arent slimy as some people may think, they feel like the legs on your chickens.
Lots of snakes are accually very nice to have around. they take care of rats, some bugs and other snakes.

 

[Rin]

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I do the saaammmmeee thiiiing. It's unfortunate the need to lie about your own beloved pets existence to friends and sometimes even family. My own mother didn't know I had snakes for TWO YEARS before I hauled off one day and told her because I was sick of lying about it. XD She didn't know. Even though it was under HER OWN roof. I was paying rent though so insisted on one; It wasn't until the move to my own home that it had to be brought up.

My mom was a snake killer though. Would chop their head off with a shovel regardless of WHAT they actually were. I remember one time I was younger and tried feverishly to catch a young black racer (non venomous) which eventually turned around and nailed me on the hand as I had caught it's tail (I wanted to have it as a pet. Don't ask; I was being stupid.

) and my mom flipped out attempting to "suck the poison out" despite the fact the snake was positively IDed as non venomous and me having utterly no reaction to it. I can understand her freak out. But if it was venomous it wouldn't have looked like nothing but a little cat scratch with no pain.

Fearful people are just so "set" on snakes just having to absolutely be dangerous no matter what - even when they aren't. I clearly antagonized the poor thing but only because I KNEW what it was first and knew it wasn't venomous. After the bite, I left it alone and realized I needed to respect it. I hadn't done that to a single wild snake since, venomous or not. They made it clear they don't want to live captive in a tank.

 

[Rin]

Quote:
Depends really. I find my snakes feel smoother than my chickens legs and slightly cooler too. Sorta like touching a stuffed fish

 

[RAWR]

Quote:
Depends really. I find my snakes feel smoother than my chickens legs and slightly cooler too. Sorta like touching a stuffed fish

LOL some do, the ones i've caught round here have a similar texture to the chickens leggs

 

[Rin]

Quote:
Depends really. I find my snakes feel smoother than my chickens legs and slightly cooler too. Sorta like touching a stuffed fish

LOL some do, the ones i've caught round here have a similar texture to the chickens leggs

Thats what I mean though. They all feel different. Ball pythons are more like stuffed fishy but I'd felt a few that like anoles(a lizard found wild where I live) feel almost just like human skin but with an odd "velvet" like effect.

 

[RAWR]

Quote:
LOL some do, the ones i've caught round here have a similar texture to the chickens leggs

Thats what I mean though. They all feel different. Ball pythons are more like stuffed fishy but I'd felt a few that like anoles(a lizard found wild where I live) feel almost just like human skin but with an odd "velvet" like effect.

LOL last year my Science Teacher caught me rubbing my face on his Miami Corn Snake, and when he asked why, i replyed, "why arnt you." and i got 'the look.' so i said "shes soft..?" xD
yea, its random snake story time

 

[bantamamba]

lmao, stuffed fish? Have to remember that one!

Handling Harry is very similar to handling silk, to me. I've never touched a chicken leg as smooth and soft as he!