Do you fear snakes?
Discussion
I've recently bought myself a Corn Snake (always wanted one!) which seems to provoke either very strong positive or very strong negative responses from people.
Positive responses include people wanting to come and see her, hold her, watch her feed etc.
It's the negative responses that surprised me though! They range from 'what the hell do you want one of those for, why not get a cat???' (been there done that!), 'don't ever expect to see me at your house again' and the best one of all, from the mother in law!, 'I can't sleep with worry - what if it escapes and eats one of the kids' - ignoramous b
h.
There seems to be very little middle ground when it comes to reptiles as pitch - they are either loved or hated/feared (usually through ignorance!).
Anyway, my question to the PH masses is, how many of us love our slithery friends and how many of us don't?
Positive responses include people wanting to come and see her, hold her, watch her feed etc.
It's the negative responses that surprised me though! They range from 'what the hell do you want one of those for, why not get a cat???' (been there done that!), 'don't ever expect to see me at your house again' and the best one of all, from the mother in law!, 'I can't sleep with worry - what if it escapes and eats one of the kids' - ignoramous b
h.There seems to be very little middle ground when it comes to reptiles as pitch - they are either loved or hated/feared (usually through ignorance!).
Anyway, my question to the PH masses is, how many of us love our slithery friends and how many of us don't?
One of my fiances cousins had a snake, i'd never held one properly before and it was quite an odd experience, not a bad one but it just didn't feel as I expected. You could feel the strength they have.
I wouldn't want one as a pet though, they just don't interest me. I do want a pair of bearded dragons though as I find I can sit and watch them in the same way I watch my fish tank, also I find handling them more enjoyable.
Dave!
I wouldn't want one as a pet though, they just don't interest me. I do want a pair of bearded dragons though as I find I can sit and watch them in the same way I watch my fish tank, also I find handling them more enjoyable.
Dave!
Do I fear them? No. Had a Cal King for quite some time until a friend in need wanted her.
And yes, I've had the same reactions as you. Also had a superb evening where someone who was petrified of them and was determined to hold her. So she did. And didn't move a muscle for about 5 minutes. I actually wondered if she'd gone into shock....
And yes, I've had the same reactions as you. Also had a superb evening where someone who was petrified of them and was determined to hold her. So she did. And didn't move a muscle for about 5 minutes. I actually wondered if she'd gone into shock....
My wife's friend just brought her new boyfriend round today and he decided to hold her (the snake!) and she decided to have a nice big st on him - lovely!
I think they're great creatures and good pets. As much as I like cats and dogs they're too high maintenance and really not my thing (we did have a cat until it was ran over!). She shed her skin yesterday and it was fascinating to watch how she got out of it.
I can understand how people might not choose to own one as a pet or even to want to hold one but I was totally shocked at the strength of people's negativity about them!
t on him - lovely!I think they're great creatures and good pets. As much as I like cats and dogs they're too high maintenance and really not my thing (we did have a cat until it was ran over!). She shed her skin yesterday and it was fascinating to watch how she got out of it.
I can understand how people might not choose to own one as a pet or even to want to hold one but I was totally shocked at the strength of people's negativity about them!
Hi all.
Meet Wilbur - had him for 12 years and he's great!
(oh and there was a thread on here recently where someone had a corn snake named 'Kellogs' which I though was genius....!)
Anyway, Wilbur....(BTW, he's having a yawn, not being aggressive as he's extremely placid)
Meet Wilbur - had him for 12 years and he's great!
(oh and there was a thread on here recently where someone had a corn snake named 'Kellogs' which I though was genius....!)
Anyway, Wilbur....(BTW, he's having a yawn, not being aggressive as he's extremely placid)
Edited by JONSCZ on Sunday 19th December 20:28
I don't fear snakes. but I don't particularly like them. Don't get me wrong, I think they are amazing animals, it's just that I cannot guage their mood! They don't show any emotion, do they?
When I were a lad, I caught a slow worm/grass snake, can't remember which, and proudly put it in a fish tank that was on a shelf over the bottom of my bed. After a sleepless night I let it go again in the morning.
When I were a lad, I caught a slow worm/grass snake, can't remember which, and proudly put it in a fish tank that was on a shelf over the bottom of my bed. After a sleepless night I let it go again in the morning.
Not afraid of snakes, per se, but poisonous ones I'd steer clear of!
When I was about six or seven, George Cansdale came to the school and brought various snakes, lizards and spiders to show us. I got to handle one of the snakes and thought it was great.
Sod the spiders, though.
For those too young to have heard of him, he was often on Blue Peter in the sixties, a bit like David Attenborough nowadays.
When I was about six or seven, George Cansdale came to the school and brought various snakes, lizards and spiders to show us. I got to handle one of the snakes and thought it was great.
Sod the spiders, though.
For those too young to have heard of him, he was often on Blue Peter in the sixties, a bit like David Attenborough nowadays.
Vipers said:
Yeah my snake doesn't do that - yet???? :SI'm not sure, not a fan of them.
Sure wouldn't like to handle one (unless must be)- came across one in the wild, freaked me out a bit but wasn't exactly scared as such.
When you hear stories of tourists finding one in their holidy homes be it in the Oz or Miami - not a pleasant read...
Sure wouldn't like to handle one (unless must be)- came across one in the wild, freaked me out a bit but wasn't exactly scared as such.
When you hear stories of tourists finding one in their holidy homes be it in the Oz or Miami - not a pleasant read...
Non snake owner.
With a dog, I can judge whether it is happy and wants play. Tail is wagging and it has just dumped its ball at my feet.
Another dog may have its tail down head low and hair raised.
The second one would not get it's stomach tickled.
If a snake owner can educate us on how to recognise "happy" "sad" and "scared" in a snake then us non snake poeple might be less apprehensive.
PS this for any snake not just your own.
You can omit Cobra and rattlers I think we are all aware of their strike pose.
Why would anyone want to handle any animal whose state of mind it cannot judge, it's not just snakes. We are not all professional zoo keepers
With a dog, I can judge whether it is happy and wants play. Tail is wagging and it has just dumped its ball at my feet.
Another dog may have its tail down head low and hair raised.
The second one would not get it's stomach tickled.
If a snake owner can educate us on how to recognise "happy" "sad" and "scared" in a snake then us non snake poeple might be less apprehensive.
PS this for any snake not just your own.
You can omit Cobra and rattlers I think we are all aware of their strike pose.
Why would anyone want to handle any animal whose state of mind it cannot judge, it's not just snakes. We are not all professional zoo keepers
JONSCZ said:
Hi all.
Meet Wilbur - had him for 12 years and he's great!
(oh and there was a thread on here recently where someone had a corn snake named 'Kellogs' which I though was genius....!)
Anyway, Wilbur....(BTW, he's having a yawn, not being aggressive as he's extremely placid)
He's beautiful.Meet Wilbur - had him for 12 years and he's great!
(oh and there was a thread on here recently where someone had a corn snake named 'Kellogs' which I though was genius....!)
Anyway, Wilbur....(BTW, he's having a yawn, not being aggressive as he's extremely placid)
Edited by JONSCZ on Sunday 19th December 20:28
I've had a Milk Snake, two Corns, and a Hognose in the past.
The one Corn snake was male, then I was given another, turned out to be female. Laid eggs several times, but no matter how hard I tried I never successfully hatched any. Just couldn't get the humidity right.
I love how they feel, pure muscle. I went to the museum in Tring recently, it's all stuffed animals, I loved it. Except for the snake section, I hated how they looked, made me feel repulsed.
Only time I had anyone have a reaction was when a friend came to see my new born son with her son of a few months old. The midwife had been that morning and when my friend left I noticed the tank was open! and of course empty (Corns are renowned for escaping - there was a thread here once about a PHer whose Corn had been missing for several years and one day seen on his rockery).
It crossed my mind the Corns may have curled up to sleep in the midwifes bag, or the changing bag/car seat of my friend. I phoned her, she left her house and wouldn't go back until i'd found them!! They were of course just asleep in warm places, one behind my sofa, another under a cushion.
Worst escape was when one shimmied up the curtains and managed to get in to the coving. I defrosted a mouse and teased the bugger out
otolith said:
I like (harmless) snakes, but I can see where the people who can't stand them are coming from, because that's how I feel about spiders.
I used to really hate spiders. Recently, this has been reducing. I might, at some point, get to one of those places where you can hold a tarantula and see if I can manage it.Adz The Rat said:
I like them, would have one as a pet though.
My brother has a corn snake which never really seems to do much.
A friend has an albino python which is pretty big, looks really nice
I look at that wallpaperMy brother has a corn snake which never really seems to do much.
A friend has an albino python which is pretty big, looks really nice
I look at that carpet
I look at that sofa
And there is a huge yellow snake as well.
Your brother is not Mr Colour co-ordination is he? That snake needs to go to IKEA!
Andy
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