Scary and Scaly

Walking through the woods looking for snakes is something that I often do. This time, however, was different. I picked up what I thought was a water snake, (a non-venomous snake that mimics the venomous cottonmouth) not even thinking because there were so many of them out that day, only to find a cottonmouth staring at me from my bare hand! That's when most people lose it and that's exactly when I lost it. So why are so many people afraid of snakes? Why do we persist to fear them? To find out, I asked Peggy Hughes, an exotic pet store owner and fellow herper, (reptile enthusiast).

Reptiles

Where are they?

Where do reptiles go anyway? Do they follow us around waiting for the right chance to strike at us? Of course not. Most snakes stay as far away as possible, only coming close to us humans for a quick meal such as a rat, insect, or lizard, and are gone before they are ever noticed. Contrary to popular belief, not all snakes are nocturnal; a lot of them need the heat of the day in order to stay warm and keep active. So if you're afraid of a snake leaping out of the dark, chances are very unlikely that will happen.

Fear

What Makes Us Run and Hide?

“People just don't like things that are so unusual” said Peggy Hughes, “they probably find it creepy.” Is it the scales, the shape of their elongated body, the beady little eyes, or the fangs that will scare us senseless? For most people, it's the fangs, but it can't be one factor of snakes that provokes fear, can it? In an independent pole conducted, both the snakes fangs and ability to remain unseen are the number one causes of a fear of snakes.

Fear is caused by adrenaline rushing through your blood which causes you to experience a feeling known as “fight or flight”. When we encounter something scary, this happens. It is called the “fight or flight” because when there is an excess of adrenaline in your blood, you immediately want to fight, or, more commonly, run away - flight.

How They Got So Scary

So, why do people think of snakes so poorly? Many people blame their reputation. “Movies such as Anacondas give off the wrong sense that all snakes are aggressive or deadly” said Hughes. As I have mentioned before, snakes are not out to get us. They would much rather get their rat or lizard that they are after and go back to hiding. It's not like they will squeeze you until all of your bones are broken and swallow you whole and move along waiting for its next victim as you suffocate in its stomach - where do people come up with this stuff? Hughes agrees that no snake lives up to its reputation that was given to them. A snake's reputation can't be blamed entirely on the media. Shows such as The Crocodile Diaries can help by showing that snakes can be relatively harmless agrees Hughes. There are other sources that can influence a snake's reputation like books such as the bible or Harry Potter. Both of these best seller books have snakes as an antagonist which can trigger people to think poorly of snakes.

To Fear or Not to Fear, That is the Question

If you find yourself walking though the woods and staring right at an aggressive-looking snake, should you be afraid? By nature you probably will be, but there is absolutely no reason to kill it or panic, it will most likely retreat immediately. If you do come across a venomous snake such as I did, stay calm and simply walk away - it's a lot harder to do than it sound's but it does work. Chances of you even seeing a snake - unless you're looking for one - are slim. Snakes are creatures of stealth and don't like to be seen. So stop worrying and don't be afraid to take a hike!