how do i get over my fear of snakes?

poison1981 · 02-16-09, 05:04 PM

I have always b een obessed with snakes but always had a fear of them! Id love to have my own snake i have about a million other pets, but i just dont have any experience in snakes!

Anyone know how bad a king or corn snake bite is compared to rodents like hamsters or rats?

Smilts · 02-17-09, 01:45 PM

nothing if compared. Rodents teeth are used to chew through objects. snakes are used to hook and draw prey into there mouth. My wife likes snakes but was scared of them till after a new corn bit her, so its a understandable question.

Mara · 02-17-09, 08:44 PM

snake bites are nothing compared to snake bites.

I would say that if you really want a snake and you really like them but are afraid, if you have any friends who have snakes try to handle them. Also do research, people often times fear things that they dont understand. so if you understand them its quite possible you wont fear them or youll at least fear them less.

Out of curiosity did something happen with a snake to make you fear them or is it just a fear that youve always had?

Wolfus_305 · 02-17-09, 09:07 PM

I don't really know first hand how to help a fear of snakes. I've had them since I was in grade 2 ( my parents kept him and looked after him but still he was here) so I haven't feared them.
The research idea sounds helpful! I know that the more I know about something the less scary and abstract it seems. Knowing stuff just makes us humans feel comfortable.
One of my best friends is absolutely terrified of snakes because when she was little she was in France and her dad made her hold some big python or something and ever since she has been terrified. It's slow going but she will now stand within five feet of me when I am holding my BP. Maybe you could start off with a little snake (with a friend who has one) and work your way up.
Good luck!
Kenny

siz · 02-18-09, 08:22 AM

I would say start with a slower moving snake like a ball python, as opposed to a quicker, jumpier snake like a corn. Get closer and closer, then work your way up to touching it. Then, if you comfortable, hold it for a few minutes. Maybe a couple minutes longer the next day, so on and so forth..
Research, and take it slow! There's no rush. Good luck!

citysnakes · 02-18-09, 11:38 AM

if you can get to missisauga then check out the reptile show coming up this sunday. im sure theres lots of people you can speak with there and theres lots of reptiles to see.

check out this website for more info: Ontario Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo

hope this helps.

bugger · 02-27-09, 01:41 AM

You could keep one around and watch it while you work on your desk or work area, or something that you do that you'd see it and not be bothered by it. Positive reenforcement.
Or, you could try the Richard Gere gerbil familiarization program...

or was that Gary Shandling, wait, Gary's from arizona so it musta been Richard

Chu'Wuti · 02-27-09, 10:20 AM

If you get bit by a smaller snake, such as a milk snake, the bite is not much at all--a rodent bite hurts far worse! I had a friend who wanted to touch a milk snake I was snake-sitting but was afraid of it. "Does it bite?" he asked. "Nah," I said and reached into the enclosure to take it out, whereupon it promptly bit the back of my hand on the knuckle. I said to it, "What do you think you are doing?" and it let go and looked at me as if to say, "That's not right! That wasn't food!" I barely bled, and truly, it barely hurt. My friend was actually reassured by what happened, because it clearly was no big deal.

In 30 years of snake-keeping, I've been bitten only twice, and once of my sons was bitten only twice. Every time it was our fault--not washing our hands so no furry animal smell is on them or moving too fast and scaring the snake so it felt it had to defend itself. If you wash your hands so you don't smell like any furry creature and move slowly so you don't startle the snake, it's very rare to get bitten with many species, though there are some that are known to be biters (e.g., the green tree pythons).

I had a gerbil bite my finger once, and it hurt quite a bit for days afterward! So I would say if we're comparing size for size--the rodent bite is much worse than a snake bite! However, a bigger snake can certainly do more damage.

Snakes are very interesting creatures and are fascinating to watch. I'm really glad that I didn't let my mother's ophidiophobia become mine, because I enjoy having them a great deal.

Kmef07 · 02-27-09, 11:15 AM

Ya another time not to bother them is when your snake is nocturnal and it is out and about at night hunting. I did this last night and i went to move my snakes tail out off my temp probe so i could move it and my brb was almost all the way stretched out and it whipped around so fast and almost tagged me. it stopped short and i pulled my hand away rather quick but it did not like me touching it when the lights were out and it was hunting. so lesson learned don't mess with a hunting snake.....

GoodSmeagol · 02-27-09, 04:12 PM

I have had kingsnakes and ball pythons, my kingsnake was a biter, forced me to handle with gloves

The king tagged me a few times, only once holding on.
He snapped at a f/t mouse I lowered into the cage and got my pinky finger, started trying to engulf it, once I got him off my finger, 2 very small wounds that bled for less then a minute, and required no bandaide.
I did put some polysporin on it.

I have had many friends express their fear towards snakes.
They ALL now handle mine when ever then come over.
I forced them to hold my adult ball, i hand them the tail they go, oh ok, then the head and they have all expressed "why was I afraid of that?"

I think the best way to get over a fear, is to face it head on.
Once you see its not gonna hurt you, or really do much other then slowly crawl around, the fear is gone pretty quicke.
Good luck
I would by far recommend the Ball Pythons as starters.

Kmef07 · 02-27-09, 04:41 PM

I was also pretty jumpy around them when i first got mine. i wasn't really fond of them until i held one for the first time a while back and then i was hooked and now i want more and more and more. and some more.....lol well anyways it's kinda turned into an obsession and im hoping to expand opperations really soon by a lot but who knows with this economy.

anyways im just trying to say meet in head on like goodsmeagol said and you should fall in love with them. they are just the best animales i have ever been around. only regret so far is having waited 20 years to get into it.

bugger · 02-28-09, 11:58 PM

My snakes arent' real social, and try to snake away from me while I'm holding them, but they weren't that nervous at the reptile show. I just feed em and let them do their thing. I hardly ever see them now, except when they are peeking out of their hides when I'm in the room, otherwise they stay in the hide till dark, when I'm not around.

As far as getting used to them, just have them around, and have more social ones than I do. At least mine don't bite. My okee corn has bumped me twice now, with his nose, when I have waken him or when he just came out of the hide and didn't want to be messed with, but he hasn't ever bit me, so I gotta respect him for that.

butters5620 · 03-01-09, 01:32 AM

Ya I haven't really had a lot of experience with snakes. My first snake I was ever around was when I was about a year old. My dad had a couple 10ft+ burmese pythons. My mom made him get rid of them though because they were more than big enough to snack on me. Now I own a little ball python. He's still a baby and you might've seen my thread I started about his skin problems he's having right now. He's a great snake though and very gentle. He doesnt mind being social and my 3 year old cousin loves to hold him. He has only ever bitten anybody once and that was me. It was a total accident because I was feeding him and he got the mouse sideways so I went to help him and he went for my hand thinking MORE FOOD!

It scared me much more than it hurt but he let go right away. He went right back to downing his mouse and he's never been aggressive. So ya, personally, I think a ball python would be the perfect snake to start out with if you do your research and take good care of it!

Edmond Y · 03-04-09, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poison1981

I have always b een obessed with snakes but always had a fear of them! Id love to have my own snake i have about a million other pets, but i just dont have any experience in snakes!

Anyone know how bad a king or corn snake bite is compared to rodents like hamsters or rats?

Try found out the good things about snake before think about they bite. Some snake bit really bad and people like them. I like ball pythons because very seldom they will bite. The key is to learn how to handle the snake to avoid they turn their head around and nip you. By the way, those amazon tree boa is no no if you ever interest to get one. Try corn or ball and you will love them.

Edmond