New to the world of snakes

[Jonodell]

Hello, first day here. I'm enjoying reading through the posts--everything is new because I'm new to the field. I'm a novelist working on my fourth book. I've chosen to deal with venomous snakes in the Southeastern US (Mississippi). One aspect is the charismatic practice of snake handling. I've done an immense amount of historical research, but there is one detail I'd like to include to advance the plot. I would like the boy who prepares the snakes for the meetings to do his best to calm them before they are grabbed by a frenzied congregation. I've heard from some that feeding the snakes helps induce lethargy but other have disagreed, saying that depriving the snakes of food would do the same. I've also heard that keeping the snakes cool will help, and also cause them to release less venom if they do bite. I have no idea if any of this is correct. Even though the book is fiction, I do want it to be accurate. Could you share your insights? Are there other methods you could suggest? Sorry to be so unknowledgeable, and thank you for your patience with me.