Snake whispering (the knack, savvy)

[Scales Zoo]

Long post, but hope you read it all, this is about the knack for handling reptiles that is developed over time.

These horses of ours are gonna teach me more about animals than any other animal. There are many ways to train a horse, but there is a guy out here known to do it well, and he's been teaching me. He gave me the Parelle tapes - which teaches predators like us, to work with prey animals. I always knew horses were different than dogs - but I could tell they were a lot different when I started daily interactions in our herd of horses - and as it grew, I watched, and tried to learn.

The 2 things I've learned to do to approach horses and have friendly horses who like me, is to walk up directly to them and in a calm way, and to "pet them with your heart, or pet them with heart in your hand" The other thing I learned was to never use gloves to pet them - and I've always disliked using gloves for reptiles (unless it boosts your confidence, than they can help - but they usually decrease your feel)

The first thing I told the horse guy is "that's how you do it with snakes"

Thinking more about this on the drive home from moving Gary's snakes at the Herpetelogical Garden - I figured I'd make a post about it.

Katt and Vanan and I have talked about these kinds of things before. I've always known some people "have the knack" for certain things and are in tune with things. You can't really teach it to someone, it comes with time. . Perelle calls it "Savvy" with horses - same thing as "the knack". Katt is good with bity snakes (sometimes) and by picking a snake up with purpose, sometimes avoids getting bit. I know I do this - and I know some people who get bit because they don't "deliberately" pick up a snake, and the snake can kind of pick up on the apprehention or nervousness. I used to "sneak" up on the horses so they wouldn't run off, but it is something a predator does to them, and you can't approach a horse as a predator. In this way, dogs are the same also - they can smell fear or apprehention.

I think snakes need to be treated like a predator animal, but also like a prey animal.

I actually delivered a snake to someone that I had just gotten from Katt, that I had not known much about. I did not know if it was tame, assumed it was (It was Katts!), and calmly and directly took it out of the pillowcase and held it without any problems. I beleive I even talked about snakes not biting when they can trust their handler, and the handler trusts the snake. Later, I heard the snake was bity and mean to the new owner, something Katt was suprised to hear too.

One dark night out fishing, Vanan and I had a deeper talk about this. We both realized, when getting a bites, that we tried to project our feelings at or to the minnow, an the hook, and base our hook sets. Trying to get in tune. Kind of like "being the ball" on caddyshack. I'm sure sportsmen of all kinds can relate to this as well.

Also, the "pet with your heart on your hand" horse thing. Cats and Dogs usually really like me, especially after I pet them. I think they can pick up on my good nature towards all animals, and I pet them with my heart. I had always hoped the horses would just pick up on that too - but they are prey animals - you have to get up to them first. Again, the same thing with the snakes. When moving the big retic or african rocks, or any snake that is a bit grumpy or has the potential to bite, I've started putting my hand on them for a few seconds, portraying nice thoughts and warm feelings. I realize I also do this to pick up wild bullsnakes without getting bit, and generally try to good thoughts and confidence to any snake I hold. I've had the nastiest monitors relax in my hands when portraying safe thoughts to them. There are also some reptiles that go beyond any good will, and will just bite you.

I have seen many levels of experience, and many levels of "the knack" - regardless of experience. Snakes don't sit as calm in the hands of non-confident people, as in the hands of confident people who really enjoy holding the snakes. This thing can't be taught or learned in books - but it is an "in tuneness" and confidence thing while holding reptiles. Kind of like getting an ear for music, it will just happen one day - you can't necessarily speed the process or try to do it.

This is by no means "news" just something I' have thought of that doesn't get talked about much. Certainly some venomous handlers are known to have this kind of "knack" - and I beleive I've developed it for large snakes - and otherwise aggressive small snakes - and it will probably get better over time.

Ryan