Getting Over Snake Fear

My girlfriend had a terrible fear for my BP when I got it but one day I found her in the computer actually looking at videos on info on them and one was actually a video on how to hold them. Like most she started slow by touching it slightly when I was holding it, to one day actually carrying it and now, as we speak, she ordered her first BP. It takes time and the will to learn. One thing is for sure, when they show that they want to try, you ALWAYS feel proud!

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Great advice so far^

I would talk with him and find out what he's actually afraid of. Does he think they're cold and slimy? Afraid of getting bit? Afraid that they're venomous? Afraid its going to eat his dog? Just doesn't like the way they move? I usually try and find out what actually scares them, before i even try and convince them to touch or hold them. For some people their fears are just completely irrational, so i sorta leave them be. (For example: my grandma. She will never ever ever ever like my snakes. Ever. I've accepted that lol). When my step brother got a snake, my dad's biggest worry was that it would bite him or get out and constrict someone in the house in their sleep. (Funny to us, but for someone who doesn't know, its a semi-rational fear). Once he told me that, all i had to do was use logic to help him get over his fear. "Dad, shes just a baby. if she can't kill a large rat and eat it, how would you expect her to kill a human...?" Then, as far as being bit, i just had to explain how theyre much more flight over fight, hence why they ball up. It's been over a year since my bro got her and my dad now even holds her sometimes. Does he love snakes? Not by any means. But is he irrationally afraid of them anymore? Nope!

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I agree with what Mike said. My mom was the same way. When I got my first baby ball python, my mother vowed to never to come over to my apartment (after just getting her comfortable with my corn snakes in their cages). I asked her what she was so afraid of (because Fluffy was only 50g at the time). She said she was worried that the "python" would get to be like 20 ft long and would be dangerous to my cat and to her. Once I told her that this particular species gets about the same length (if not shorter) than my cornsnakes, she eventually got to a point where she would be around my ball pythons. Now, many, many months later, she will come home from work and pull out my big normal girl (though she sad that she can't do that anymore because the snake is gravid) and hold her. She'll even pull out Fluffy who's about 850g and watch TV with her.

It takes time to get over these fears. As long as know the root cause and allow him to work through his fear on his own timescale, I'm sure he'll be able to conquer this fear.

I'm sure every person with a fear of snakes is different but within my circle of people I've noticed that just having them in the house eventually leads to curiousity. After a while the stigma wears off and people begin to realize that they have an irrational fear. This isn't to say that they "enjoy" the animals but they definetely do tolerate them and are no longer freaked out when one is in the room. I don't push people to hold or interact with my animals mostly because I don't push myself to interact with them. I leave them be and prefer them to be as stress free as possible. But I guess by not pushing people they dont feel pressured, so curiousity wins over.

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

This whole post belongs in the out of context thread lmfao

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Just burst out laughing in the college library, re-reading this out of context :rofl:

Baby steps! If he is afraid to even look at a snake, maybe have him look at pictures on the internet first.

Then move on to looking at the actual thing from across the room, then close up, then maybe touch it.

You get the idea :) The people I have come across that don't really like snakes are either willing to get over their fear or they aren't. If they aren't... well, not much I can do. The ones that are willing usually get used to them pretty quickly! I've had people come into my house that are fearful, and within a few hours they are holding snakes :) :)

I have a couple people at my office who are still petrified of snakes... maybe one day they will want to overcome that fear. It must be a burden being afraid of the coolest animals on the planet!!

I will say, growing up in Texas where you are taught to avoid or kill snakes (sheesh!), it took me a long time to get over that. I think it's reptiles, in general, that are misunderstood. Once we got our beardie, we all opened our minds to reptiles. The natural progression was moving to other reptiles, snakes included. We try to educate everyone who comes in the door. We have converted quite a few adults and kids into reptile tolerators, if not reptile lovers.
I think what everyone has said is great advice! It takes time. I think one of the more important things you can do is to talk about the personality of the snakes. I think non-reptile people don't think about that aspect a lot. I also think a slow snake is best to start with. People kind of weird out about our corn because she moves quickly. Our bp is ideal for people that are more skiddish. She just sits there! Very easy!
Good luck!

I honestly don't think size matters all that much when first introducing snakes to someone who's timid around them (Don't take out of context lol!). I think it's a personality/cuteness factor combo :) My mother in law is scared of snakes, yet very intrigued by them. Funny, considering her mom had a monster boa when growing up. She was scared by my 600 gram ball, and still is kind of nervous when she first takes him out, but he's such a sweetheart that anyone who holds him can't help warming up. Now she won't go anywhere near my itty bitty het pied girl. She needs some work, definitely gives off some 'bitey' vibes haha. That's one feisty snake! Mother in law can't get enough of our hoggies, they have the magic touch with anyone who's terrified of snakes. No on can be scared of those adorable, upturned little noses lol.

Figured I'd toss this in as well. See, snakes don't eat babies!! (Photo cred to my mother in law)
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/06/22/agenu3e2.jpg

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Honestly, the people that I've dealt with that are scared of snakes are usually more scared of my small ones than my big one

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I agree with this! I think the smaller ones can be scarier as they move faster, and make people think of snakes they've seen in the wild that maybe they were frightened by (or tortured with as a child! :)) or assume are venomous. I think your BP would be a perfect size to start with.

First off I'd find out his comfort level and start by every so slightly pushing it. If he's fine with them 10 feet away in a cage, have him sit 9 feet away until he's ok with that, and just gradually work up to things. It's awesome that he wants to get over his fear; that's the hardest part of all!

Once he's ok with the idea of touching the snake, have him pet somewhere in the middle. I don't recommend letting fearful people pet the tail because as you probably know, snakes often jerk their tail away when it's touched, and that can be scary to some. Once he graduates to holding, do it on the floor or couch so you don't need to worry about falling.

And just remember, he may never turn into the person who cuddles and feeds them, but as long as he can live with them and you, that's really all you need. My ex-boyfriend was afraid of snakes when I first met him, but after watching me and my comfort level with them, he eventually got to where he would hold them briefly for me if I needed to clean a cage, but that was it. He had no desire to do more than that, and that was ok with me. :)

Considering the size of yours and that you already have a 'few', have you considered investing in a new baby ball that he would be able to help raise? This would give him a chance to understand more about them and he wouldn't be so intimidated handling a 14" baby as apposed to a 5ft potentially temperamental one?

I used to have quite the fear of ball pythons and pythons in general due to the fact that someone threw one on me and it began to constrict around my neck. Until I used to have quite the fear of them up until recently when I met the most beautiful woman in the world:blowkiss::blowkiss:I still however is still a little bit afraid of burmese pythons. Used to love them until that incident, but I was still fascinated by them even when I was scared