Getting Over Snake Fear

I think your boyfriend wanting to work through it is the key. It took me 5 years to get my wife to consider having a snake in our home. I have wanted my own ball from the moment my brother got his when he moved out. The closest I got in the reptile world with my mom was an iguana I had when I was younger. My mom worked through her fears enough to hold Sally from time to time.

My wife had dated a guy once that had a snake (she doesn't know what it was, she only remembers it was big) that apparently didn't like females. Said snake once escaped and got into the ceiling and she's been freaked ever since.

Over the years I would bring up that I wanted one and finally got the answer I've been waiting for and spared no time in getting Orchid. The one condition I was given was that if she ever gets out she's gone. Perfect! Hence why they make locking lids!

I came home with Orchid and the wife cringed at the sight of the critter box she was in. After unloading the car I happily started setting up her new home. Half way through my wife came in and watched, she screamed when she saw Orchid start moving around. I just reassured her that she would never have to interact with her if she didn't want to and showed her how secure the lid was.

By the end of the first night I found my wife sitting in the room watching her and commenting on how pretty her markings were. A great sign! After a few days I picked Orchid up and my wife petted her a few times. Our cattle dogs reaction to Orchid helped too as he really loves the snake. He lays on the bed in the room and falls asleep watching over her and wants to lay next to me whenever I handle her. He constantly wants to lick her and rolls over and submits to her every time he sees her. My wife would pet her whenever I picked her up but still cringed a bit.

To my surprise after having Orchid for a whopping 10 days I got a text at work from my wife that she picked Orchid up to show the nieces. Something I never thought would happen! Now when my mom calls and harasses me about Orchid, that she's going to kill us in our sleep or one of the dogs, even my wife defends her and tells my mom there is nothing to freak out about.

If the will is there it'll happen. Just go at whatever pace he is comfortable with and it will all work out.

I didn't realize that I was afraid of snakes until I got my spider as a baby. I thought he was gorgeous, but I was terrified of him. I shook so hard when I held him and jumped so much when he moved his head at all that I was afraid I'd drop him. So I put his tank in my bedroom where I could see him (and also where it was quietest) and just watched him for a few weeks. I was fine with feeding him, but had my boyfriend hold him when I needed to clean the tank and I'd sit and watch him and pet him with my boyfriend holding him, but he'd try to push me to hold him or would put his head near me and that freaked me out. Then my bf went in the hospital for a few weeks and I had to reach in to clean the tank, so I put on long sleeves and gloves (yeah, I was terrified!) and transferred him to a holding tub and when he was chill for that, I held him for a few minutes and then put him back. I couldn't get okay with reaching in the tank without long sleeves and gloves, though. Then my roommate at the time started handling him and she would sit next to me with him and let me pet him. She always held his head away from me and I got to where I could hold him while she kept his head and eventually I started carrying him in my hoodie pouch for a few minutes occasionally while I did housework. After several months, I was able to hold and handle him without a problem and started getting more. My spotnose female had an attitude when I got her and struck at anything that moved...except me, for some reason, so I was actually the only one who'd handle her. I also rescued one with some neurological issues and have now assist-fed, removed stuck shed, everything needed to take care of them. The only thing I still can't do is let him sit around my neck, but I'm working up to it just to get past that last bit of fear. Having that patience from my roommate helped a LOT. Knowing that I didn't have to move any faster than I wanted to was really comforting, knowing that he couldn't bite me helped me get used to him being near, and the fact that he's just THE chillest snake ever helped a lot, too. One time my bf forgot to wash his hands after handling rats and got him out and he didn't even seem to notice...and this guy's a PIG! My 9 year old handles him now and whenever anyone comes over who's nervous but wants to interact, he's my snake ambassador. Oh, and I don't use gloves anymore, lol.
My baby and me (long sleeves b/c it was cold, not because of fear):
http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...08806491_n.jpg

Edited to add: Just for the record, my bf did get more careful about making sure to wash his hands after that, just in case. Especially since if he made that mistake with the spotnose or the baby, he'd be virtually guaranteed to get tagged and we both know that just because he got away with it with this particular snake once doesn't mean he'd get away with it again.

I can't top the advice given here but I'd like to share.. my fiancee was apparently afraid of snakes when we started dating. I say apparently because I forget some people out there are in fact afraid of snakes, and I kind of sort of maybe through my 5 foot adult female on him the second week of us dating.
He took it like a champ (reportedly because I sat in.his lap and cooked him dinner) and I had no idea he was afraid until months later ... LOL. but now he's fine if they don't bite .

I don't suggest that method though.. results may vary :P

All good advise! I agree that the hardest part is willingness to get over fear. I have several family members who have sworn they will never enter my house again. Even more fascinating are these ladies I work with. I am the new guy at work (been there 6 mo) and there is one other snake owner in the office but she is not as enthusiastic of a herper as me. Most of them are indifferent about snakes but there are two in particular who are TERRIFIED. One even admits she lifts her feet off the floor when she hears me talking about them. The interesting part is they are the two who ask the most questions and have taken the most interest in my hobby. Even though they might "get a chill" when I tell them something (like assist feeding stories) they still ask more questions and they are the two that are most faithful with bringing their old newspapers for me. I educate them as best I can and one has now expressed an interest in conquering her fear and was bragging to me how she was determined to be less afraid of snakes than her husband and son. All of the advise above will certainly help me as well thanks everyone!