Most common questions/misconceptions?

I really liked your FAQ sheet, but I would have to disagree with the following (in bold):

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Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

~Will your snake eat you /my dog/my cat/children?

No! With the rare exception of truly giant species or venomous snakes, our pets cannot kill us. Even the venomous snakes like cobras or vipers can’t *eat* us. Snakes can unhinge their jaws, yes, but they can’t eat (and shouldn’t try!) items much bigger than the thickest part of their body. So when you see a snake, you can generally logic out how big its food will be. If they do manage to eat something too big - say almost twice the size of its thickest part - the poor snake will throw up, and that’s not good for it at all.

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There's just too many things that are incorrect about this. If I were to use the logic about girth, a 10' scrub python would eat 7 days a week. A small rat is NOT what is right for it every week, even though its girth "says so." A jumbo rat, medium guinea pig, 1# rabbit, or chicken of similar size is what is needed weekly. Your system wouldn't work for many slender snakes (macklott's python, reticulated, amethystine, tree boas, etc).

I have seen way too many snakes that take down prey items about 5 times their girth, maybe more, and up to 80% of their weight in one meal. No regurgitations whatsoever. Feeding snakes in this manner, responsibly, consists of allowing a much greater time span between feedings, in order to avoid "powerfeeding," which would be feeding large meals often.

A snake will try to swallow a house pet, especially if its what is normally fed to the snake. Even house pets that aren't considered prey items may be killed, if mistaken for food. If the animal is too big to swallow, the snake will ONLY realize that after it begins swallowing it, and will then back out when it reaches its "maximum stretching point."

Good point. My BP got loose and ate one of my guinea pigs. The gp was FAR FAR too large for my BP, I was scared to death that he would regurge, but he didn't. He had a huge, stretched out lump in his stomach, and barely moved for about a month. So I don't think it's safe to assume that a snake is going to be unable to eat something that big, or even that it would regurge it, especially with a larger snake.

Thanks, BoidFinatic, I admit I have no experience with the big snakes you've mentioned and was mostly trying to figure out how to explain to somebody that my ratsnake cannot eat your dachshund etc, and how in many cases a dog or cat is more danger to your typical pet snake than the other way around.

What would be a more accurate way of explaining this, and that we and our other pets don't live in constant danger of our snakes?

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Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

Thanks, BoidFinatic, I admit I have no experience with the big snakes you've mentioned and was mostly trying to figure out how to explain to somebody that my ratsnake cannot eat your dachshund etc, and how in many cases a dog or cat is more danger to your typical pet snake than the other way around.

What would be a more accurate way of explaining this, and that we and our other pets don't live in constant danger of our snakes?

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You're welcome.

Instead of talking about the capabilities of what snakes can swallow, you should explain what motivates a snake to eat in the first place. For instance, explain that a snake will only constrict and kill with the intention of swallowing its "meal", and that the process requires a snake's initial interest in the scent of the "prey." Even though most, if not all snakes, are oppurtunistic hunters, dogs, cats, ferrets, and other common household pets don't peak an interest to most. However, many pet birds, rodents, lagomorphs, etc will tempt many snake species. So how do you explain this situation to people? I guess you can't gaurantee that your snakes don't pose a danger to you or your pets. But you might be able to gaurantee that your snakes' housings are secured properly and that's how this problem can be prevented, to begin with. Also mention though, that snakes don't have a high metabolism, in general, and that they don't hunt every day. This is assuming the snakes are well fed, of course. Lastly, go over in a bit more detail, what a SFE is, and how its the human's fault when an accident happens consequently.

Put together another explanation including what I just went over, and we'll see how it comes out ;) .

Here's my attempt at a simplified dumbed down version of the above, as well as another couple of questions and answers I thought of while I was fussing with it. I also added drinking water and peeing under the "Do snakes poop" question, since people seem to think they don't do those either. :rolleyes:

I really appreciate the help!

~Will your snake eat you /my dog/my cat/children?

With the rare exception of truly giant species or venomous snakes, our pets cannot kill us. Even the venomous snakes like cobras or vipers can’t *eat* us. Your typical household pets and of course people aren’t on a snake’s natural menu, and are of little to no real interest. In fact, a small snake is more likely on a cat or dog’s menu than the other way around. Snakes don’t gulp down everything they see like an ostrich, if it doesn’t smell like food they’ll probably ignore it. Snakes don’t have a high metabolism either and a well fed snake is not looking for food every day. Responsible snake keepers lock down their pets securely anyway and keep them well fed. Don’t let irresponsible owners (the exception, not the rule) and urban legends color your views of these amazing creatures.

~But I saw a snake just like yours in a movie attacking and eating people!

That’s Hollywood for you. More often than not they like to use tame and harmless snakes in movies because they’re obviously easier to work with. The more you know about animals, often the sillier and more unrealistic a lot of movies become. This is true of many insects and arachnids too. Ask any snake owner how realistic movies like Snakes on a Plane or Anaconda are. Unless they’re having a bit of fun with you, they’ll probably either laugh or cry. Killer corn snakes and backwards projectile regurgitation are... um... no.

~I know a guy who’s father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate had a ball python 30 feet long that ate sheep and they had to give it to the zoo, what are you going to do when yours gets that big?

They won’t. I know the species of snake I’m keeping, and I guarantee none of them will reach 30 feet. Only a few species will ever get that big. The lovely Burmese python, common in some pet stores, can grow around 20 feet and many of them end up abandoned. So many that zoos often won’t take them anymore. Please do some research before believing an urban legend or pet store’s assumptions about a particular species’ size!

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Originally Posted by AzureN1ght

Hehe...a "snake of holding". I totally got that reference ;)

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And yay, I hoped someone would! :colbert2:

Oh I know one that is a common question!

What does 1.2.3 mean?

Thought I would throw that one out.:D

Done and done! I like the short answer ones. ;)

~Why do all of these snake sites have mysterious numbers like 1.2.3 or whatever?

That’s shorthand for how many snakes of which gender someone has or wants. The first number is how many males, the second number is how many females, and the third number is how many unsexed mystery snakes that could be a boy or a girl. It's just quicker to say 1.2.3 than one male, two females, and 3 unsexed!

A little off topic but something about the beauty in your photo gallery doesn't scream Taiwan to me. Colors seem off, pattern isn't bold, and it looks very different as you get near the tail. Looks like a Yunnans. Maybe someone else with beauty experience like Jack will pitch in?

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

~Will your snake eat you /my dog/my cat/children?

With the rare exception of truly giant species or venomous snakes, our pets cannot kill us. Even the venomous snakes like cobras or vipers can’t *eat* us. Your typical household pets and of course people aren’t on a snake’s natural menu, and are of little to no real interest. In fact, a small snake is more likely on a cat or dog’s menu than the other way around. Snakes don’t gulp down everything they see like an ostrich, if it doesn’t smell like food they’ll probably ignore it. Snakes don’t have a high metabolism either and a well fed snake is not looking for food every day. Responsible snake keepers lock down their pets securely anyway and keep them well fed. Don’t let irresponsible owners (the exception, not the rule) and urban legends color your views of these amazing creatures.

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If by "typical," you mean cats and dogs... then you're right about them not quite being on the menu, however if pet birds, rodents, and lagomorphs such as rabbits, are also "typical," then you know that there's a problem with your statement. Try to clarify that a loose snake might have interest to some pets, no matter how large or small they are. And that the only prevention is secure caging for all of your animals.

I would also add: "Won't snakes constrict you?"
Your answer would go over SFEs and how they can be prevented. Be sure to include that these are purely the fault of the human being. In addition, explain what would make a snake constrict you in the first place.

We're getting there :P .