Why do people have so much hates for snakes.

So today I was picking my kids up from the In-Laws and they found out that we are getting two more ball pythons this month. One is a lesser pastel and the other is a bumblebee but I got yelled at for getting two more she went off telling my that they will hurt the kids and she was going to call DSS on me just because I have a few Ball Pythons. I know if she calls DSS they won't do anything because they are harmless but has anyone gone through something similar?
P.S. I know there is a typo in the title I just saw it after posting XD

Wow, that. XD People who freak out that bad amuse me more than anything. I don't have a story nearly so bad, but when I got Nagisa, I was with my cousin who had just had a baby not long before, and she also obtained a ball python. Making far more use of Social media than I do, she posted it on facebook. It didn't take long before our beloved grandmother posted "A python? Aren't those the ones that eat babies?" ... No grandma. The baby is safe from this itty worm of a snake. Don't worry.

Not a snake, but that same event, I held a baby caiman that was at the expo. My cousin posted this pic with the news of her snake, and said that I had bought that at the show, just to see what reactions we'd get, even stating it's name as what I had named the ball python that I actually did bring home. Well, a few hours later when we had half forgotten about it, I got a call from Mom and as soon as I answered the phone the first thing she said was "Am I still talking to you?" Appearantly she had looked up what that creature was, and was not thrilled.

My mom is afraid of snakes, though, and the first time I told her I got a corn snake she didn't want to see it at all, but then I showed it to her and of course, 'cause it was a tiny baby cornsnake, her reaction was "That's a snake? No, that's a worm. I can stand a worm."

So yeah, no story quite so extreme as yours, but they are pitifully misunderstood and unloved critters.

Snakes are so misunderstood, it's a shame. :\ I find that just showing them your smallest, calmest ball python in person and having them hold it in their hands always helps the most. People are always caught off guard and surprised by how harmless they are.

It's almost always myths and sayings that create the average person's perception of "snakes = dangerous", when they've never actually met a pet snake in person.

i think it is a media and society issue.

ive heard that the only natural fears that people have are falling and sudden loud noises. all other fears are a result of being learned. such as guns, bugs, snakes, spiders.

its not politically correct to like snakes in the average majorities opinions now days, and apparently they are all "poisonous" as they all say. I like to correct people and tell them that their is no such thing as a poisonous snake, and then explain to them that there are VENEMOUS snakes. and then they get a dumbfounded look on their face.

same thing with gun "clips" people call them when they are called MAGAZINES in real life. its all fed from the media. lots of wrong information out there that gets jammed into peoples brain and they become brainwashed cause if they hear it on the news or read about it than it must be true.


I'm a gun enthusiast and a snake lover so that puts me as a black sheep to others.

Sounds like the problem might stem a little deeper than the snakes but that's just my opinion... Also I have not discovered hatred but fear mainly. Majority of people don't see them as say a dog or cat. While they are largely different, it's no different. They are our beloved pets rather they have limbs or not, cold blooded or warm. Most outsiders of this community I've found as a new owner from my mom , grandma , fiancé ,and co workers. It's the unknown and lack of knowledge.

I thought I'd add- I find it horrible and hilarious how an average person is scared of a ball python with just hearing the word "python", but is totally fine with iguanas, and have no idea how much more risky an iguana is to a child than a little python. An adult iguana bite can do some REAL damage!

I always figured it came from them being cast as the "bad guy" in that whole Garden of Eden story.

Plus a little smudge if genetic fear.

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Originally Posted by voodoolamb

I always figured it came from them being cast as the "bad guy" in that whole Garden of Eden story.

Plus a little smudge if genetic fear.

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You know, what's interesting about the Garden of Eden story is that the "serpent" was not even specified as a snake. In fact, it was only AFTER the serpent fooled Adam and Eve, that it states God "took away the serpent's limbs and cursed it to crawl on its belly forever" or something like that. I hope these people can stop using the serpent in that story as an excuse LOL!

I do believe that a fear/disgust of snakes seems to be somewhat inherent in some people... Definitely not all. And "hate" definitely isn't inherent either.

People are probably genetically programmed to fear things that are potentially dangerous. Then add to that media and cinematic sensationalism, folklore saying they are evil, and general ignorance believing they are slimy, creepy, or all venomous, and you end up with snakeists. :frustrate


It's like this sad story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1zLX01X4ow

We have a natural fear of the unknown, and not being used to snakes makes you fear them as you don't know if it can kill you or not. Knowing that some snakes have venom can make it hard for someone with little to no experience with snakes to actually identify the ones that can do damage over the ones that can't, which in turn may cause a fear for all snakes in general

But education is key, and knowing which ones are harmless and are somewhat docile towards people can soon give them the understanding they need to get over the fear

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Originally Posted by amrakweno

Sounds like the problem might stem a little deeper than the snakes but that's just my opinion... Also I have not discovered hatred but fear mainly. Majority of people don't see them as say a dog or cat. While they are largely different, it's no different. They are our beloved pets rather they have limbs or not, cold blooded or warm. Most outsiders of this community I've found as a new owner from my mom , grandma , fiancé ,and co workers. It's the unknown and lack of knowledge.

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Well, you are right about the littler deeper then snakes she hates me with a passion because of my Reptile hobby and such but I already told her I don't give a damn what she thinks of me. All I care about is teaching people in my area by going to the schools and stuff that they aren't killers but instead they are interesting little noodles.

I was baffled by the amount of hate I got when I announced that I had purchased a snake. I expected it from my mother because she refused to let me get one as a kid but the guys a work shocked me. I am an auto tech and work with some big burly type dudes and they were a freaked out about my BP!

Iv'e only experienced fear. Not really hate. Some people are just uneducated. It's our job to educate them if they want to learn.

There is a real perceived fear among a big part of the population. People who are devoutly religious top the list. There are those few that will tell you outright that they hate snakes bc of either a bad experience or grew up with a learned hatred of snakes. That's why it's our responsibility as keepers to educate those that care to learn and not parade our animals out in public in a show off type of manner and remember people have genuine fears of snakes.

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

There is a real perceived fear among a big part of the population. People who are devoutly religious top the list. There are those few that will tell you outright that they hate snakes bc of either a bad experience or grew up with a learned hatred of snakes. That's why it's our responsibility as keepers to educate those that care to learn and not parade our animals out in public in a show off type of manner and remember people have genuine fears of snakes.

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I try my best to teach everyone I can the only time I have any of my reptiles out in public is when I'm teaching the kids at my local school and they all love them there is the few that are hesitant at first but after they see the rest coming up to them they come up and see them.

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Originally Posted by InquisitorXIII

I try my best to teach everyone I can the only time I have any of my reptiles out in public is when I'm teaching the kids at my local school and they all love them there is the few that are hesitant at first but after they see the rest coming up to them they come up and see them.

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Well, I am not referring to keepers who are out there in controlled settings and doing educational seminars. The few of us out there in the public eye with snakes around their necks and walking into stores and public places where a snake most certainly will be frowned upon and probably really terrify others. And just looking to impress others by having a large or huge snake out in the open. IMO, this is not the type of exposure snakes or snake keepers need.

Fear and hate are taught or learned, a child will have no fear or hate.

Solution: EDUCATION this goes for all array of life not just snakes

For me, my fathers side of the family are catholic and see snakes as being associated with the devil, for some it's a religious thing. So whenever they come over, they say things like my two are "Satan worshippers" or call them the devil.
For some cultures, or religions, snakes are bad luck or represent evil and it's a hard to break that view from people like that who's had that built into their lifestyle.

Not saying everyone who's catholic or religious in general are like that, it's just something that I've noticed and had personal experiences with.

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Originally Posted by Sallos

People are probably genetically programmed to fear things that are potentially dangerous. Then add to that media and cinematic sensationalism, folklore saying they are evil, and general ignorance believing they are slimy, creepy, or all venomous, and you end up with snakeists. :frustrate

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yep! those are like the first 2 questions i'm always asked - are they poisonous? aren't they slimey? come on - do some research. or meet one in person. ;)

I can give a perspective from an older generation, a Baby Boomer. My parents were thus, The Greatest Generation.

Growing up for both generations meant spending your time outside. There were no electronic games, computers, or even air conditioning until I was a preteen. No cable TV, just 3 channels on a black and white with very poor reception and programming. Thus, the only reason to be inside was to eat and sleep.

Our exposure to snakes were much more growing up since we were always outdoors. We played in other people's yards, climbed their trees. It wasn't considered rude back then because we were all truly neighbors. :) Everybody looked out for each other. If you saw a snake, you did not want it harming anyone that may come by, so usually a male would kill it. It was the "responsible" thing to do.

It was and still is considered a macho thing to kill any and all snakes, a sense of duty almost.

In my family, the hatred was learned. My Dad heavily pushed his ideas on my whole family. My Mom and older Brother are very fearful of snakes, as was my Father until he died recently.

His views didn't stick with me because I was the adventurer of the family.

My whole life around men no matter the situation was "the only good snake is a dead snake". And also, females would expect me or other males to kill any snake observed.

So needless to say I had a lot of fun pulling snake pranks on my macho buddies growing up.

The main difference with me now since I keep snakes is that I educate folks and frown upon snake pranks.

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My oldest daughter was deathly afraid of snakes! Here she is with Punch, a heavy bodied 7 foot Boa.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

I thought I'd add- I find it horrible and hilarious how an average person is scared of a ball python with just hearing the word "python", but is totally fine with iguanas, and have no idea how much more risky an iguana is to a child than a little python. An adult iguana bite can do some REAL damage!

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As can each of the milliions and millions of dogs out there .....

It's the same reason we have a fear of spiders.

When we know little about them, what is ingrained in our instincts is just basically a silhouette of the creature. Anything that fits that silhouette can develop into an irrational fear.

For example, anything with more than 4 limbs terrified the dikens out of me. Until I learned more about spiders, for example, and started looking at jumping spiders closer, I actually was able to pick out what makes them cute.

My now ex-roommate had an irrational fear of snakes in general. I introduced him to my python slowly, and instead of seeing just this scary snake creature, he went from terror, to fascination, to "oh now I see why you think he is cute."


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Snake phobia is not without its uses. All you have to do is explain to the phobic how sweet and harmless the animal is, and how he just loves to cuddle with warm humans. Then tell them that the snake's name is Houdini and not to worry if he escapes at night and curls up with them, he's harmless and won't bite. Voila--no more unwanted house guests! :bye:
(Somebody--we need one of those evil smilie icons.)

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Originally Posted by butterballpython

Snake phobia is not without its uses. All you have to do is explain to the phobic how sweet and harmless the animal is, and how he just loves to cuddle with warm humans. Then tell them that the snake's name is Houdini and not to worry if he escapes at night and curls up with them, he's harmless and won't bite. Voila--no more unwanted house guests! :bye:
(Somebody--we need one of those evil smilie icons.)

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A play on the infamous old wives tale of the snake sizing up the human to eat, eh?

If Houdini is big enough to not be squished, Houdini is welcome to cuddle with me. I love noodle snuggles!

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

As can each of the milliions and millions of dogs out there .....

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Right?? Yeesh! In reality, a "serious" bite from a ball python or boa constrictor is less serious than a cat bite.