Most common questions/misconceptions?

Hi guys! Still alive over here, and I've just gotten started on typing up an FAQ for Blue Gorgon. I got inspired by being asked so many questions by people at the vet waiting room, but I want to make sure I cover as much ground as possible since the whole Blue Gorgon thing -aside from pimping VBB awesomeness- is to help people who are unfamiliar with snakes see them as beautiful instead of scary and alien.

Some of the ones I've got so far include:

~Why snakes?

~Do your snakes run around loose in your home?

~You also keep pet house rabbits, aren’t you scared that your snakes will get out and eat them?

~Isn’t it true that if you feed a snake in their own enclosure they’ll be more inclined to bite when you reach in for them?

~A snake will only get as big as it’s enclosure, right?

~Can I keep more than one snake in an enclosure?

~Can I feed a snake something other than rodents/meat?

~How often do they eat?

I had a woman ask me the other day if Ma-tsu might eat her dachsaund, after which I needed to gently explain the laws of physics (Ma-tsu is not a Snake of Holding!) but I don't think that quite falls under common misconceptions. Or does it? :confused:

What have non-snake people asked you the most? I'm not so much looking for the wackiest questions, but the ones you get asked the most. Sometimes the two may cross over, but you get the idea.:P

Always a treat to see you, Sheree! :hug:


~Does it bite?

~Can it strangle you?

~Is it poisonous? :rolleyes: (Not sure I've ever had a non-snake person ask if it was "venomous"!)

~How does it drink water?

Those are a few that come to mind. :)

also

Why are they warm if their cold blooded?

Their slimy aren't they?

Are you from West Virgina? They have snake worship there....

We'll be getting a dog soon, a lot people ask if we'll be keeping the snake.....as though we let him slither around our apt.

How often do they bite?

Does it hurt when they bite?

ha, "is it posinous"

short story: while crowley was living with tony at his parents, we spent forever convincing his step-mother was not venomous. she even petted him a few times and was fine. and don't you know it her know-it-all friend told her she better go check and make sure his eyes were not elliptical, because that would mean he was venomous. as if we didn't know whether or not we were keeping such in a plastic tub in his room for over a year.

;)

i get a lot of "why snakes?" "snakes are demonic" "well what are you going to do when he gets 20ft long?"

Here's a funny one, a little off topic but very anthropomorphic. When I got my second snake and was telling my mom about it the only thing she said to me was...

"That's nice dear, won't Stippey get jealous?"

Leave it to a mom to think there will be "sibling" rivalry.

A lot of people ask me if my snakes are happy to see me, like a dog or a cat, when I get home from work.

my fave is how everbody knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who's girlfriend was eaten because the snake got out while she was on her period. ummm..... yeah..... i bet that started from some chick getting bitten on the foot or something! most annoying urban legend ever!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by python.princess

my fave is how everbody knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who's girlfriend was eaten because the snake got out while she was on her period. ummm..... yeah..... i bet that started from some chick getting bitten on the foot or something! most annoying urban legend ever!

---

lol. period.

get asked....

Does it bit?

What do you feed it?

Lastly....

How big is it?....mmm..Lol. :D

Luckily I dont get asked too many stupid questions. Ive gotten the "Does it bite" the most. And Ive been asked how I feed it, and do I knock the mouse out first. App a friend of mine knows a chick who puts the mouse in a sock and beats it up against the wall until it passes out, personally I'll stick with feeding my snake a live MOVING mouse than beating the poor thing.

I did have a woman at the pet store who felt bad picking out a feeder because she was basically chosing which mouse was going to die.

O I've also been asked what you do with a snake and do you pet it.

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

We had our snake out at a get to gether when I heard our neighbor "educating" my girlfriends parents, Now take note that this woman has been teaching our children over 30 yrs.

1., They shine like that because they have a protective slime coating.
2. Some of them can sting you and kill you.
3.They had legs but god got mad at them for breaking his rules.
4. They can squeeze you to death. (my ball pythons)
Amongst many other tasty lil' tidbits.:confused:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blu Mongoose

We had our snake out at a get to gether when I heard our neighbor "educating" my girlfriends parents, Now take note that this woman has been teaching our children over 30 yrs.

1., They shine like that because they have a protective slime coating.
2. Some of them can sting you and kill you.
3.They had legs but god got mad at them for breaking his rules.
4. They can squeeze you to death. (my ball pythons)
Amongst many other tasty lil' tidbits.:confused:

---

wow.... mine aren't slimey! must be sick! stingers not workin either!
:bolt: *rushes to nearest herp vet*

I've heard plenty of interesting questions, working at a pet store, and just from being a snake owner.

Most common ones have already been mentioned.

"Can it bite?" Well, of course it *can*. But does it want to? Who knows ;)

"Is it poisonous?" We only have a few signs in the reptile area saying what we are not allowed to sell in NY. And yes, the distinction between poisonous and venomous is completely lost on most people :rolleyes:

"What do you do with a snake?" This one is most often accompanied by an obvious look of disgust and horror. I'll just laugh.

"Should they be kept together so they don't get lonely?" Sigh.

"Can I keep different snakes together?"

"Why doesn't it want to bite????"

"Did you know that snakes still have little legs up inside their body that can pop out during a forest fire so they can run away?"

I didn't think that guy was serious. But he kept repeating it. I explained what I knew about spurs. And he kept going on and on about how his high school biology teacher told him that (this guy must have been in his 20s/30s). I was like :eek:

One of the most interesting things is when I get squeamish people to touch a snake. They're all prepared to be totally grossed out, and they just go "Oh. It feels like plastic." Or they remark that it feels like fake snakeskin. :rolleyes:

the thing that gets to me most is the stereotypes about the people that own snakes

My father is a very stereotyping person, and i was talking about going to Daytona, he said "haha. so if you see anyone in your hotel with tattoos, piercings, and funny colored hair, you can be sure to see them at the convention"

and when i talk to people online, they see my snakes and then me and i get "oh my god you are a cute chick! who likes snakes AND world of warcraft! how weird"
argh


oh well... people can think what they want to, as long as i (and my fellow snake people) know the truth :sunny:

ive been asked stupid ones too like

-wont they eat you

-aren't they slimey

-do bps get like 20 ft long

ect ect ect...

As a reptile store co-owner....I have been asked everything, but I will limit the following examples to the Qs about snakes:


"are they poisonous?" :mad: :mad: :mad:
"do you sell anacondas?" (illegal in NJ)
"do snakes poop?"
"do all of them bite?"
"which ones eat the crickets?"
"do ball pythons reach 10' or 20'?"
"are these all your pets?"
"are they for sale?"
"where did you catch them all?"


It's endless :( .

I see that type of stereotyping too. Most wouldn't think that I would own a BP since I am a girl as well as a mom. Although alot of my coworkers are like "man, I wish my mom had been cool like you!!" LOL.

The craziest question that I get asked is if I am afraid that it would eat my kids. I actually have kind of a funny story that happened the other day. I was at the pet store the other day getting some live feeder mice. When I was in line to buy them, a lady was ahead of me and had seen them get the feeder mice for me (which they keep in a tank near the registers, but at least I can see how the mice are being treated, and can pick out the ones that I want). Anyway so she started making a big scene about how the mice I had are going to be fed to "those things down that aisle". (She couldn't even say snake or reptile!!) So she started asking me if I was afraid of it around my daughter (who's 4 yrs and was with me at the time). And then she started asking about if it would bite and what happens if it bit my daughter. So I tried to explain to her that any animal can bite, that I am responsible about when and if my daughter handles our BP, and that it is not big enough to be able to strangle my family to death.... she had asked me about that too!! She then asked me if I wouldn't enjoy a cute little puppy more. So I ran down my list of pets to her (you can all see what I have in my signature) and her mouth was basically hanging open. I explained to her that my kids get hurt most by our cute little 70lb 8month old PUPPY, who is hyper and thinks he is 1/4 the size that he really is (actually he climbs all over the backs of our couches like the cats do so I swear sometimes that maybe he thinks he is part cat...LOL). But the lady couldn;t get over the fact that I have a snake in my home, she was probably still making a scene about it after I left.

at least u gave her sumthin to talk about for awhile!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sunny1

So I tried to explain to her that any animal can bite, that I am responsible about when and if my daughter handles our BP, and that it is not big enough to be able to strangle my family to death.... she had asked me about that too!!

---

People need to think seriously about how a snake who maxes out at 5-6' is going to strangle/eat people. Honestly if the snake actually tried to strangle anyone Im hoping the person would be smart enough to unwrap it from their neck. And while I haven't gotten bit as of yet Im sure at some point I will be, I've been bitten by every other pet I have had so why not this one. (Hamsters, sugar gliders, ferrets, dogs, cats, I think thats it)

Yeah, that's the worst - when people assume so many aweful things about snakes and only ask if they bite... when I havent been bitten by any of my (pet) snakes, but in the past have been bitten and made to bleed by my cats, rabbit, parrot, hamster, sugar glider...

Where I work, I tell people I'll gladly take out a snake or lizard for them to see, but if they want to see a hamster or rabbit, I'm much more hesitant. Because I don't want to end up bleeding at the end.

I don't care if the little carpet python nips at me, but I *do* care if that "cute furry hamster" lacerates my finger.

Some people just can't seem to understand the different levels of danger we're talking about here. :rolleyes:

Hmmm common questions that aren't already covered here...

- do they poop (no they don't, they just eventually explode...geeze!)

- why is that snake staring at me (ummm maybe because it doesn't have eyelids and it's not staring at you...it fell asleep because you're boring lol)

- oh it takes a male and a female to make baby snakes! (yep and they meet at singles bars for snakes and nobody respects anybody in the morning)

and my least favorite stupid snake question...

- won't it kill your kids! (yep sure I always have animals in my house that will kill my kids...doesn't everyone????....this one drives me nuts and I'm forced to explain how many kids get bit by Fluffy the Poodle each year compared to snakes but they never get it)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frankykeno

Hmmm common questions that aren't already covered here...
- do they poop (no they don't, they just eventually explode...geeze!)

---

Beat you to it :P .

Quote:

---

I didn't think that guy was serious. But he kept repeating it. I explained what I knew about spurs. And he kept going on and on about how his high school biology teacher told him that (this guy must have been in his 20s/30s). I was like :O

---

I was once told by a guy that when he was a kid they used to throw garter snakes on a fire to watch their legs pop out. (actually male garters will evert their hemipenes when being burned alive, which may be were that legend started)

I've done quite a few hands on shows with my herp society and have heard a number of weird questions. I once was asked if I've ever been bitten, when I told the person that I had been bitten many times, they asked if I'd ever been killed from it....... :confuzd:

A few of the better questions, that may make a decent teaching moment are,
Where does it live? What does it eat? How does it hear? Does it really smell with it's toungue? Can it get a sunburn? What preys on it in the wild? Why is it that color/pattern?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkS

I once was asked if I've ever been bitten, when I told the person that I had been bitten many times, they asked if I'd ever been killed from it....... :confuzd:

---

yeah, i've been killed from snake bites a few times! it's rough!

I think a really common misconception from people who do and actually do own snakes is that the snake wants a load of room and no place to hide. No, a 100gallon tank for your baby ball python is NOT a good thing. Really, no.


Sometimes I get tired of explaining why my snakes are in "those teeny tiny plastic things."

A lady today overheard me talking to my coworker about my snakes. She turned around with *the* most horrified look on her face. She said, "You have a snake?" I said "Several actually." Her mouth dropped open, "In... your...house?" Her eyes were about to bug out of her head. I tried, in vain, to simply explain to her that snakes weren't evil, that they weren't all bad, and that I don't keep venomous species. She said something to the effect of, 'Of course you say that, you haven't been attacked by one.' She hasn't either. So uh... Yeah, she's pretty ridiculous. :confused:

Wow, guys, thank you! I posted this question a few other places, and I'm really amazed at how many people don't think snakes poo. Wow. I guess that's the main reason they'd think we want them as pets? ;)

Anyways, with your help I put together this FAQ for total snake noobs. Let me know what you think! Anything I should tweak, change, reword? Anything not look correct? Thanks again! I'd really like to have a page specifically for this kind of thing on BG, help clear things up. I am candy-coating a bit, as part of the point of my site is to help people get over their fears of snakes and see them as the beautiful animals they are.

~Aren’t snakes slimy?

Not at all! They vary in texture, from fine leather to an almost plastic-y feel, but they’re not even a little bit slimy. People tend to think they are because of that beautiful shine, but precious stones shine too and they’re not slimy either. Snakes really have a wonderfully soothing feel, and I find handling one very relaxing. There’s nothing quite like a ball python foot massage! ;)

~What do you do with a snake?

Experience it! You can watch them, admire them, handle them, take pictures of them, watch TV with them… Sure they don’t play fetch or anything, but there’s a LOT of different pets that don’t do that which are a lot higher maintenance. I find handling a snake very relaxing and meditative. They said people who keep pets and love them have lower blood pressure, and I believe that. It’s very soothing.


~Do your snakes love you?

Without getting into a philosophical debate there, it’s important to make clear that snakes are shy solitary animals. They don’t get lonely, or miss you if you’re gone. They’re wired differently from mammals. The important thing is that YOU love your snake, not the other way around. We so often praise pets for their unconditional love, we as humans should return the favor more often.

~Are your snakes poisonous?

Believe it or not, there’s no such thing as a poisonous snake! Poisonous means it’s dangerous if you eat it. Venomous means it’s poisonous if it bites you, and no, none of my snakes are venomous. You need special training and experience to keep venomous snakes, and I prefer snakes that pose no danger to me, my other pets, and that I can cuddle. Venomous snakes are pretty, but are definitely not for cuddling.

~Will I get salmonella from a snake?

Many animals carry salmonella, and it’s caught from a carrier’s feces. Most reptiles (like birds) have it naturally in their systems but you’re only likely to catch it if you’ve handled feces and don’t wash your hands. If you keep a clean snake and enclosure, you’re probably fine. Still, it’s always good to wash your hands all the same. We keep hand sanitizer by the enclosures. Using this before and after handling is safer for you and your snake. If you have a poor immune system, children under 5, or are pregnant, be extra careful about any animal feces! Especially farm birds and reptiles.

~Do your snakes run loose in your home?

This is a very common misconception, and no they don’t! Snakes need very secure enclosures to live in, or else they can get lost or hurt. They don’t come when you call, and an escaped snake will likely find a warm place to hide where you might never find them. In the worst case scenario they could even starve, freeze, or get stuck somewhere. Chances are good we’d never see them again! Free-range snakes would be very careless, and also impossible to keep at healthy temperatures!

~Do pet snakes bite? Does it hurt when they bite?

Like all animals, yes they can bite. A ratsnake bite is negligible at best, and it’d be far worse to get bitten by say - a cat. I’m a lot more worried about petting a big dog I don’t know that could really hurt me than a little pet snake! But of course it’s always wise to be careful of wild snakes, especially when you don’t know what species it is!

~Why do snakes bite?

Two reasons. A: You smell like food, and didn’t wash your hands after playing with some pet rodents or B: They’re scared. Snakes don’t bite because they’re mean or out to get you or anything like that. A nippy snake is a frightened snake. Generally, if you leave a wild snake alone they’ll leave you alone too and happily flee in the opposite direction.

~You also keep pet house rabbits, aren’t you scared that your snakes will get out and eat them? (I get this one a lot)

I’m more scared that if a snake got out, one of my rabbits will kick the crap out of them! My rabbits are WAY too big and feisty to be considered food to my snakes and pose a lot more danger to them than the other way around. My serpents are locked down like Alcatraz for their own safety.

~Aren’t you afraid your snakes might escape and strangle you in your sleep?

If any of my snakes ever got loose, I’d be afraid they’d get hurt or that I’d never see them again. Snakes are not evil or soulless killers; they’re just shy curious animals. An escaped snake looks for somewhere warm and quiet to hide. I’m not at all afraid of my snakes, even our nippy boy.

~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.

~Isn’t it true that if you feed a snake in their own enclosure they’ll be more inclined to bite when you reach in for them?

No, that’s a myth. I – and many other snake enthusiasts - feed our snakes in their enclosure where they’re comfortable with no change in their personalities or behavior.

~A snake will only get as big as its enclosure, right?

Nope! A snake will grow as big as its species dictates! Keeping it in a small enclosure in hopes of keeping it small is cruel! It’s also cruel to keep a very small snake in a very big container unless you give them LOTS of hides. Feeling exposed is as stressful as being cramped. So if you’re thinking of getting a snake, keep in mind cage upgrades as they get older!

~Can I keep more than one snake in an enclosure?

Can, but shouldn’t. Snakes are solitary creatures, and bunking for extended periods of time stresses them out. That cute snake pile in the corner? The one on top is dominating the other one. They’re quiet and passive aggressive about it. Sometimes the one getting dominated will go off feed. Even if no obvious signs of stress occur for years, those are not happy snakes. Or, it could get eaten by a roomie in a mood. That doesn’t happen often, but it happens sometimes even with snakes that have shared a home for years. Always better safe than sorry! I like my snakes as stress-free and safe as possible! Sharing a cage is for breeding only, and even then only temporary.

~Can I feed a snake something other than rodents?

You can, but you shouldn’t. All snakes eat meat, although there are a few smaller species that eat crickets. There’s no such thing as a vegetarian snake. Only giant snakes like Burmese Pythons, Reticulated Pythons, and some big Boas as a few examples will ever need bigger meals than mice or rats. Some snakes get picky when you get creative about meals too, so best to stick with what works best for you health-wise and financially. This is, typically, mice or rats.

~When you feed them frozen rodents, do you defrost them?

Yes! A snake isn’t going to eat a ratcicle. Since they’re cold blooded that would mess them up badly. If you try they won’t even register it as food. We defrost our frozen/thawed food items in a small tub of hot water till they’re nice and warm - no longer solid.

~How often do they eat?

Once a week to once every other week. This is standard for most snakes.

~Do they poop?

Yes! All animals poop. Snakes don’t do it as often as other animals though, for example most of my snakes poo once a week just as they eat once a week. One of them only goes once a month and when he does… it’s a doozy!

~I caught a wild rat/mouse! Do you want it for your snake?

No, thank you! Please never feed wild rodents to a pet snake. You don’t know where they’ve been or what they’re carrying. This is a common way for snakes to pick up parasites that can make them very sick. Our snakes only eat food from a reputable, domestically bred source.

~There’s a wild snake in my yard! How do I get rid of it?

Why would you want to? Snakes are great neighbors! They’re quiet, keep rodents away from your yard/home, and if you don’t bother them they won’t bother you. If you’re really worried about it though, please call someone to remove the snake. There’s no reason to kill these wonderful, beneficial creatures.

Snake Shopping Tips


~I want a pet snake! What kind of snake should I get?

It depends! Some good examples of starter snakes are corn snakes, king snakes, and if you can handle the occasional picky eater ball pythons. But really it depends on you. What do you like? What are you looking for in a snake? What’s the lifespan like? What temps/supplies do they need? How big will they get? Like all pets, the watchword is - Research! Find out everything about the right snake for you before even shopping around so you can be 100% on its care, size, age, temperament, and everything else you need to know.

~What do I need to do first?

After research, set up an enclosure ahead of time exactly how it’s going to be when your snake is in it. Temps, décor, everything you read about. J You’ll also need to find a good herpetological vet near you for checkups or to be sure of the gender. It’s important to give your snake a week of private time in its new home to settle in.

~Where are good places to get snakes?

Breeders online or at expos are the best places to look for snakes. Do your homework on them though! Sites like www.faunaclassifieds.com are very helpful for researching a potential breeder. I really don’t recommend pet stores. They tend to keep snakes in poor conditions, have very little (if any) accurate information available, and many of them sell captive hatched rather than captive bred snakes. You want captive bred. Your best bet for a parasite free, accurately sexed, healthy hatchling and good eater is from a reputable breeder.


~How do I know if it’s a healthy snake?

Bright clear eyes, no stuck shed, active and curious (some species are less active than others, keep your research in mind) are good signs of a healthy snake. Not too thin, not too fat, and interested in their environment with active tongue flicking. Always ask when the last time it ate was, and how often it eats. If you’re in a position to see the snake eat before buying, all the better!

~How do I know if it’s a boy or girl?

There’s a few ways to tell if your snake is a male or female, namely “popping” or “probing”. It’s best left to a veterinarian and/or breeder do the sexing. Basically, it’s a matter of either gently pressing to get a male to expose his boy parts, or using a lubricated probe to tell by the depth of the tail.

I think that it is great!! I really like how you start off by answering some of the silly questions that people ask and then answer some more serious ones. Awesome job!!!!


And hmmm.... ball python foot massages... I must try it sometime. :) This might call for the NEED of another BP!!! LOL

Hi,

Excellent F.A.Q. and beautifully written. :bow:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

The important thing is that YOU love your snake, not the other way around. We so often praise pets for their unconditional love, we as humans should return the favor more often.

---

That line alone should get you a :trophy: in my book.



dr del

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

Quote:

---

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.

---

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?

Quote:

---

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?

---

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!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AzureN1ght

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

---

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:

---

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.

---

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 .

My personal favourite:

"Does it have to eat mice/rats?"

And the classic ones that have already been mentioned:
"Is it poisonous?"
"Are you sure it's not poisonous?"
"Really? It's definitely not poisonous?"
"It looks poisonous."
"I don't want to hold it."

I always get asked how does it sleep?

Sorry for the delay!

I think I'll add sleep under the "poop" question as "things all animals do." :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by _BoidFinatic_

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 .

---

First, I got to ask... What do you mean by SFEs? I don't know this abbreviation. :oops: What is it? Spring Florist Event? Sydney Futures Exchange? Scottish Financial Exchange? Google fails me! :rolleye2:

Wouldn't the constrict thing fall under the "Do snakes bite?" issue? Maybe I should change that to "bite/constrict".

Also, I'm really trying to get a short and simple paragraph for every question, and this one I'm starting to consider just cutting as I kind of cover it with the house rabbit question I get all the time. Maybe making this one children specific. Hmm. Well, here's the current rewrite! Tentative of course, still trying to get something short sweet and simple. Not sure how to address the elasticity thing that way now, like why a boa can't eat an elephant. :P Oh well.

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

Any news story you’ve heard about people/pet being killed or eaten by a pet snake (one of the giant species) is the fault of an irresponsible human being or an urban legend. A well fed, properly handled, well secured snake is not a danger to anyone or anything. Just like needing to be careful with small pets like birds, guinea pigs, etc when you have a big dog, it’s the same with a sizable snake except that snakes aren't trainable like canines. And honestly, any good parent will obviously not keep an animal that will eat their children! Please don’t ask someone if their snake will eat their children, you’re basically calling them a bad parent. The answer is “of course not!"

Poop re-write!

~Do they poop?

Yes! All animals poop. Snakes don’t do it as often as other animals though, for example most of my snakes poo once a week just as they eat once a week. One of them only goes once a month and when he does… it’s a doozy! And no, you can't litter train a snake, when they gotta go they gotta go. ;) Snakes also drink water, pee, and sleep just like any other animal. It’s just hard to tell they’re sleeping because they don’t have eyelids.

Great thread and FAQ, I would love to link to it on my site once it is completed. Oh and SFE is Stupid Feeding Error. :)

Thank you on both counts! lol, I've been puzzling over SFE for days. :redface:

I will post a link on this thread when it's done. :) Well, done enough. I'm slowly adding more graphics to the site so a lot of it isn't technically "done" yet. But the text is more important, and soon as that's set I'll have the FAQ up. :D

Here's the re-write of a different question to include constriction and SFEs. :)

~Why do snakes bite?

Two reasons. A: Stupid feeding errors such as not washing your hands after handling food (or a pet rodent) thus smelling like food, not using tongs/ dropping food in and dangling the food item by the tail etc, this is also the reason a snake would constrict or B: They’re scared. Snakes don’t bite because they’re mean or out to get you or anything like that. A nippy snake is a frightened snake. Generally, if you leave a wild snake alone they’ll leave you alone too and happily flee in the opposite direction.

i remembered this one as it happened yet again- people who talk about the chance of my ball python morphing into a burm then point out that "what about x EXPERIENCED keeper who raised that snake since it was a baby being attacked and killed"

and i simply called the bull and said "the fact they are dead only leads me to assume they were an arsehat and were very unexperienced- i've seen those shows, and some of those idiots wouldn't even have a second person with them, didn't wash up or take other simple precautions- just because you've had a snake for a couple of years does not make you experienced. i could keep a baby burm for a few years before it gets unmanageable but that would not make me 'experienced' with burms. its 'okay' if you make feeding or handling mistakes with babies because they aren't as big or heavy- but you make those same mistakes after a certain point and it is going to come back and get you"

I have the html up http://www.bluegorgon.com/FAQ.htm but I haven't linked to it from any of my other pages yet, and am still fussing. Thank you so much everyone for the help and contributions! If you see anything else or have more suggestions, as always much appreciated!

Experienced and irresponsible are definitely two different things!

Reminds me a bit of the guy who said he was going to report me and another person with house rabbits to the ASPCA since it's abusive to keep rabbits indoors, he claimed he knew this because he kept rabbits for many many years. My only reponse was a link to the ASPCA rabbit caresheet. ;) Never heard from him again, lol. Experience is good, but responsibility and a willingness to learn need to go with it! So I have now added this question to the FAQ.

~But I know an experienced guy who’s kept snakes for years and he told me the opposite of some/many of your answers on this page! How do you explain that?

What we know about snakes, all kinds of pets, and heck even proper Human health care changes all the time. We’re always learning, and we need to adapt to new information best we can in order to provide our animals with the best of care. Some folks just don’t like change, and choose to stubbornly ignore new information. Myself, I’d rather admit I was wrong and make a positive change than give outdated information. That’s why I date the bottom of this and the VBB Caresheet. So you can see the last time I learned something new and altered the page appropriately.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

Here's the re-write of a different question to include constriction and SFEs. :)

~Why do snakes bite?

Two reasons. A: Stupid feeding errors such as not washing your hands after handling food (or a pet rodent) thus smelling like food, not using tongs/ dropping food in and dangling the food item by the tail etc, this is also the reason a snake would constrict or B: They’re scared. Snakes don’t bite because they’re mean or out to get you or anything like that. A nippy snake is a frightened snake. Generally, if you leave a wild snake alone they’ll leave you alone too and happily flee in the opposite direction.

---

Sorry for the delay with me too. Yes, Stupid Feeding Errors is great to list under that question. Just add in that even after holding a pet bird of any sort, will initiate a response!
Everything looks great ..congrats !:carrot: