Tell us your funny reptile stories

[Valyndris]

This was some years back, when I lived in the desert: I got home from work one day, & my next door neighbor began shouting that if I didn't get this snake out of
his yard he was gonna kill it, so of course I went right over (despite this guy being a creep) as I didn't doubt that he'd kill a snake. It had been very hot (about 110*
for the last week) & after watering the small trees in his yard, he noticed a large gopher snake trying to survive by resting in the dampness under a tiny bit of shade.

I didn't take a hook, as I could see what it was before I went over. The poor serpent was stretched out (about 5.5') & I just lightly stroked her mid-body...she tried
to shove me away but I persisted & she quickly decided I wasn't a predator & stopped all protest. I gently lifted her up to carry her home, which of course amazed
my snake-hating neighbor: he leaned toward her for a better look & just then she hissed and LUNGED right at him! I thought he was gonna fall over, & as he
quickly retreated to his house, I could hear him mumbling about me getting along with snakes... LOL

I put the snake in cool water in my bathtub for a while to recover, then she was my house-guest for a while before moving back out once the heat went down. She
never tried to bite me. They know by how we touch them if we're a friend or foe.
Desert snakes have such a hard life, truly. And apparently they also know a hostile jerk when they see one.

That's so awesome that you were able to nurture the snake back to good health and able to release it. I like how the snake took a liking to you and hissed at your snake hating neighbor, I guess he doesn't realize that the snake gets rid of rodent problems and that they are actually good to have around. Also, just wondering, you called it a "she" did you pop it or just taking a guess and calling her a she just cuz?

[Bogertophis]

That's so awesome that you were able to nurture the snake back to good health and able to release it. I like how the snake took a liking to you and hissed at your snake hating neighbor, I guess he doesn't realize that the snake gets rid of rodent problems and that they are actually good to have around. Also, just wondering, you called it a "she" did you pop it or just taking a guess and calling her a she just cuz?

You can't always reason with snake-haters...it's fear, usually, but most won't admit that, especially men. And you're right, it's better to have snakes around (that don't have any disease implications for us) than rodents that carry Hanta virus, etc. In the desert, pack-rats often chewed the wires in ppl's cars if they parked outside for long too.

Tail shape: it was an obvious "she". I've raised these & bull snakes before...she was a big healthy mama, just over-heated, & my "Western hospitality" included food too.

I still laugh about my neighbor's reaction- I didn't think the ol' guy could move that fast, but she scared him good. He lived alone (his wife had passed away, probably to get away from him? ) & he was always making off-color remarks to me if I was outside in my yard...so maybe the snake really was a mind-reader?
I think one reason I like helping animals so much is that they seem to "know".

[Valyndris]

Tail shape: it was an obvious "she". I've raised these & bull snakes before...she was a big healthy mama, just over-heated, & my "Western hospitality" included food too.

You are such an expert when it comes to snakes, I've only started to notice the tail shape in snakes but I'd never be able to make a proper guess on the gender by just looking at the tail. I only own one ball python, so the rest of my knowledge comes from either here or YouTube videos and a few articles I've read here and there.

[royalreilly]

One time my parents took my BP out into the living room to get some handling time in. I guess they looked away for just a second too long, because the snake stuck his head through one of my dad's belt loops and was soon trying to fit his whole body through. My parents ended up having to cut the belt loop because the snake was stuck! He wouldn't be able to fit most of his body through and pushing him backwards would've been a hassle for both involved parties. I only wish I had been there to watch it happen

[Bogertophis]

You are such an expert when it comes to snakes, I've only started to notice the tail shape in snakes but I'd never be able to make a proper guess on the gender by just looking at the tail. I only own one ball python, so the rest of my knowledge comes from either here or YouTube videos and a few articles I've read here and there.

Honestly, some kinds of snakes are more obvious than others, while some I'd have to probe or pop. It comes down to having a chance to see more than one of a kind &
several of a similar size or age to compare...then it makes some sense. I saw quite a few gopher snakes where I used to live, & then ended up having & raising a few too.
I really wish they'd just wear pink or blue ribbons...

[Valyndris]

One time my parents took my BP out into the living room to get some handling time in. I guess they looked away for just a second too long, because the snake stuck his head through one of my dad's belt loops and was soon trying to fit his whole body through. My parents ended up having to cut the belt loop because the snake was stuck! He wouldn't be able to fit most of his body through and pushing him backwards would've been a hassle for both involved parties. I only wish I had been there to watch it happen

That's so cute, your little guy just wanted to be a belt. Ball pythons just seem to love getting themselves in places they just shouldn't be. lol

[pretends2bnormal]

One time my parents took my BP out into the living room to get some handling time in. I guess they looked away for just a second too long, because the snake stuck his head through one of my dad's belt loops and was soon trying to fit his whole body through. My parents ended up having to cut the belt loop because the snake was stuck! He wouldn't be able to fit most of his body through and pushing him backwards would've been a hassle for both involved parties. I only wish I had been there to watch it happen

This exact thing happened to my husband, except he did manage to get himself fully through the belt loop instead of needing to cut it. He had gotten most of the way through before we got a picture of it. We has thought he had gone down his jacket and didn't realize he had made a detour into the belt loop.



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[Zincubus]

That's so cute, I never pictured a snake ever going for dog food lol

Well Garters will eat just about anything

The diet consists of almost any creature they are capable of overpowering: slugs, earthworms , leeches, lizards, amphibians (including frog eggs), minnows, and rodents. When living near water, they will eat other aquatic animals.


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[Bogertophis]

This exact thing happened to my husband, except he did manage to get himself fully through the belt loop instead of needing to cut it. He had gotten most of the way through before we got a picture of it. We has thought he had gone down his jacket and didn't realize he had made a detour into the belt loop.



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I've had rat snakes do this...one especially that remembered the belt loops on my jeans & made a beeline for them when I picked her up...I guess she liked the feeling
of secure "toe-holds"? My Florida/yellow rat snakes are too big for belt loops, but it's not hard to get them to just snug themselves around my waist. (the males are
about 7' long, so they can do this easily with length to spare)

[Zincubus]

Well Garters will eat just about anything

The diet consists of almost any creature they are capable of overpowering: slugs, earthworms , leeches, lizards, amphibians (including frog eggs), minnows, and rodents. When living near water, they will eat other aquatic animals.


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Three sisters ..



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