Why are people afraid of snakes?

[Linseylou]

Snakes are one, if not my favorite animal/pet, but I know this isn't the case with a lot of other people. If you were (or still am), or anyone you know is afraid of snakes, please tell me why! I am doing a paper on this subject here, so I want to get as many opinions as possible! Thanks in advance!

[Luvyna]

I've read that it's mostly a learned fear. There's a study somewhere that was done on babies which shows that they do pay more attention to parts of an image if there is a snake there, which suggests that there is some biological wiring in us to be alert to snakes, although babies did not specifically show fear of the snakes. I think people learn to be afraid of snakes as they grow up by observing how adults react fearfully to snakes and absorbing portrayals of snakes in books and TV as cunning, dangerous animals. Some people also come from places with venomous snakes and may be taught from a young age to fear venomous snakes.

[Linseylou]

I guess that makes sense! I wish people wouldn't make snakes out to be bad creatures, more deaths result in dog attacks than snake bits in the U.S per year! I also wonder why that happens with the babies, something for scientists to figure out I guess!

[Bogertophis]

In monkeys, it's actually an instinctive fear...many snakes are venomous where monkeys live, so this is important for survival, & this fear has been shown to be inborn,
not just learned socially. Doesn't matter whether or not we evolved from apes, because either way, it's interesting & relevant since we share many traits & intelligence.

For humans, we absorb an awful lot of fear just in social contacts while growing up: kids tease & scare each other, we see scary movies on TV (& get sucked in even
though greatly exaggerated) & often (speaking for myself) we may have grandparents (or other older family members) that pass along their negative feelings & fear of
snakes. Good thing some of us want more proof & don't believe everything we're "told" to. When this country was settled, snake bites from venomous snakes did
a lot more damage than in our modern world, with better medical care that's more accessible. But you can imagine being in remote locations, say in the old West, and
a rattlesnake bite would be pretty devastating; now, bites are most often the fault of the human, trying to catch or interact (show off) recklessly with snakes.

Most of the snakes in the U.S. are harmless...not all, but if you grow up some place like Australia, most are venomous. It's all about "Location location location"...
Places around the world have very deadly vipers & cobras etc.-I can understand the panic if bitten...they cannot always get good care, or quickly enough. Bites happen
to those farming, typically, not those in cities so much. And antivenin may be in short supply, or prohibitively expensive.

When I first got a pet snake, I was shocked to find out just how much subconscious junk about snakes was tucked away in my head: it came out in my dreams, even tho
I was curious but not afraid of the snake I'd been given when awake. But after about 2 weeks, those disturbing dreams disappeared. That was many years, many snakes
ago... Since then, I've done many programs with my snakes to help educate ppl about all snakes (both pets & local native wildlife) some were formal talks,
like with the rattlesnakes I used to keep (for 20 years) & many were just fun "meet & greets" where I watched with amusement to minds being changed, once people got
to meet a snake up close & even touch one of my calm & totally un-threatening snakes (& by the way, none have ever "acted up" while going public). They really do say
things like "I never expected that I would EVER touch a snake, much less actually LIKE holding one!?" and they mean it. Seeing is believing...holding is even better.

It's no fun to be afraid of things...especially if it's a serious phobia...but many people can't help it...they can't often remember when it even started. We cannot change all
minds, but every one we change helps. That means fewer ppl on the roads, deliberately running over snakes, or killing them near their house & garden for no reason.

[Cheesenugget]

I have family and friends who claimed to be fearful of snakes, but these are the same people who would ask about my snakes or curious about seeing one. So it is not like fear similar to a phobia, but more like the feeling of uncertainty so it is safer than sorry to get close one. My niece thinks they are slimy, my sister thinks my ball python will eat her, and my 3 year old nephew says yucky when I ask him if he wants to handle one. At the same time, my niece wanted to name my cornsnake, my sister still handled my ball python, and my nephew nods excitedly when I ask him would he like handle my woma. Even my brother came by the other day for an errand and just as I thought he was leaving, he asked if he can see my reptiles. My co-workers are surprised to know I keep snakes and yet they would ask about them every now and then.

Phobia of snakes do exist. But I think the majority of the time, if given the opportunity, people are curious animals and will approach. It can be a question, a glimpse or even poking gently with their eyes closed on a snake. It is still a step forward toward understanding something different than us, even if they walk away not having to love snakes and that is fine. The key is not to push your love for snakes on others and expect them to feel the same way.

[dakski]

Some people have genuine phobias that sometimes can be explained by a certain event, or events, but not always.

People tend to fear what they don't understand and many people really don't know much about, or understand much about reptiles.

I love the latter. They usually end up being curious and I have had more of these people end up touching, or even holding, one, or more, of my snakes. I usually show them from across the room to start, or a picture, and then gently help them gain confidence either quickly, or over time, depending on how I read them and how they communicate their comfort level.

The people who have genuine phobias, or are close minded about snakes, I leave alone. I NEVER scare people with snakes, or the idea of snakes, etc. Perseverating fear makes it worse. I never want to make people more afraid.

However, if there is wiggle room, I work with individual(s).

I should also mention the rational fear. I fear snakes that can hurt me and I don't know them, I haven't been told or shown their demeanor, or they are venomous. I've been bitten a two times (literally twice in 20+ years of keeping snakes) and it was way more scary than painful (both were smaller snakes, one a BP and one a boa). However, I am not desensitized enough that I don't fear a bite. Am I crazy afraid, not at all, but I am cautious, especially when feeding the boas and I do tap train/hook train my bigger snakes.

I've handled a 12 foot Burmese python, who was a dream, and my buddy uses him for presentations/shows. However, if I walked in and saw "Sunny" sitting out of his cage, and didn't know how calm he was, and how gentle, I would keep my distance! He could do damage.

I think I digressed, but my point is some fear is good, but most fear of snakes is unfounded and some is learned.

Finally, I do tell people who worry about snakes and if they bite, etc. that I love my dogs. However, A) My Shih Tzu has done more damage playing rough with me than any snake ever has and B) that doesn't mean if I see a wild coyote or wolf I am going to go pet it!

Not that snakes are ever "domesticated" like dogs, genetically, but they do get used to human contact and many are not defensive.

[Bogertophis]

...
I've handled a 12 foot Burmese python, who was a dream, and my buddy uses him for presentations/shows. However, if I walked in and saw "Sunny" sitting out of his cage, and didn't know how calm he was, and how gentle, I would keep my distance! He could do damage...

I'd be cautious about interacting with such a snake too. It's different when you don't really "know" the animal, or how it was raised...that's just a healthy precaution.

One thing I always do with my snakes is to get them "face-tame" with me. That's controversial as it has a degree of risk which I happily accept, but that way I know that my snakes aren't afraid of faces (as they naturally are)...it makes them safer to meet strangers, IMO, even though strangers won't be putting them up to their faces. I've seen snakes that clearly feared faces (presumably thinking "predator?") & knowing they can strike out in fear, I've just preferred to make my snakes "bullet-proof" for handling, & I have to say it has apparently always worked. (But I don't advise anyone to try this "at home" until you have a LOT of experience handling & reading snake's body language.)

I digressed too... but it's your fault, you started it!

[Zincubus]

I think that for many folk the image below maybe their default idea of a snake tbh




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[Tila]

One person I know states their fear is because snakes don't have any legs, and the fact that they can move without them bothers them. The other person I know who is afraid/ grossed out by them seems to have a sensory aversion to their movement. If they are still or are fake-looking (such as an animation) she is fine, but a slithering snake makes her feel nauseous.

[Zincubus]

One person I know states their fear is because snakes don't have any legs, and the fact that they can move without them bothers them. The other person I know who is afraid/ grossed out by them seems to have a sensory aversion to their movement. If they are still or are fake-looking (such as an animation) she is fine, but a slithering snake makes her feel nauseous.

My long suffering wife quite likes the look of Pythons / Boas as they have ‘heads’ ... not AS keen on the ones like Corn snakes who are just a long thin body with no noticeable head shape


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