I tried posting this under general herps, but got no response. Let's see if anyone here would like to take a stab at it.
How acute is a snake’s sense of "smell"?
You may already know that in humans when the "flight or fight" reaction is triggered, adrenalin is produced. But what many people may not know is that this hormone is also released through the webbing in between the fingers. This is why people who are afraid of dogs sometimes become bitten when offering a hand as a gesture of friendship.
So can a snake sense this in the same manner? If so does it stress the snake or possibly trigger a defensive reaction?