Anyone have an Idea...?

[Miera ElfPrincess]

Does anyone have any good myths about snakes, and if they're like horror stories, ways to prove that they are most likely false?I need material for that speech...UGH

[JLC]

Hmmmmm....

Myths:
1. Snakes are slimey
2. Snakes will chase you down
3. All snakes are "poisonous"
4. A pet snake will only grow as big as its enclosure
5. A snake's stare can hypnotize you
6. Snakes are evil

Facts:
1. Snakes are dry and range in texture like soft, fine leather to very rough
2. A snake won't chase you, they just want you to leave them alone, they're far more likely to try and run away from you and will usually only strike if cornered and unable to retreat
3. The term is "venomous" and most snakes are not
4. A snake continues to grow throughout its life, although once it reaches a certain maturity, that growth slows down tremendously. Its mature size is deteremined by its species, genetics, and diet...NOT its enclosure.
5. A small, prey-sized mammal may freeze in the hopes that a snake won't see it, but is not hypnotized by the stare. Any affect a snake's stare has on a human is based purely on individual fears and emotional states and has nothing to do with the snake's mystical abilitites.
6. Snakes are simply animals and are not capable of being either good or evil. They do, however, serve a critical role in the world's ecosystems.

.....just off the top of my head...

[starmom]

Be careful with Number 6 as people are simply animals too and are capable of good and.... well.... not so good behavioral choices. Brain anatomy and physiology is involved in the differences between snake animals and people animals

[JLC]

Be careful with Number 6 as people are simply animals too....

Well, that is certainly a matter of one's philosophical point of view, I guess.

But perhaps a better phrase would be "Snake's are simple animals....."

[Jyson]

Hmmmmm....

Myths:
1. Snakes are slimey
2. Snakes will chase you down
3. All snakes are "poisonous"
4. A pet snake will only grow as big as its enclosure
5. A snake's stare can hypnotize you
6. Snakes are evil

Facts:
1. Snakes are dry and range in texture like soft, fine leather to very rough
2. A snake won't chase you, they just want you to leave them alone, they're far more likely to try and run away from you and will usually only strike if cornered and unable to retreat
3. The term is "venomous" and most snakes are not
4. A snake continues to grow throughout its life, although once it reaches a certain maturity, that growth slows down tremendously. Its mature size is deteremined by its species, genetics, and diet...NOT its enclosure.
5. A small, prey-sized mammal may freeze in the hopes that a snake won't see it, but is not hypnotized by the stare. Any affect a snake's stare has on a human is based purely on individual fears and emotional states and has nothing to do with the snake's mystical abilitites.
6. Snakes are simply animals and are not capable of being either good or evil. They do, however, serve a critical role in the world's ecosystems.

.....just off the top of my head...

Nice put.
I would like to also add a myth or two to this list that I have heard from people before.
Additional Myths
7. All snakes can wrap around your neck and kill you.
And here are some other facts:
7. Some species of snakes will actually chase you, even when they are not disturbed, however this only applies to a few species, very few. Dont ask because I forgot the name of the species, I think one of them was a eastern brown snake, and there is another in Africa, both vemonous.

[anatess]

Not really a myth... just some facts.

The irrational fear of snakes may have come from the book of Genesis where the devil is signified by a serpent. The Catholics have an image of the Virgin Mary crushing the head of the serpent (used to symbolize evil and death) while the serpent strikes at her heel. From this depiction, comes all the hollywood movies (Indiana Jones, etc.) that villifies the snake. It plays on the already-established negative emotion invoked by the presence of snakes that makes a movie connect with the audience's fear without having to set it up too much. So, you want to make a horror movie, put a snake in - instant fear. No need to spend precious time setting up a scene to invoke the emotion.

A month ago, I was one of those with the irrational fear of snakes. My young sons are followers of Bindi the Jungle Girl (ever since she guest starred in the Wiggles) and she has a pet corn snake in her room. So, they've always wanted a snake as well. My husband has wanted a snake for years and years. Finally, last month, I said okay to the snake... and we now have 2bp's. And I have to say, I spend more time with those snakes than all of them do! Love at first sight!

[Miera ElfPrincess]

Thanks for all the marvelous info! I'll be sure to use it, but I have to do a bibliography, but I can just say "anonymous users of..." etc.

natch M.EP

[Neal]

your forgetting about the copper head, not sure if its all species or maybe just the one i encountered, but it surely did come at me as i was backing up. another myth is anacondas are not the longest snakes, which most people seem to think. then another myth is i forgot it atm, but its on the top of my head ill repost when i remember it.

[Miera ElfPrincess]

Cool! Try to remember it...I'm trying to compile all the info I can, so I can choose the most pertinent to what I've chosen for my speech. natch M.EP

[spix14]

You may want to bring up some popular snake movies (i.e. Anaconda, Snakes on a Plane) and talk about the differences between how real snakes act and how movie snakes act. Since a lot of people tend to think the crziness snakes pull in those movies is actually what they really do.