It's not "training" so much as "conditioning" it not to bite.Originally Posted by Cheesenugget
In general snakes bite for two reasons: self-defense and hunting. Through gentle handling and tap training, we are conditioning snakes to accept interaction with people as non-threatening, and we're teaching our snakes when they can expect to be fed or not.
It doesn't mean that our snakes will never bite either. They may be having a bad day, or they may get startled and lash out, but it minimizes the chance of getting nipped. For small snakes this isn't a big deal but for bigger ones it can mean an ER visit, and potentially bad press for the hobby.
Snakes can also lose teeth when they bite, leading to an abscess or mouth infection. So, discouraging a bite is also a safety factor for them.
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