Quote Originally Posted by Xanadu View Post
Congrats on your new girl! I personally think they can tell if you are uncomfortable. I have seen mine held by someone who was scared and he in turn was more on the alert. Once he was given back to me he calmed down. that also raises a question of "do they know who their "mommy" is??" but in any case, its totally normal for you and she to be skiddish in the begining but once she gets settled and you get used to her things should be alright i think.
The reason animals can smell fear is because when we are scared or uneasy we release certain pheromones and that is what the animals are detecting. Snakes can probably feel the elevated hearbeat as well...