Quote Originally Posted by sgath92 View Post
Everyone could make sense if a snake has been abused by humans and has learned to expect them to inflict pain.

But what if a snake reacted that way only towards some specific individual who had never done anything to "get off on the wrong foot"? If a snake hates one person for no apparent reason, and tolerates being around everyone else; surely something is responsible for the personality clash.
I have never seen a snake react differently toward a person. It could be a matter of if you are trying to hand an already stressed out snake (handling=stress) and hand them off to someone who is perhaps not as comfortable with snakes or smells of a predator (dog, cat, etc) then the snake might react defensively, but a snake isn't just going to start hissing and biting because "Hey, I don't like the way that dude looked at me. Take that, Hand!"

Snakes cannot hate. They can feel uncomfortable around someone who is less experienced in handling them. A nervous person is going to be a bit more rough and jerky, which causes the snake to stress out. If you were in a tree and suddenly the tree hands you off to a tree that kept shaking you or moving branches really close to your face, you'd be scared too.

This debate on whether or not snakes can love or hate is getting really old. Its like debating whether my dog can do algebra. Emotions are not intelligence, I understand that, but it is comparable. Reptiles lack the mental capacity to form complex emotions. Can they trust that this warm rock (you) won't move out from under him..maybe. Can they love you...no.