Funny things people have told you about snakes.

[John1982]

A painter I was working with some years back told me about his encounter with a "moccasin". After getting chased around the barn for a good bit this man finally took refuge up a ladder. The snake then proceeded to stand on the tip of its tail and repeatedly strike from this remarkable position. Luckily for the painter, he was just out of reach and the snake eventually lost interest.

[redshepherd]

A painter I was working with some years back told me about his encounter with a "moccasin". After getting chased around the barn for a good bit this man finally took refuge up a ladder. The snake then proceeded to stand on the tip of its tail and repeatedly strike from this remarkable position. Luckily for the painter, he was just out of reach and the snake eventually lost interest.

LOL!
The lengths people will go with tall tales to make snakes look like magical cartoon villains.

[AbsoluteApril]

Great stories!
I've heard the same 'they poop?!' surprise quite a few times which is always pretty funny.
When co-workers find out about breeding I usually get questions about how long do they stay with the mother and how does the mother feed them?

The silly questions are some of my favorites because it's a great opportunity to engage and educate others. Seeing the automatic fear response some of them have turn into genuine curiosity is great, feel like I'm hosting a nature show sometimes.

[redshepherd]

When co-workers find out about breeding I usually get questions about how long do they stay with the mother and how does the mother feed them?

The silly questions are some of my favorites because it's a great opportunity to engage and educate others. Seeing the automatic fear response some of them have turn into genuine curiosity is great, feel like I'm hosting a nature show sometimes.

It's pretty funny that their first thought is the mother takes care of their young! Most people I've met think that snakes are completely "cold/heartless" so they just lay eggs and leave them to incubate on their own LOL.

Same, sometimes it's fun to help educate. Until they get tired of hearing me ramble.

[mdb730]

Do I ever have the most ridiculous snake story ever, I still can't believe someone would tell me this with a straight face and actually seem concerned.

My wife and I recently had our first child and of course everyone that knows me knows I love Lizards and Snakes. A few months prior to his birth at the baby shower a concerned friend of my mother in law pulled us aside to give us a warning about snakes. There I was expected to hear the usual about how dangerous they are and how they can eat babies. Nope!!! boy was I in for a treat, she told us that she had heard stories about snakes that are responsible for the malnutrition of babies. According to these stories snakes love breast milk so they enter homes with a sleepy breast feeding mother at night and latch on to the mother's breast. These conniving snakes would then put the tip of their tail in the babies mouth to keep the baby happy suckling and the sleepy mother unaware the snake was breast feeding .This was the only time I didn't bother to explain how harmless BPs are or try to dispel a misconception.

[redshepherd]

Do I ever have the most ridiculous snake story ever, I still can't believe someone would tell me this with a straight face and actually seem concerned.

My wife and I recently had our first child and of course everyone that knows me knows I love Lizards and Snakes. A few months prior to his birth at the baby shower a concerned friend of my mother in law pulled us aside to give us a warning about snakes. There I was expected to hear the usual about how dangerous they are and how they can eat babies. Nope!!! boy was I in for a treat, she told us that she had heard stories about snakes that are responsible for the malnutrition of babies. According to these stories snakes love breast milk so they enter homes with a sleepy breast feeding mother at night and latch on to the mother's breast. These conniving snakes would then put the tip of their tail in the babies mouth to keep the baby happy suckling and the sleepy mother unaware the snake was breast feeding .This was the only time I didn't bother to explain how harmless BPs are or try to dispel a misconception.

What in the holy heckin world....

[mom_of_bananachip]

Okay, here is one that I get a lot. Once maybe, but a couple of times? COME ON!

One of my students had our beardie on his shoulder, and another student with two students in her hand. We were on our way to a presentation. One of my fellow colleague asked, "ARE THEY REAL?" (mind you, the BPs and beardie ARE moving)

And then, she proceeded to express her INTENSE dislike of reptiles, and follows up with the question, "I want to touch it. Can I touch it?"

I proceed to ask my colleague WHY she would want to touch something she claims she intensely dislike. She had no answer.

I really think people have curiosity of the unknown confused with "dislike".

[redshepherd]

I really think people have curiosity of the unknown confused with "dislike".

This is so true! Otherwise they have "does not know" confused with "dislike/fear". I've learned that it's crazy how much people don't understand about themselves.

[John1982]

According to these stories snakes love breast milk so they enter homes with a sleepy breast feeding mother at night and latch on to the mother's breast. These conniving snakes would then put the tip of their tail in the babies mouth to keep the baby happy suckling and the sleepy mother unaware the snake was breast feeding .This was the only time I didn't bother to explain how harmless BPs are or try to dispel a misconception.

How else did you think they came up with the "milk snake" moniker?

[redshepherd]

How else did you think they came up with the "milk snake" moniker?

O...M...G.

so that's what it is.