What's the best way to get over fear of snakes!

[Christina]

i'm so glad that you picked up dakota! you're making great progress! i'm so proud of you for getting over your fear and i'm sure you feel very good about yourself for doing so!

[MelissaFlipski]

Yes, please let us know when you do it again! We are all addicted to this thread!!!!

And we are all proud of you!

[Stetle49]

As you have openly admitted to your fears, do you have any suggestions to other people that are also afraid of snakes? I am not myself but I have a few friends that when I mention I have snakes act as if their own skin is crawling. I will tell you it is not easy getting them to come over when they know you have snakes lol

[cheryls]

Well...first, it takes a long time. This is not a quick overcoming of the fear! I think if I had someone here who was willing to handle Dakota and help me out, it would be much easier. But, I've had to learn to understand his moods via this website. I've tried to develop a routine of petting him nightly. I believe that he'll get used to me that way. But, tonight for example, when I pet him, he went into the "s" curve. Now I know from this website, that he might be pissed off. So, I picked him up gently and moved his head close to a hide. When he put his head into the hide, he seemed to relax.

But, it's been two months or more and I still can't bring myself to actually taking him out of his enclosure and holding him "for real". On the other hand, when I come home from work at night - I go into his room and talk to him. He always pokes his head out and although I know he can't hear me, I believe he knows my vibrations. I could be crazy, of course, but the more I believe I know Dakota, the more comfortable I feel.

And frankly - at the risk of being crucified on this website - I used to hope that Dakota would escape into the world, or not be in this house. Now, I'm obsessed with making sure he's healthy and, yes, I believe I love this creature. He's addicting in a strange sort of way.

I guess I'm one of those people who had to learn to love a snake. If not for this website, I'm not sure it would have happened!

Cheryl

[cheryls]

One other thing - from my long winded self - I used to find snakes hideous. Now, I find them beautiful...their colors, size, and ability to survive are just amazing. I love to watch Dakota eat, shedding their skin, their ability to survive in a tank. It's an amazing feat of nature. I'm truly impressed.

I could never keep fish (they always died) but I'm becoming an expert at keeping a truly fabulous snake!

[MelissaFlipski]

Cheryl, I love your mention of obsession. Amazing! All the rest of us (mostly) on this website are totally obsessed. But you started with fear and are growing into the addiction that keeping a BP can be! Congrats! I am sure that, somehow, between you and your daughter, there will be two snakes some day - one for each of you.

[cheryls]

Two snakes! One never knows. So last night, I was talking with Dakota and handling him in my own way - and he pooped a huge one! Now that was a new sight for me! I can't believe how big it was!

[Sunny1]

Well, at least it didn't poop on ya!! LOL I am glad that you are making progress with Dakota!! And I think that even with you talking, being near, and petting/touching him it is helping him get used to you, so it is all baby steps!! I have full faith that you will get to the point where you will be able to just reach in, pick him up, and not think twice about being able to do it!! But from just reading one of your recent posts, you have already come a LONG way!! To go from not liking snakes (wanting Dakota to not be in your house), to becoming obsessed with him and even thinking that you may possibly love this snake.....that's really wonderful!! And sometimes it does take awhile to overcome your fears, I really wish that there was someone close to you that could help you out, but sometimes you just have to not think about it and just do it as well!! But like Melissa says, we are all proud of you!! Just keep up with it!! You are doing awesome!!

[MelissaFlipski]

Cheryl, why don't you do a thread called, "Who lives in/near Northford, CT and wants to meet for dinner?" Then you can meet other BP.netters in your area. That would be a nice local support group. And someone may be willing to hold Dakota for you while you pet him, etc.

Just a thought. Go with your husband or a friend (not alone) if you do something like that. To be safe.

Or try going to a local reptile show. After seeing thousands of snakes, Dakota will be easy!

[cheryls]

Actually, I've started to pick him up. The last two nights we spent about 5-10 minutes together with me holding him. Once I pick him up, though, he just seems intent on getting away from me and that makes me a bit nervous. Last night I was quite proud of the fact that I had him out of the tank and he curled around my hand and wrist. I'm assuming that's pretty normal, right? Tonight though, when I went to pick him up, he hooked his tail on his log and would not give in, so I put him back and let him be - also, I didn't really know how to get his tail off the log. Do you think I should sit down with him? Put him on my lap or something? I'm not sure what the next steps are!

I do like the idea of meeting someone involved, although I'm trying to do that through word of mouth. I figure eventually I'll meet someone with snakes!