By Amber Prinkey
It’s time to talk about the animals that don’t get much love, snakes! Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about snakes, so if you aren’t sure if you can trust these riveting reptiles, read on.
Myth #1
Snakes want to hurt us.
Not true! Think about how many times you’ve seen a snake in the wild, not too many, right? That’s because when snakes feel the vibrations from our feet, they usually move away from us. They know we are much larger than they are and there’s no way they can fit us in their tummies (this includes the invasive Burmese Python. Our shoulders are too wide for them to swallow).
Myth #2
Snakes are slimy and gross.
Not true! Snakes are reptiles which have DRY scales. Some species may look slimy, but they are not.
Myth #3
Snakes can sense our fear.
Well…. Kinda. But it’s not what you think! When some animals realize we are afraid they think there might be a reason for THEM to be afraid. This goes for humans, too! We may become scared when we see someone else is scared.
Myth #4
If I see a snake, it’s probably venomous.
Not true! Here in Florida, we’ve got about 46 different species of snakes and only 6 of them are venomous. So there’s no need to kill any snakes you see in your yard because they are probably not dangerous. Snakes do have teeth and constrictors use them to pull their prey in. But do you know how most people get hurt by snakes? When they are bothering them or trying to hurt them the animal feels like it’s being attacked will probably fight back.
Myth #5
I’ve always been afraid of snakes so I can’t change.
Not true! Fear is often a learned behavior. We see our parents or friends modeling fear of something which, again, makes us feel afraid. But the more you learn about snakes, the easier it will be to see that they DON’T want to hurt you, they are NOT slimy and gross, and you CAN change your feelings about them. Remember our last blog when we talked about owls and how important they are to keeping the balance of rodents in check? Snakes are also a vital part of that predator group, each one eating an average of 100 rodents a year. Thank you, snakes!
A non-venomous Water snake that was seen in our wetland area this Fall.