fear of snakes

[LynM]

For me it is definitely the lack of legs. I'm OK with lizards, frogs and up to the great big Komodor dragons. Silly really, isn't it?

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by LynM

For me it is definitely the lack of legs.

So what about a skink with very tiny legs?

Silly really, isn't it?

Not really, but it's a shame if it reduces your enjoyment of the natural world.

Jim

[nightshade]

I never liked snakes "A Town Like Alice" showed a young boy (running with a wooden aeroplane) being bitten by a snake, I was devastated. Growing up and wandering all over the local farmland with bows and arrows , catapults, and then air-rifles. I feared nothing and in this relaxed state of invunerability I started to enjoy what I saw this included snakes.
Snakes have a life that is interrupted by THEIR FEAR OF US.
In normal circumstances you will not see them, because they do not want your company, I have been target shooting and had them sleeping at my feet
they have absolutely no intention of harming me or you.
The Lioness did not (to the point of panic++) like Snakes or Spiders.
but as I did taking the trouble to watch and learn about these beautiful animals she is now very at home with Snakes but still (only a little bit) wary of Spiders
Look up the statistics, very few humans bitten by snakes but dogs that rush up on basking adders elicit a defence strike these are quite high
When you come down to it would you want to bite Boddie???
(of course there is no accounting for taste )

[LynM]

Crazily...little legs are better than none! Doesn't really lessen my enjoyment of the natural world....I've adapted rather well over the decades!

[marvin]

hi

my kids have been introduced to snakes early so they haven't had time to develop irrational (but understandable) fears. this is the three of them with a lovely grass snake we found last week while camping near milton keynes:





cheers
tim

[shirl]

Originally Posted by treecreeper

If you want a real scare go into the Gallery and put Tegenaria into the search box. Don't do it too close to bedtime though.

I think I will give that a miss just incase it's anything worm like, can't even look at pics in a book!

[aland]

Lovely pics marvin, you would not believe this but i was brought up with grass snakes in the forty's, My dad was a head gardener most of his life and we would spend a lot of time collecting grass snakes to keep in his green houses, huge houses, the idea was to get rid of insects, pests etc, they were aloud to escape but seemed to like the environment in there, I honestly think this is what created my fear in the beginning, we would hunt in woods for them, sorry i did not reply sooner we have had a power cut all day sunday, alan.
ps keep up the pics of snakes.

[volence]

I have two pet snakes myself, they are so placid and friendly that i have taken one of them to a nursery school several times. The adults were terrified, the kids loved it. You have to remember that they are not slimy and cold, they are warm and smooth and friendly, even the one that was treated badly, never ever bitten anyone.

Me, i have a fear of spiders, I'm terrified yet (waits for looks of disbelief) I have pet tarantulas that I can go near and hold. I decided to get a tarantula after seeing my arachnophobic dad bite the bullet and hold one when we went to a butterfly place. He then loved tarantulas and wanted one. I got myself a tiny baby tarantula ad watched it grow. sadly he died but I do have another, the tarantula of my nightmares, a mexican red knee and she is lovely.
Unfortunately I am still scared of spiders even though i like to photograph them, not well cos when they move I run. I nearly threw a £800 camera because of one I have recently become more tolerant of spiders, as long as I know where they are they dont have to be removed or killed (sorry)

Fears may seem stupid and silly and anyone who does not have a specific phobia will laugh at those who do, but fear is a survival response, we just have to try to master it