In a list of the world’s most common phobias ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, is most often found in the top three to five. In this article fear is used to denote an unhealthy, unnatural reaction as opposed to a “healthy respect”. For example you should respect a 20 foot long, 250 pound snake. That’s different than fearing it.

What causes us to fear snakes?

There are a few things that make people afraid of snakes. In most people it seems to be a combination of these things.

Lack of knowledge

Most people simply don’t know the first thing about snakes. When you don’t understand something it is very common to fear it.

Social conditioning

Most kids are taught by their parents and other adults from the earliest ages that snakes are “evil” or in some other way dangerous. The other day I watched a group of grown men pummel a completely harmless garter snake to death all the while telling the kids how dangerous snakes are. Those children are going to remember that their dad and his friends had to kill a snake because it was so dangerous.

Misunderstanding of religion

This isn’t the place for deep theological debates, but a misreading of Biblical scriptures is often to blame for our fear of snakes.

By no means is this an exhaustive list of why people fear snakes, but this is some of the more common reasons.

How can the fear of snakes be overcome?

This is not meant to be medical advise. If you or a loved one has a fear of snakes that is really bad (you’ll need to judge that for yourself) then seek professional intervention from a local specialist in your area!

Get educated

As mentioned before the lack of knowledge is a big reason why people fear snakes. The more we know about something the less we tend to fear it. This is true of snakes as well. Learn what you can about them.

A lot of people are disturbed by their flicking tongues, but when people learn that they “taste” scents in the air by collecting microscopic particles and placing them in the Jacobson (vomeronasal) Organ that aspect of snake’s doesn’t seem quite so “strange”.

Another common misunderstanding is how something with no legs can move. It comes down to extraordinary muscle control. Snakes move by manipulating their muscles in such a way that it would put the greatest belly dancer’s to shame.

There are literally hundreds of examples of various characteristics people fear when it comes to snakes. Each one of them has a sound, normal explanation if you just take the time to look into it.

Spend time around snakes

Obviously if your state is such that you can’t even be near them this wouldn’t be a good idea to begin with, but if you are able to just simply watch a snake that is secured it will help to overcome your anxiety. Having a knowledgable person on hand to answer questions about it will go a long ways as well.

One thing to keep in mind is that generally snakes are pretty mellow creatures so you probably won’t see them doing much at all. In fact aside from when they need to thermoregulate their body temperature you might not even see the snake move.

Take it slow

You weren’t born fearing snakes it took time to build up that fear. It will take time getting rid of it as well. I can’t overemphasis the importance of professional counseling in dealing with any phobia if it is so bad that it poses a hazard to yourself or others.

If you truly want to be free of your unnecessary fear of snakes you can get there as long as you put in the effort.

Fearing snakes is not natural and it certainly isn’t healthy. Getting over the fear can take time, but it is very doable.

Pet snakes being released into the wild is quickly become a major problem in the United States. The Florida Everglades have become synonymous with the dumping of large snakes such as Reticulated pythons and Burmese pythons. Releasing these non-native species into the wild damages the eco-system and promotes irresponsible ownership. In this article we’ll explore the following:

• Why it happens
• Where it happens
• What can be done about it

Reasons snakes are released into the wild

There are any number of reasons that people will release their pet into the wild. The first reason is simply that the snake has grown to large. What started out as a cute 1.5 foot burmese python has over the course of about two years grown to be close to 10 feet of pure muscle. When this happens a few things become evident to some snake owners:

• It is too large to properly house
• It has become too expensive to feed
• It is too dangerous to handle without help

Another reason snakes will often be released is due to a change in the owner’s living situation. Finding a place to live that allows snakes is a difficult task at best (if you tell people you have snakes) and it becomes almost impossible when you try to explain to a prospective landlord that you need three bedrooms because your snake needs a place to live too. A move could be brought on for economic or practical reasons. It’s probably not something you had planned when you got the snake. Even so that doesn’t absolve you of your responsibility to handle the situation correctly.

A health issue is another reason for needing to give up your snake. Sometimes even taking care of snakes (an incredibly simple process) can be too much if we are suffering from poor health. This is one of those situation where you don’t have control over what happens to you, but you should make it your priority to find proper housing for your pet snakes and not just release them into the wild where they will likely die.

Places that people release snakes

Earlier I mentioned the Everglades but truth is that people release snakes all over the place. Just in the past few weeks two pythons have been found in the state of Maine. It’s fairly temperate this time of year, but absolutely freezing in the winter. Snakes released in Florida will probably live due to the climate. Those released in places like Maine are on a death row of sorts.

The vast majority of snakes that get released are the “giants” and those snakes are from more tropical climates. They simply aren’t built to survive winter in the more temperate northern states. When people release them in the south the snake is better able to adapt to it’s environment and live.

5 things that can be done about the problem

1. Turn the snake into a rescue shelter or offer it too a zoo
2. Give it away to someone who is capable of housing it
3. Avoid impulsive purchases
4. Discuss with the breeder you bought the animal from the chance of returning it to them
5. Educate other you know about the dangers of releasing snakes into the wild

This article will help explain how to keep snakes away from your home. We at Pet-Snakes recognize that not everyone is a fan of snakes and some people would much rather keep them away than have them as pets. In order to serve our readers better we’ve decided to write this article to help those who want to effectively control them to do so.

The impact of getting rid of snakes

It is important to realize that snakes play an important role in the ecosystem and they, just like everything else have a purpose. When you remove them you are impacting a delicate balance. For example I once lived on a large wooded property (over 80 acres) and we had abundant snakes. One year my dad decided to start killing off all of the garter snakes he could find. I don’t know his reasoning, but I do know the result. We were overrun with frogs and salamanders. The snakes had been keeping the amphibians populations under control. I remember early the next spring my dad handed me a 5 gallon bucket and dropped me off near a lake and told me to fill it with garter snakes so we could put them back on our property. So before you start a campaign against snakes in your area consider the impact it will have on you. For instance keep snakes away could be inviting rodents in.

Get rid of cover and hiding areas to keep snakes away

Snakes are often found lying around in certain types of areas. By taking those areas away you will force a snake to seek a different place to hang out. Some of those areas include -

• Tall grass
• Boards, logs, sheet metal, etc that they can crawl under
• Brush and shrubs
• Wood and rock piles

You also want to take care to eliminate their access to other areas they might find appealing such as under your deck or under your home’s foundation. A snake basically has three very simple functions. It hunts, it kills and eats, and it rests. It repeats that cycle throughout the entire course of its life. By taking away the things mentioned above you severely impact the snake’s ability to rest which is the most important of all the things it does.

Get rid of the source of food a snake depends on

The reason snakes are attracted to your house and the surrounding areas is because there is an abundant food source. If you want to get rid of the snakes the single most effective way is to do so is to get rid of there food source. The less they have to eat the less they will come around your home. Rats, mice, frogs, lizards, and other such critters are a main staple of a snake’s diet. Controlling their presence will by proxy help to keep snakes away from your home.

Some methods that don’t work to keep snakes away

There are a lot of wives tales out there about ways to keep snakes away. Unfortunately they don’t usually work and for the most part you waste your time and money. The exception is that something doing some of these things will reduce the food a snake has and it will cause their numbers to dwindle. Some of the more popular methods that don’t work are -

• Roping off the affected area with hemp rope
• Spreading mothballs around the affected area
• Flooding snake dens
• Spreading gas or diesel around
• Commercial products such as “Snake-Away”
• Sulfur powder

The primary problem with these methods of snake control is that they require constant refreshing. The odors (which may or may not keep snakes away) become less and less potent as time goes on. A flooded den quickly dries out and becomes a haven for snakes once again. Not to mention you’ll have to live with a yard or house that stinks of sulfur, gas, and mothballs. Personally I’d rather deal with a snake here and there than to have to inhale those toxins 24/7 in order to keep away a few snakes

One final method to get rid of your snake problem

I would be remiss if I did not mention a final method of getting rid of snakes around your home. That is simply to have someone come and collect them. You’d be surprised how effectively a skilled, and knowledgeable person can be when it comes to collecting snakes and relocating them to another area far removed from your home and yard. Many times you can find a person at a local herpatological clubs that is willing to remove them at no fee to you. Whereas an exterminator is willing to come in and kill them but it’s going to cost you a lot of money.

Renting with any animal is difficult, but when you are trying to rent with a snake it becomes even worse. Here are a few tips to help find a place to live for both yourself and your scaled friend.

Don’t waste time looking in the wrong place

For some reason people love to call prospective landlords or rental management agencies and try to convince them to change their minds about the “no pets allowed” policy. Complete waste of time and effort. The first group that you should weed out are those people. Cross them off your list and put them aside. If you get really desperate you can always go back to them later.

Be honest about your snakes

Don’t try to hide your pet snake from them when you apply to rent their property. Tell them about it and give as many details as you can. Don’t lie and hope they don’t know enough. If you’ve got a 10 foot Reticulated Python tell them. They’ll find out sooner or later anyhow so might as well be up front about it. Sure there will be people who will turn you away simply because it is a snake and how large it is doesn’t matter. If they’ll turn you away because of what kind of an animal it is don’t think for a second they won’t evict you if they catch you with something you didn’t disclose.

Show them how knowledgeable you are

One thing that goes a long ways towards alleviating a landlord’s unease about moving into their property with a snake (or any animal) is that you display how much you know about it. Not just your snakes, but snakes in general. The more people know about things the less frightening they are. At the end of the day you want your landlord to view your snakes like you do. As a valued member of your family. Present them as such.

Know when to move on

Sometimes you just aren’t going to get into that rental you’ve been wanting for no reason other than you have a snake. Cross it off the list and move on to the next one. Don’t fret, don’t even think about it. You’ll find another place at least as good, probably better for yourself and your snake.

This is the second of a two part interview I conducted via Email with Brian Barczyk, owner of BHB Reptiles. Part one can be found over at the ReptileGeeks.com blog page. Be sure to stop by Brian’s podcast site, SnakeBytes.tv and have a look at some excellent video footage he and his crew have shot of their operations!

Do you have a particular snake you would call a “pet”?

I have about 500 that I would call my pets.lol Really I think I have a couple Ball Pythons, a Hypo nile Monitor and a Rock Python that I don’t even think of breeding, they are just my pets. I love them all, but those are the ones that are just my personal pets.

Hmm… I wonder if this is Brian’s “pet” monitor at the end of this video?

Which incidentally reminds me I’m look for a monitor or a tegu. Any advice out there for me?

How do neighbors react to your business?

We really keep to ourselves here. My direct next door Neighbor knows what we do here and he’s great about it. I really haven’t ever talked to my other neighbors about what we do. When you drive by our building you would never know what we do. That’s the way I like it, you just don’t need a mob running to the city about kicking you out.

Absolutely and with the way that people tend to react to snakes and other reptiles low key is just common sense. Loud and proud isn’t always a good idea.

What are three things that you’ve been surprised to see change over the years in regards to keeping snakes as pets?

I think one is the popularity of reptiles. To see them in so many commercials and being kept by so many households. I just never thought it would grow like it has. Second would be how large a company like ours has grown. I just never thought it would be possible twenty years ago to produce the number of animals that we do and still sell them, it’s really mind blowing. And third is the color mutations in all the species. When I started albino Corns and Snow Corns were the big thing. There was hardly any mutations at all, not there are hundreds to choose from.

I wonder if the popularity of reptiles has degraded their quality or is it too much of a hassle for most of the “fly-by-night” people to get involved with? I believe Brian’s business has grown due in large part to how he conducts himself. His passion for his snakes shines through in everything he does and it’s hard not to want to do business with a guy like that. As far as morphs go I’m in agreement. It’s amazing how many different looks that one kind of snake can take on via breeders manipulating the genetics by breeding to bring out certain traits.

How many staff do you employ not counting direct family?

We have eight full time employees. We could probably use more:)

I’ve got someone who’d like to work for you Brian.

Impressive, I am of brazil, all that is forbidden here, I want to work with you? please, work for free, I do not have to pay money, so me of food and water, and place to sleep please …….. …. - Tiliquaskinks (a comment on the monitor video above).

Of course I’m always available, but I’m afraid I don’t do free (at least not on a consistent basis)

Would you do it all over again?

In a second, I love what I do as much now as I did twenty years ago. I always say that the day that I don’t get excited about hatching the cheapest snake I have will be the day I get out of the business.

I doubt anyone can argue with logic like this!

Do you or have you worked with venomous species?

No, I love to look at them an I think there’s a place for them in the industry. I just get bit way too much. I know it wouldn’t be right for me.

I don’t blame you Brian! Getting bit would be no fun at all!

Do you have a formal education in biology, or zoology or a similar area?

I went to colledge for Biology, figuring that I would get my Herp degree. By time I was in my second year I realized that this was the way I wanted to go with my life. I think I made the right decision:)

From the looks and sounds of it you certainly made the right decision Brian. If not there’s always night school!

Biggest regret in the past 12 months regarding a business decision?

I really never regret business decisions. I make a lot of good decisions and of course I make a lot of really bad ones. You have to just put them behind and hope that the good outweighs the bad. I like the quote ” often wrong, never in doubt”.

Great quote I’ll have to keep that in mind. I’m sure I can find a use for it about 50,000 times a day.

Would you recommend breeding snakes to others as a business (or even a hobby)?

Of course I would! If I didn’t believe in what I do, I wouldn’t do it. It’s been so rewarding for me and my family. I wish everyone could share my life. The only advise I would give is to have passion for it. You have to love it with everything to be really good at it.

Excellent advice summed up in one word here. Passion. Without passion for a business like this you’ll quickly go under.

What is the main question I should have asked but didn’t?

What was the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you as a reptile breeder?

I would answer that the day I hatched my first Pied Bald Ball Python was probably the coolest thing that I can remember. They had just been proven out by Pete Kahl a few weeks earlier and I had a ton of money into this project. This was not only a huge investmet, but a picture I saw of a Pied years before is what got me so excited about Ball Pythons. I remember the very moment that I cut the egg and saw the one and only Pied I produced that year. It was such an incredible feeling!! I’ve had a lot of great stuff happen since, but that one probably still is my most exciting moment.

Excellent question and even better answer. That’s why it’s always good to let someone you are interviewing ask themselves a question!

Once again I’d like to thank Brian for taking the time to fill out the interview questions for me! I encourage anyone considering a new snake to at least contact Brian and see what he has to offer! Thanks for reading!

With the holiday season in full swing you might be tempted to get your kid a pet snake as a gift. Many well meaning parents will get their children a baby ball python, or Corn Snake with the expectation that it will help the child learn responsibility and educate them about snakes.

As well intentioned as you might be we at Pet-Snakes.com encourage you to carefully consider what you are going to do BEFORE you do it. In a previous article about the 3 traits of a good snake owner some important things to look for in a potential snake owner were discussed. In this article we are going to take a look at the person who you are considering giving the snake to.

Is it a passing fancy?

Almost all kids want a pet of some kind. Little boys are masters at manipulating unsuspecting mothers into getting them a snake. I myself have done exactly that in the past and the snake paid for it. Obviously you are going to be the best judge of your child and the one to know if it is just a phase they are going through. Sit them down and have a serious talk with them about the responsibilities of snake ownership.

Some key questions to ask the potential new snake owner are:

1. Why do you want a snake?
2. How will you take care of it?
3. Are you willing to feed it mice and rats?
4. Will you handle it for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 days so it doesn’t become aggressive?

You as a parent or guardian of a young child know the answers to those questions better than the child does, but it never hurts to ask. There’s one question you should ask yourself - When my kid gets tired of this snake am I willing to become a surrogate owner for the next 10, 15, 20, or 30 years? Getting a snake is a lot easier than getting rid of a snake.

Are they capable?

If you’ve gotten satisfactory answers to the above questions it is time to decide if they are really capable of taking care of a living animal. Some people think of snakes as something you just toss some food in with once a week and that’s all. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pet snakes, like any other pet require daily interaction with people. Moreso than other pets because a snake that isn’t handled will become fearful of people and aggressive. If your child is only capable of handling a few seconds a day of responsibility get them a gold fish.

All animals require a certain level of responsibility when it comes to their care, but snakes are a whole different ball game. A snake requires exacting temperatures, and humidity levels. They often will refuse to eat at all and rarely ever on your terms. Everyday they present new challenges and the person you are going to give the snake to must be capable of meeting those challenges. Financially they can be a burden. Remember the initial cost of the snake might only be $30 or $40 but the upkeep can be incredible. You’ll need a tank/tub, under the tank heaters, hides, substrate, to name just a few things you’ll need to purchase. Then you’ll need to get into thermostats, forceps, frozen rats/mice (perhaps even pigs), and whatever else you might need.

If the person is capable you then need to start considering other people who will have to deal with the snake as well. Sometimes they are the most important people to consider.

Other people

A while back I met a man and a woman and they told me a story about how they nearly got divorced and only managed to stay together by hours and hours of marriage counseling. I didn’t get the details of everything but basically the wife had always had snakes as a child and she had hinted around to a friend of hers that she was thinking of getting another one. The husband was away on business and one day the wife was surprised by her friend who had bought her a corn snake. They set it up in the bedroom (beautiful setup judging by the pictures I saw) right next to the bed. She had it for about a week and one day she was at work when her husband got home. There’s no need to bore you with the details but it turns out he hates snakes.

The friend who got the snake who doing a kind deed for the woman, but she neglected to speak with the husband which caused a great deal of strife. So before you get a snake for someone else sit down and talk with everyone who will be involved. If someone is dead-set against the idea don’t get the snake. You’ll only cause problems.

You’re getting the snake

If it turns out that everything falls into place it’s great that you are going to get the snake for the person. Like a puppy, or kitten, or any other animal you should set the budget and then let the person who it is being given to pick it out. Trust me they’ll be just as happy knowing about it as they would be if you just surprised them with an entire setup. Most snake people are pretty particular about their setups and that is true even of the newer herpers.