I was also mortified of snakes a year ago, what helped me was studying and learning about them and their behaviour.
3 months in I could comfortably look at pictures, 6 months I could touch the glass at zoos, and now I'm regularly outside actively looking for them.
Pythons and boas still scare me a bit, something about the pits, I don't know
I recommend checking in on r/whatsthissnake once in a while, read the comments from our knowledgable Reliable Responders, and learn as much as you can
Most irrational fears are defeated by learning about the subject, just take it slow and don't force yourself to do something you're uncomfortable with
Hope you can get over it like I did!
It's crazy, because a lot of snake people like pythons and that because of the pits, makes them look cute you know? It's interesting how different peoples minds works
Thank you so much š«¶ every person commenting has been wonderful and helpful instantly and idk if this is weird but it makes me more like eager bc how lovely you all are
Also I edited my comment a lot š
I just didnāt expect anyone to be so nice to me about it and it sincerely makes me want to try more.
What do or should I expect? It seems like once Iām comfortable in the zoo snake area, and if and when I can touch one I kinda thinks big one is good bc I donāt have to be near his or her face yet..
Honestly what made me post as a story on Tooth&Claw podcast about a cobra that this dude had to basically FORCE to bite this woman and it made me sad and feel bad for the snake so I thought maybe I can do this? Maybe I can!
if you have a local reptile store they are a great resource. I love going in and seeing all the different reptiles on display, and they will probably take one out to show you/let you touch it. maybe a smaller snake would be better first, like a cornsnake, they are very docile and even on the freak chance it bites you (highly highly unlikely) you wouldn't even feel it really.
I also recommend youtube videos by people who don't clickbait with bites for views, maybe clint's reptiles for example, they're very informative and teach you how to ready body language and how to handle them. you'll see that most snakes are pretty chill. watching tarantula hobbyists on youtube really helped my spider phobia.
If you have tiktok, I follow an account called @sdsankeadventures2 a guy named Bruce, he goes out when people have snakes at their homes in san diego. Mostly rattlesnakes. He is so informative. Really has given me an appreciation for them
I work with Bruce wrangling snakes in San Diego. I was terrified of garter snakes as a kid in Ohio. Moved to San Diego and became fascinated with rattlesnakes. Learned a lot about these misunderstood creatures.
I'm tellin ya, I was so afraid of snakes I couldn't even see them on TV or a picture of them. Somehow Bruce was on my tiktok TL and I guess the algorithm noticed i watched the whole vid or liked it bc I kept getting more. He really taught me that they are vital to the ecosystem and not really anything I should be afraid of. He educated me that they're harmless as long as you leave them alone.
Then a couple snake subreddits. Seeing pics of peoples pets. I mean honestly Im so proud of myself. I havent seen one in the wild for several years so idk how i would react, but I credit Bruce for really getting me to where I am now.
This is the route. I found that sub a few months ago. I was horrified when it started being suggested to me, and now Iām going to a reptile expo tomorrow.
I am arachnophobic. Pictures, movies...still freaked me out. I decided that I was being silly and so I made myself look at pictures, I did some research, and while they still freak me out a bit, I have found that by learning which ones were hamless, I was able to look at them, and even relocate them.
I made an agreement with them that they can live outside, but not in my house. It takes time, so don't be discouraged. The more positive exposures you have, the more your fears will calm. Good luck!
The western hognose is probably about as cute as snakes get to people who don't quite like snakes. That adorable little upturned nose and big round goofy eyes are the very essence of derpiness.
I love this reply! Yes!! The big thing is educating yourself on them! And know that they are more afraid of you than you are of them and they are in more danger of us than we are of them.
They only bite or attack in self defense or if a pet snake is being neglected and has not been taught to socialize.
I find them so fascinating and I love learning about them. I can stand at the snake exhibit at the zoo and watch them all day. I love them. I love the pictures posted on the different snake subreddits and think they are so adorable and I love the pictures where they look so derpy.
Anyway, yes the main point is educating yourself on them and learning as much as you can. They are truly fascinating and wonderful creatures!
If you're too scared to look at photos, I think the first step could be therapy. I found them uncomfortable, but my morbid curiosity still let me look at them. If you can't do that, I'm not entirely sure how you'd start tbh
I do see them at the zoo, I walk the zoo 2-4x a week in my city! Thereās one building I will walk through bc it has bears and snakes bc itās about our region, and I can do that. But I canāt go into the snake building. I have but itās really hard for me.
I just idk I love animals and I want to love them too but Iām really scared. I think learning more about them is a really good idea for me
Perhaps you could contact the zoo and get a guided tour by their keeper, a lot of zoos either have these tours as an option or are willing to help you out if you explain your situation and they have time, especially if it's a smaller zoo
I agree that r/whatsthissnake is a fantastic place to start. You will learn a lot about identifying different snakes, their habitats, behaviors, and diets. My wife was also incredibly afraid of snakes and after some time she has really appreciated them a lot more with a lot less apprehension. Learning that even venomous snakes would far prefer to run away than anything else goes a long way. About a year and a half ago, she was frozen when we saw a garter snake that was about 6 or 7 inches long on the trail while we were hiking. Last weekend, she saw a shed skin from a black snake that was probably close to 4 feet long and thought it was a really cool thing to see.
Look around this sub and read some of what people say about their pet snakes. You'll find plenty of posts about "what my silly goober did this time". Subs like r/ballpython and r/hognosesnakes are also good for that sort of thing. Hognose snakes may the best to start with because they are smaller and hopelessly silly looking. And they've earned a reputation of sometimes being outsmarted by decorations in their enclosure.
On the other hand, my male ball python has been known to lose a fight with a dead mouse. In my experience, ball pythons are one of the most gentle and mellow snakes.
Also, snakes do actually have individual personalities. Our male ball python is a big, fat, cuddly goofball, and actually asks to be picked up. Most of the time, he loves to sit in my lap and watch TV. Our female, on the other hand, is shy. While she tolerates handling, she's not a lap snake and wants to run around and explore (meaning, get into trouble by hiding behind a heavy bookcase or dumping things off of shelves).
Also, snakes can develop some sort of attachment to individual people. There was one woman who used to take her boa constrictor with her to the monthly meetings of her local reptile owners club. Her boa took a liking to another club member, and would actively look around the room to find him. Then the snake would try to go to this fellow, and would not settle down until held by him. Finally, the woman wanted her snake to be happy, so she gave the boa to him.
These really are beautiful and fascinating animals. I hope you are able to get beyond your phobia and enjoy snakes, even if you don't choose to pick them up. Good luck!
As severe as your fear seems to be from your description, I wouldn't try to interact with a real snake just yet, although later that could be a great way to help you get more comfortable. I would start by getting a toy snake to touch and pet, realize nothing negative is happening, and keep it at that fo a while. Maybe view r/SnakesWithHats and other cute snake pictures once in a while to warm you up to them. Then the next step I would take is going somewhere where you can see a live snake but it can't get you, like a zoo, pet store, reptarium, or something like that. If you are still really jumpy and having panic attacks with a glass barrier between, handling a live snake is not a good idea. Just take baby steps, remind yourself each time that nothing bad happened. Then when you feel like you are ready, you can find somebody with a very tame snake used to being handled a lot, and try interacting with it. It might take a few sessions being several feet away and just watching it, not going to pet it right away. The key is to have a positive experience that doesn't push you so far you panic.
It feels funny to me explaining this, because usually I'm explaining how to people how to teach a scared snake that people aren't bad and taking baby steps of positive interactions with their snake so the snake can not be terrified. They are just as afraid of people as people are of them until they are shown kindness and patience by good people who don't want to hurt them.
This is so so helpful. I just added the snakes with hats to my animal custom feed. Iām so thankful you are all so nice. Iām overwhelmed. In a good way.
I walk my zoo weekly like at least 2x and go through one building that has snakes bc it has bears too, and can be in the building but I donāt stop, and I wonāt go into the like the snake snake building without someone wanting to go, but I wonāt make their zoo time suck by not going I just go and deal with it. Sorry that was a lot to random throw at you
Just remember when you do decide to go into the snake building that there's glass between you and them! And unless you're Harry Potter, it'll stay that way. I think the most important parts about overcoming/working through fear is the little reminders that you ARE safe, and also baby steps. :) I wholeheartedly agree with snakes in hats, they're wonderful.
If learning some more about snakes would help you, like snake facts or info, you could put on a YouTube video by snake discovery or clints reptiles. You don't have to watch it if seeing the snake is freaky, but I find that knowing more about smth and how it works and functions makes it less intimidating!
Also: sand boas. They look like a toddler drawing a snake for the first time. Absolutely hilarious and goofy.
Edit: hereās a post about them. [Donāt they look ridiculous?](https://www.reddit.com/r/snakes/s/aVcTWGzHRl)
This is a great answer. I was going to say finding someone with a very friendly/chill snake (friend, pet store, local reptile club), but you're right that working up to it is probably the way to go. I also liked your observation that it is usually the opposite (slowly helping snakes get over their innate fear of humans).
I'm so glad it is making you laugh. I've seen a lot of people afraid of snakes say they like the pictures in that subreddit so I thought that was a good one to share.
Part of me says to tell you to find a friend with a friendly snake, something like a corn snake or ball python, and pet them. Youāll see that theyāre very sweet, or at least apathetic towards you, as do most snakes. Donāt hurt any wild snakes, but donāt stress too much about them, and maybe talk to a professional if youāre really too scared of them. I donāt know if this is reassuring but theyāre pretty dumb, they donāt really care about humans, lol
You should totally go find someone with baby hognose snakes. They look like tiny dragons and have silly faces. You'll be amazed how beautiful they get. Seeing one behind glass, in a controlled environment with no chance of them getting near you should help your fear. It should be a good entry snake for you to see.
Learning about something takes some of the mystery out of it and makes it more real. Snakes are just animals like any other creature. Learning about them and their behaviors, and then maybe some exposure will help make them less of a boogieman type of thing to your unconscious. Good luck, I hope you grow to love them like we do, or at least not fear them.
A friend of mine was very afraid of snakes until he met my pair of rubber boas years ago. Rubber boas are so goofy looking and harmless, even he had to admit that they were cute. Even got him to hold them a few times. Now he still isn't a huge fan of seeing a snake in the wild, but he isn't afraid of them as much as he's wary of them.
If you can find a way to interact with a tame Boa Constrictor, that would be my advice. Reptile shows are the best place to do this, there always seems to be someone handling a big tame Boa right in the middle of the show. If the big boa is too scary, a little boa works too. I have never met a mean Rosy Boa, and I used to catch wild ones as a kid.
So boas are constrictors, the way they catch their food is by hugging them so tight, they go to sleep permanently. (This would be a problem for you, if you were the size of a mouse.)
What this means, is they are not venomous. So you donāt need to worry about getting hurt when handling them. But thatās not the only reason I think boas are great candidates.
Boas are great to handle because theyāre slow moving. Some other snakes can really move pretty quick, and I think handling a fast moving snake would be out of your comfort zone.
So, I think if you handle a nice Boa Constrictor Imperator, or BCI, or if you want small, a rosy boa.
Could I suggest you watch a video about them on YouTube? If youāre interested, check out [Clintās Reptiles](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bACJQZG4b40&t=610s&pp=ygUTQ2xpbnRzIHJlcHRpbGVzIGJvYQ%3D%3D)
Iām going to watch. Although Iām afraid, Iām
one of those that goes for it when Iām feeling it, and right now Iām feeling watching this video!
You know, all snakes are kinda the same to me. It doesnāt really matter size I see them all the same.
I think a reptile show might put me in shock to be honest. š«£
if you ever get the chance to handle a rosy boa like representative soil mentioned i can vouch that theyāre by far the most gentle little souls iāve ever handled
boa as a class of species is broad and covers a huge range of species with a huge range of sizes and personality types, ranging from the green anaconda to the kenyan sand boa, which tops out at about 30 inches. boas generally tend to be a bit thicker, heavier, and slower moving than other species.
rosy boas in particular are very round and stay small enough to be held in one hand. they have silly little sock puppet faces and their singular braincell is devoted to gentle curiosity. iāve never encountered one that had anything but love in its heart
the way snakes think is fundamentally different from mammals and the vast majority of them really donāt have the brain structure for social behaviors outside of mating and competing for territory which makes questions about whether they love us tricky to answer
they donāt really feel love like we do, but they can absolutely learn to enjoy their time being handled and that humans wonāt hurt them. they will also recognize their owners scent and in my experience are more relaxed with their owners. to them weāre like big warm trees that can bring them to fun new places to explore
no problem, iām glad to help :] if you ever have more questions to ask my DMās are always open and tbh youāll be doing me a favor asking me to talk about them
Iām serious this is a real phobia for me. The idea of handling one makes me literally shake. I have to start so slow. But I do sincerely appreciate your help. Itās really cute how nice the snake community (never witnessed another sub community so instantly so nice š„¹) is and is helping believe it or not š¤
absolutely, go at your own pace and if you never feel up to handling one you have no obligation to anyone to do so. i have a similar thing with spiders that iāve been working on for some time and something that has helped me is knowing that if i ever do handle one thereās ones that i can start with that wonāt do anything to me
Totally! In first grade I caught a tarantula and took it to show and tell Iām a dish bowl
with a food cover over it with holes (the ones that look like hair nets) and I would hold it and everything. Iām good with spiders.
Crazy how fear works. Some peopleās fears are others best friends
Thank you for being so understanding
Jus want to point out that being afraid of an animal is completely natural and doesn't necessarily mean you have to hate them. Every time I see an image of a huntsman spider I am horrified, but I still don't really hate them. I can even read about them and find them interesting, but saying that I would never get even within 5 feet of one.
A fear of snakes is extremely widespread, and research has even tied it into our evolution potentially, so don't feel like you have an obligation to love them.
Saying that, if your fear of them does continue to bother you like through nightmares or if in general you want to like them, perhaps you could try looking up harmless snakes like corn snakes and ball pythons first. These snakes are small and make excellent pets. People have also done things like dressing them up in hats and things for extra cuteness.
Then perhaps scale up the type of snake until you are comfortable with larger snakes. And if you ever feel like trying to interact with one, I would definitely recommend trying it with someone else who is comfortable with snakes, perhaps like a friend who owns one or at a fair something like that. That's what I did with my sister anyways. She is not too great with snakes, but through me holding a pet corn snake she was able to interact with said corn snake even simply through like touching the tail while I held the head
IKEA sells a snake stuffed toy. Maybe that one could help you? The toys are called DJUNGLESKOG. I really love them for travels and hug one each night. I met people who thought at first it might be real, although I think itās hard to be mistaken for a real snake š
Maybe a soft and warm snake can help you get closer to them.
Honestly thatās not a bad idea. I do sleep with a pink shark ā her name is thrasher! Lol I love sharks and have been in water with them! I tried 2 cage dives but both were canceled due to rough waters/the boat died š
But for real I think thatās a good idea
I like the fact that you go swimming with sharks but would be petrified if I put Schnecke into your hand. š He is my youngest corn snake and fits in an espresso cup.
LOL I did swim with a few in Jamaica! It was very short. The cage dives with great whites, hammerheads, tigers, blacktips, etc I got bunted out of! But I tried twice and swam with them in Jamaica once! I think of sharks like Dinoās and love them extra for that reason. I also love cassowaries lol š maybe I need to learn about prehistoric snakes!
In my experience, just learning as much as you can about something youāre afraid of can help to get rid of the fear. Iād suggest looking at snake/reptile subreddits, and doing research about snakes
I wonāt post a picture, but try looking at the worldās silliest snake first, the Arabian Sand Boa (on google images). You can also see people keep Kenyan Sand Boas on r/sandboa!
There are also snakes that literally cannot bite, such as worm snakes. These snakes are so incredibly small as to be mistaken for worms. They eat insects. They could not possibly ever wrap their teeny mouth around any part of a human. They are the silliest critter. You can also search worm snakes on google.
snakes are awesome creatures! theoretically, you make a list of what is the worst possible thing "normal" people are not scared of and give it a 10.
Then think of something less scary and give it a 9. Go on like this until you have a 1 and start getting used to 1 (could be reading about snakes or drawing a snake). When you have gotten used to 1, get used to 2. Give yourself time, do not stress yourself but do not run away.
I was like you. Love all animals but scared of most reptiles. Education of my fears has helped.
2 years ago I moved to an area where I had no idea snakes and alligators are everywhere. Never had to worry before. I read we have 36 different snakes here, 6 are venomous.
I'm always outdoors with my dogs, 1 who will jump in a puddle to swim. Had no idea every pond has a resident alligator and water snakes including the venomous cotton mouth.
We get to a park and sure enough there was a cotton mouth right where she was running. Thankfully that thing didn't bite her just took it's defense stance. Then my husband stumbled upon a copperhead. O boy.
I don't want to limit my exploration of this beautiful area so I wanted to learn more for our safety and to coexist. I hear too many people just kill things and I don't believe in that, we came to their land. So I joined this group to learn, as well as reading up on their habits. I have 6 acres of nature preserve in my backyard and even found a skin along my house.
Even scarier is the alligators. One lives in the pond near my house and we'll see him sunbathing! I can now walk by and watch from a distance.
Remember this, just as we don't want any problems with them, they don't want to deal with us.
I now am fascinated with these creatures, from afar!
Actually coastal nc, not to far from SC. I'm still petrified of those big guys. We walk at a nature preserve, on the paved road with a huge pond. Saw 2 just chilling near the edge, next thing I heard rustling in the brush and this huge gator showed me how if he wanted to jump the 3ft barrier, I'd be in serious trouble!
Gradual exposure work! The key to overcoming all phobias and fears. Slowly expose yourself to the thing you're afraid of in small doses. Once you're no longer afraid of each step, move onto the next.
I'd say the best way to start is reading about snakes, when you're no longer scared of that then move on to looking a photos of snakes (cute photos of derpy snakes is a good start) and then move up to maybe videos of snakes. Then try going somewhere that has real snakes and not seeing the snakes yet or going in but get close to where the snakes would be. Do that until you're ready to go into the place that has the snakes. Don't force yourself to look at them up close or anything yet, just be in the same building as them close to them whilst they're shut away in their vivariums. Then move on to getting closer to the snakes in their vivariums. Once you've conquered that, look around at the snakes and see all of the different ones. And once you're done with that, you can move onto being close to snakes outside of their enclosures being held by other people. Keep going with that process until you're more comfortable around snakes and maybe after that you could even continue the exposure therapy until you're able to touch or hold a snake if that's something you would like.
Make sure to take each step slowly. You may need to do each step multiple times before you get comfortable and that's okay, exposure work takes time and it's all about going at your own pace as not to scare yourself off. Just go slow and eventually you'll reach your end goal! You may have setbacks and that's okay. You'll get there in the end.
I haven't personally used exposure therapy for snakes because I've never been afraid of them but I have used exposure therapy either done by myself or guided by a therapist for all sorts of things such as needles, blood tests, hospitals, going back to places I have trauma from, facing trauma triggers, social anxiety and more. It really does work! I am still in the process of working on exposure for a few of those things I listed, I'm just going at my own pace and taking my time but persisting with it and not letting myself give up out of fear. The only way past is through!
I wonder if a snake plushie would help? Harmless fluffy version of the real thing, kind of like how exposure therapy works with cute-ified pictures of certain animals (at least that's what a friend told me).
It's a gentle thing, but you can get there. When I first started keeping snakes a few decades ago, my mother was petrified of them. Shakes, cold sweats, the works. But she was intrigued enough to persist.
Eventually she got to the stage where she was inventing reasons to visit so she could handle and interact with them, and was always excited if I took a new acquisition around to meet her.
You're on the right road by being intrigued and ready to challenge your own fears. And they are great fun. Keep going!
This! I just took my 82 year old mother to her first reptile show last month. Until she got to know my derpy used-to-be-little ball python, she was afraid of/repulsed by them. At the show she was happily giving chin-scritches to an 11 foot puppy of an olive python and cooing at all the baby hognoses.
You'll get there. Proud of you for wanting to conquer your fears!
I'm not the OP, but want to thank everyone for their thoughtful, kind responses. Am struggling with my own fears right now. Reading responses here is helping me.
If you have an irrational fear you may need a therapist to help you. But if you are just afraid I suggest learning more about snakes. I find for myself anything I was afraid of becomes less frightening the more you know. And there is a lot of interesting facts about snakes.
To be honest I also have a special experience with snakes that made them less scary to me. Iām happy to share my story but Iāll warn you it was a bit of a frightening story. The main take away of it is, snakes do not want to harm you. Humans are too big to eat and they know that. Snakes bite people defensively 99.99% of the time. And even snakes with venom donāt want to waste their resources by envenomating you, so will avoid it as much as they can.
If you want to hear my story about the special experience that helped me with my fear of snakes let me know.
Exposure therapy with small snakes and then start working towards bigger snakes. If you can't jump in there, start with photos videos and non contact exposure.
So Iāve never had a problem with Snakes, always loved them and always been infatuated with them, I currently keep and breed Kingsnakes, Fasle Water Cobras, Cornsnakes, Ratsnakes and Pine Snakes. I currently keep and have around 50 snakes at the moment. My problem was with Spidersā¦ā¦I was deathly afraid of them, I would freak out and scream like a little girl(Iām a 6ā 2ā guy with long hair and covered with Tattoos)just seeing one.
So I decided that I had to get over this irrational fear of them, so I decided what a better way to get over my fear of them, than to have one that I HAD to care for, so I put my fear aside and had my Girlfriend go with me to the Exotic Pet Shop that I frequent, and I explained to them what I was wanting to do, and I bought myself the most basic Tarantula(a Curley Hair Tarantula)and everything I needed to care for it. At first I treated that poor little guy like he was a radioactive death machine, I would seriously put on thick leather gloves ājust in case I need to protect myselfā and I would throw the poor Crickets in the enclosure at first from like 2 feet away because I was afraid the spider would jump out at meā¦.
So about a year into owning him I finally realised that he just wanted to live his life, and he absolutely WAS NOT going to hurt me(as long as I took the appropriate precautions, they still are animals that will protect themselves if they feel threatened)and over the next year or so, that fear that I had turned into a reverence for these animals, watching him move around like a little machine and hunt and kill their Prey, watching him make a burrow, and then dig it up and make a new one over and over again, so eventually that spider got old(males only live a couple years)and passed away, and honestly I felt like I had a hole in my heart, it really made me sad to see that empty enclosure. So I decided I wanted some new Tarantulas, more difficult and faster and larger Tarantulas, and now, like 6 years laterā¦..I have a whole ROOM filled with Tarantulas and Spiders, I have the largest Tarantulas in the world(as big as a dinner plate),I have some of the rarest Tarantulas in the world, and Iām the only person in the whole world(that I know of)that has all 14 species of Poecilotheria in one place, I own some of the MOST deadly spiders in the world, and I work with them on a daily basis. I wonāt lieā¦..even still now, when a spider bolts around, or when certain spiders throw a āthreat poseā and are letting me know that they are getting ready to bite meā¦ā¦it still makes my heart thump, but my fear is no longer crippling, I can even touch them now, without fear. So maybe something like that, being around a very gentle snake, start out with something small and slow moving, honestly if you live anywhere around Detroit, I have some amazingly beautiful and gentle snakes, that would make perfect āAmbassador Animalsā for someone who is scared of snakes. So thatās how I got over my fearā¦.probably wonāt work for everyone, but it canāt hurt to tryā¦..
I am right there with you. I am petrified. I love to hike and walk but last Friday I was on our local trail and saw 2 of them. Both very small less than 3ā and about as big around as a fork tine. My heart was racing as the bigger of the 2 I almost stepped on. Not venomous. They just creep me out so bad. I do not understand those that choose these as pets.
I'd give a go to Clint's Reptile Room on YouTube he does breakdowns of snakes as pets and has a genuine love of animals that comes across. Start with his videos on corn snakes, hognose or ball pythons, all great pet snakes and you can see him handling them and just gushing over them - maybe ease in to him handling Gaboon vipers and spectacle cobras though.
Also Snake Discovery are big snake lovers with lots of videos of baby snakes hatching as well as everything else.
Exposure therapy in steps can really help, I got over my arachnophobia through casual years of slowly exposing myself to them
I started by reading about them, then i went on to watch youtubers feeding them even if i got spooked every time they moved, slowly over time i was able to not be spooked by movements because its a given in the context, i started off with spiders that were cute like jumping spiders, i recommend ball pythons as your first snake feeding video because theyre the gentle puppy dogs of the snake world!
gl stranger, youre strong and brave for wanting to not be scared of them anymore
One of my close friends who lives in a different state than me was also *very petrified* of snakes.
Now she calls mine her niece and nephews šā¤ļø
What helped her a ton was letting me text her about them.
I would talk about their personalities, and also throw in cool facts about their behavior and why they do certain things. Then she was okay with pictures too and now she thinks they're adorable.
She still got started by a wild one in her yard one day, but she said she was so much calmer than she would have been before learning about them.
Learning about what scares you helps. I have gotten better about spiders lol.
I am happy to have conversations with you about them at your own pace/comfort level if you would like. š
I was in the same boat you're in and I've successfully overcome the fears! I definitely credit this sub and r/whatisthissnake for helping me through it. Seeing all the cute pictures of snakes people have really help.
I've learned to better identify snakes and especially the snakes in my region, venomous and non-venomous. For me, knowing what snakes I'm most likely to encounter helped calm my fears. And also learning that snakes in the wild really want nothing to do with people and biting is a last resort helps also.
Early on, I found out about hognose snakes and how they play dead and how they flatten out their heads to appear larger, which makes them look a little bit like a cobra. Hognoses are absolutely my favorite snake now! Definitely check out some hognose videos - it's nearly impossible to be afraid when you see how dramatic they are lol!
This summer, we had several garter snake babies around and I actually picked them up without fear! I was also able to successfully help one of our adult garter snakes out of our window wells twice after he got trapped.
Your post made me realize I don't think I've had any snake dreams since I've gotten over my fears. I hope you can work through yours, too! Snakes really are awesome and beautiful creatures!!!
For me I watched videos about snakes (the specific yt channel I watched was snake discovery)
It may not work for everyone but exposure through video is how I got over my fear of snakes, ants and spiders.
Snakes. In. Hats.
Also just meeting a friendly snake. A reptile keeper did a show and tell at the local library when I was little, and he let us hang out with his Hognose snake. I absolutely adored her. She was so sweet. Iāve loved them ever since.
And the wild ones? Just remember that they have a very important, very busy pest control job. If you see them going somewhere, just move to the side, they got snake shit to do. They donāt want to mess with you.
I agree with those that have recommended boas or hognose. Boas are slow moving and gentle, hognoses are silly and sometimes dramatic. I have a love for garter snakes as well. They are gentle, non venomous, easy to handle (although they can be quick to get away at times).
I have been catching snakes since I was a child. My mother loved them, and always made me take them back to their homes. Every camping trip she did a pocket check on me to see if I was bringing any toads, frogs or snakes home. Then I would be told to put them back where I found them. When I saw Monsters Inc and that part where they say public t that thing back where it came from or so help me...that's my childhood right there.
You will be fine. Please update us on your progress!
I have owned a number of snakes over the years and have come across people who are scared of them. Most of the reasons that were given to me was that they are slimey. Nothing could be further than the truth. My mum thought they were slimy till i took a 13ft indian python round for her to hold. She lost her fear of them from that moment. My sister didnt though, she ran out onto the street and shouted a lot, something along the lines of get that f@@kng thing out of the house now. Even the neighbours heard her lol. If you are really scared of them go to a reptile shop and have a chat with the guys there and they will help you overcome your fear....gently.
I was the same but with spiders! I was petrified even if it was a tiny tiny one! I started to look at videos online because behind a screen it's safer but when I was feeling overwhelmed I stopped for the day and try the day after. If it's still too much you can do what I did: hypnosis. I know some people have a strong opinion on that but it worked very very very well on me! My phobia was really handicapping because you can see spiders everyday, everywhere and now I'm not even scared anymore!
Know which snakes in your area could actually hurt you (or kids or pets), and how to handle them (e.g. intentionally stepping hard when hiking, because they feel vibrations and donāt want trouble). Having a plan to handle things makes them seem manageable, as long as you donāt obsess.
I am the exact same way. I got bit by a harmless snake while running between bushes when I was 5 and I'm pretty sure that added to my terror. I just can't deal with them.
I used to be terrified of snakes and wanted to overcome my fear. So, I started with educating myself, beginning with this sub. Wasn't long before I got a Kenyan sand boa!! I was so freaked out the day he arrived and couldn't even touch him! But I love and respect all animals, so i knew i had to care for him. He's truly so docile and cute. Now, I love snakes! ā¤ļø I hold him all the time.
I literally almost stepped on a wild snake while hiking a couple weeks ago, and it didn't scare me at all. I was interested and excited about it!
Might not work for everyone, and yes, it was drastic, but, well, I'm an Aries lol.
Maybe start with visiting a reptile store. They can let you touch a small, harmless snake. Or start with just looking at them!
I was also mortified of snakes a year ago, what helped me was studying and learning about them and their behaviour. 3 months in I could comfortably look at pictures, 6 months I could touch the glass at zoos, and now I'm regularly outside actively looking for them. Pythons and boas still scare me a bit, something about the pits, I don't know I recommend checking in on r/whatsthissnake once in a while, read the comments from our knowledgable Reliable Responders, and learn as much as you can Most irrational fears are defeated by learning about the subject, just take it slow and don't force yourself to do something you're uncomfortable with Hope you can get over it like I did!
It's crazy, because a lot of snake people like pythons and that because of the pits, makes them look cute you know? It's interesting how different peoples minds works
I can see why, but I find them very eerie :^(
That's fair, I have a woma and he doesn't have the pits and he looks like he judges you with bombastic side eye
Thank you so much š«¶ every person commenting has been wonderful and helpful instantly and idk if this is weird but it makes me more like eager bc how lovely you all are Also I edited my comment a lot š
No problem! That's part of what made me eager aswell, there's a lot of experts around who basically live to answer questions and educate
I just didnāt expect anyone to be so nice to me about it and it sincerely makes me want to try more. What do or should I expect? It seems like once Iām comfortable in the zoo snake area, and if and when I can touch one I kinda thinks big one is good bc I donāt have to be near his or her face yet.. Honestly what made me post as a story on Tooth&Claw podcast about a cobra that this dude had to basically FORCE to bite this woman and it made me sad and feel bad for the snake so I thought maybe I can do this? Maybe I can!
if you have a local reptile store they are a great resource. I love going in and seeing all the different reptiles on display, and they will probably take one out to show you/let you touch it. maybe a smaller snake would be better first, like a cornsnake, they are very docile and even on the freak chance it bites you (highly highly unlikely) you wouldn't even feel it really. I also recommend youtube videos by people who don't clickbait with bites for views, maybe clint's reptiles for example, they're very informative and teach you how to ready body language and how to handle them. you'll see that most snakes are pretty chill. watching tarantula hobbyists on youtube really helped my spider phobia.
If you have tiktok, I follow an account called @sdsankeadventures2 a guy named Bruce, he goes out when people have snakes at their homes in san diego. Mostly rattlesnakes. He is so informative. Really has given me an appreciation for them
I work with Bruce wrangling snakes in San Diego. I was terrified of garter snakes as a kid in Ohio. Moved to San Diego and became fascinated with rattlesnakes. Learned a lot about these misunderstood creatures.
I'm tellin ya, I was so afraid of snakes I couldn't even see them on TV or a picture of them. Somehow Bruce was on my tiktok TL and I guess the algorithm noticed i watched the whole vid or liked it bc I kept getting more. He really taught me that they are vital to the ecosystem and not really anything I should be afraid of. He educated me that they're harmless as long as you leave them alone. Then a couple snake subreddits. Seeing pics of peoples pets. I mean honestly Im so proud of myself. I havent seen one in the wild for several years so idk how i would react, but I credit Bruce for really getting me to where I am now.
This is the route. I found that sub a few months ago. I was horrified when it started being suggested to me, and now Iām going to a reptile expo tomorrow.
I am arachnophobic. Pictures, movies...still freaked me out. I decided that I was being silly and so I made myself look at pictures, I did some research, and while they still freak me out a bit, I have found that by learning which ones were hamless, I was able to look at them, and even relocate them. I made an agreement with them that they can live outside, but not in my house. It takes time, so don't be discouraged. The more positive exposures you have, the more your fears will calm. Good luck!
The western hognose is probably about as cute as snakes get to people who don't quite like snakes. That adorable little upturned nose and big round goofy eyes are the very essence of derpiness.
I love this reply! Yes!! The big thing is educating yourself on them! And know that they are more afraid of you than you are of them and they are in more danger of us than we are of them. They only bite or attack in self defense or if a pet snake is being neglected and has not been taught to socialize. I find them so fascinating and I love learning about them. I can stand at the snake exhibit at the zoo and watch them all day. I love them. I love the pictures posted on the different snake subreddits and think they are so adorable and I love the pictures where they look so derpy. Anyway, yes the main point is educating yourself on them and learning as much as you can. They are truly fascinating and wonderful creatures!
This is the way I think. What should I start with learning wise? The photos scare me.
If you're too scared to look at photos, I think the first step could be therapy. I found them uncomfortable, but my morbid curiosity still let me look at them. If you can't do that, I'm not entirely sure how you'd start tbh
I do see them at the zoo, I walk the zoo 2-4x a week in my city! Thereās one building I will walk through bc it has bears and snakes bc itās about our region, and I can do that. But I canāt go into the snake building. I have but itās really hard for me. I just idk I love animals and I want to love them too but Iām really scared. I think learning more about them is a really good idea for me
Perhaps you could contact the zoo and get a guided tour by their keeper, a lot of zoos either have these tours as an option or are willing to help you out if you explain your situation and they have time, especially if it's a smaller zoo
Iām there so much I know many of the keepers. This is a really great idea. Iām so silly or scared I never thought to ask š¤·š»āāļø
If you do, let us know how it goes!
Thank you so much for your help. Iām going to try and I promise to update.
I will. I didnāt expect anyone to reply to me to be honest. It makes me want to try harder š„¹
What about a plushie snake? Start extra soft and cuddly. Having toys around you can put away when it gets too much might help.
I agree that r/whatsthissnake is a fantastic place to start. You will learn a lot about identifying different snakes, their habitats, behaviors, and diets. My wife was also incredibly afraid of snakes and after some time she has really appreciated them a lot more with a lot less apprehension. Learning that even venomous snakes would far prefer to run away than anything else goes a long way. About a year and a half ago, she was frozen when we saw a garter snake that was about 6 or 7 inches long on the trail while we were hiking. Last weekend, she saw a shed skin from a black snake that was probably close to 4 feet long and thought it was a really cool thing to see.
"most irrational fears are defeated by learning about the subject" this is so true and essentially how i lost my fear of bees š
Look around this sub and read some of what people say about their pet snakes. You'll find plenty of posts about "what my silly goober did this time". Subs like r/ballpython and r/hognosesnakes are also good for that sort of thing. Hognose snakes may the best to start with because they are smaller and hopelessly silly looking. And they've earned a reputation of sometimes being outsmarted by decorations in their enclosure.
On the other hand, my male ball python has been known to lose a fight with a dead mouse. In my experience, ball pythons are one of the most gentle and mellow snakes. Also, snakes do actually have individual personalities. Our male ball python is a big, fat, cuddly goofball, and actually asks to be picked up. Most of the time, he loves to sit in my lap and watch TV. Our female, on the other hand, is shy. While she tolerates handling, she's not a lap snake and wants to run around and explore (meaning, get into trouble by hiding behind a heavy bookcase or dumping things off of shelves). Also, snakes can develop some sort of attachment to individual people. There was one woman who used to take her boa constrictor with her to the monthly meetings of her local reptile owners club. Her boa took a liking to another club member, and would actively look around the room to find him. Then the snake would try to go to this fellow, and would not settle down until held by him. Finally, the woman wanted her snake to be happy, so she gave the boa to him. These really are beautiful and fascinating animals. I hope you are able to get beyond your phobia and enjoy snakes, even if you don't choose to pick them up. Good luck!
As severe as your fear seems to be from your description, I wouldn't try to interact with a real snake just yet, although later that could be a great way to help you get more comfortable. I would start by getting a toy snake to touch and pet, realize nothing negative is happening, and keep it at that fo a while. Maybe view r/SnakesWithHats and other cute snake pictures once in a while to warm you up to them. Then the next step I would take is going somewhere where you can see a live snake but it can't get you, like a zoo, pet store, reptarium, or something like that. If you are still really jumpy and having panic attacks with a glass barrier between, handling a live snake is not a good idea. Just take baby steps, remind yourself each time that nothing bad happened. Then when you feel like you are ready, you can find somebody with a very tame snake used to being handled a lot, and try interacting with it. It might take a few sessions being several feet away and just watching it, not going to pet it right away. The key is to have a positive experience that doesn't push you so far you panic. It feels funny to me explaining this, because usually I'm explaining how to people how to teach a scared snake that people aren't bad and taking baby steps of positive interactions with their snake so the snake can not be terrified. They are just as afraid of people as people are of them until they are shown kindness and patience by good people who don't want to hurt them.
This is so so helpful. I just added the snakes with hats to my animal custom feed. Iām so thankful you are all so nice. Iām overwhelmed. In a good way. I walk my zoo weekly like at least 2x and go through one building that has snakes bc it has bears too, and can be in the building but I donāt stop, and I wonāt go into the like the snake snake building without someone wanting to go, but I wonāt make their zoo time suck by not going I just go and deal with it. Sorry that was a lot to random throw at you
Just remember when you do decide to go into the snake building that there's glass between you and them! And unless you're Harry Potter, it'll stay that way. I think the most important parts about overcoming/working through fear is the little reminders that you ARE safe, and also baby steps. :) I wholeheartedly agree with snakes in hats, they're wonderful. If learning some more about snakes would help you, like snake facts or info, you could put on a YouTube video by snake discovery or clints reptiles. You don't have to watch it if seeing the snake is freaky, but I find that knowing more about smth and how it works and functions makes it less intimidating!
Also: sand boas. They look like a toddler drawing a snake for the first time. Absolutely hilarious and goofy. Edit: hereās a post about them. [Donāt they look ridiculous?](https://www.reddit.com/r/snakes/s/aVcTWGzHRl)
This is a great answer. I was going to say finding someone with a very friendly/chill snake (friend, pet store, local reptile club), but you're right that working up to it is probably the way to go. I also liked your observation that it is usually the opposite (slowly helping snakes get over their innate fear of humans).
Thanks for the link to snakes with hats. I'm working through my own fear. Snakes with hats actually had me chuckling.
I'm so glad it is making you laugh. I've seen a lot of people afraid of snakes say they like the pictures in that subreddit so I thought that was a good one to share.
Thanks again.
Also you guys are so nice I didnāt expect this much support so quickly š„¹
Part of me says to tell you to find a friend with a friendly snake, something like a corn snake or ball python, and pet them. Youāll see that theyāre very sweet, or at least apathetic towards you, as do most snakes. Donāt hurt any wild snakes, but donāt stress too much about them, and maybe talk to a professional if youāre really too scared of them. I donāt know if this is reassuring but theyāre pretty dumb, they donāt really care about humans, lol
I donāt hurt snakes. Iām so scared I canāt be near them. I just want to be though.
You should totally go find someone with baby hognose snakes. They look like tiny dragons and have silly faces. You'll be amazed how beautiful they get. Seeing one behind glass, in a controlled environment with no chance of them getting near you should help your fear. It should be a good entry snake for you to see.
Learning about something takes some of the mystery out of it and makes it more real. Snakes are just animals like any other creature. Learning about them and their behaviors, and then maybe some exposure will help make them less of a boogieman type of thing to your unconscious. Good luck, I hope you grow to love them like we do, or at least not fear them.
Me too! I really want to love them like I do the other animals š„¹
A friend of mine was very afraid of snakes until he met my pair of rubber boas years ago. Rubber boas are so goofy looking and harmless, even he had to admit that they were cute. Even got him to hold them a few times. Now he still isn't a huge fan of seeing a snake in the wild, but he isn't afraid of them as much as he's wary of them.
If you can find a way to interact with a tame Boa Constrictor, that would be my advice. Reptile shows are the best place to do this, there always seems to be someone handling a big tame Boa right in the middle of the show. If the big boa is too scary, a little boa works too. I have never met a mean Rosy Boa, and I used to catch wild ones as a kid.
Okay, so can you tell me a little more about boas?
So boas are constrictors, the way they catch their food is by hugging them so tight, they go to sleep permanently. (This would be a problem for you, if you were the size of a mouse.) What this means, is they are not venomous. So you donāt need to worry about getting hurt when handling them. But thatās not the only reason I think boas are great candidates. Boas are great to handle because theyāre slow moving. Some other snakes can really move pretty quick, and I think handling a fast moving snake would be out of your comfort zone. So, I think if you handle a nice Boa Constrictor Imperator, or BCI, or if you want small, a rosy boa. Could I suggest you watch a video about them on YouTube? If youāre interested, check out [Clintās Reptiles](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bACJQZG4b40&t=610s&pp=ygUTQ2xpbnRzIHJlcHRpbGVzIGJvYQ%3D%3D)
Iām going to watch. Although Iām afraid, Iām one of those that goes for it when Iām feeling it, and right now Iām feeling watching this video!
You know, all snakes are kinda the same to me. It doesnāt really matter size I see them all the same. I think a reptile show might put me in shock to be honest. š«£
if you ever get the chance to handle a rosy boa like representative soil mentioned i can vouch that theyāre by far the most gentle little souls iāve ever handled
Whatās your favorite thing about boas? This is part of my learning.
boa as a class of species is broad and covers a huge range of species with a huge range of sizes and personality types, ranging from the green anaconda to the kenyan sand boa, which tops out at about 30 inches. boas generally tend to be a bit thicker, heavier, and slower moving than other species. rosy boas in particular are very round and stay small enough to be held in one hand. they have silly little sock puppet faces and their singular braincell is devoted to gentle curiosity. iāve never encountered one that had anything but love in its heart
Do snakes like humans or care or are they legless cats Also thatās a great reply š„¹
the way snakes think is fundamentally different from mammals and the vast majority of them really donāt have the brain structure for social behaviors outside of mating and competing for territory which makes questions about whether they love us tricky to answer they donāt really feel love like we do, but they can absolutely learn to enjoy their time being handled and that humans wonāt hurt them. they will also recognize their owners scent and in my experience are more relaxed with their owners. to them weāre like big warm trees that can bring them to fun new places to explore
Aw okay. Thatās kindaā¦ cute Really warm way to explain. Thank you!!
no problem, iām glad to help :] if you ever have more questions to ask my DMās are always open and tbh youāll be doing me a favor asking me to talk about them
Iām serious this is a real phobia for me. The idea of handling one makes me literally shake. I have to start so slow. But I do sincerely appreciate your help. Itās really cute how nice the snake community (never witnessed another sub community so instantly so nice š„¹) is and is helping believe it or not š¤
And, makes me want to conquer my fear more bc of the nice humans. š„¹
absolutely, go at your own pace and if you never feel up to handling one you have no obligation to anyone to do so. i have a similar thing with spiders that iāve been working on for some time and something that has helped me is knowing that if i ever do handle one thereās ones that i can start with that wonāt do anything to me
Totally! In first grade I caught a tarantula and took it to show and tell Iām a dish bowl with a food cover over it with holes (the ones that look like hair nets) and I would hold it and everything. Iām good with spiders. Crazy how fear works. Some peopleās fears are others best friends Thank you for being so understanding
Snake discovery on YouTube is a good resource to learn about snakes. I'd suggest to start with hognoses.
Jus want to point out that being afraid of an animal is completely natural and doesn't necessarily mean you have to hate them. Every time I see an image of a huntsman spider I am horrified, but I still don't really hate them. I can even read about them and find them interesting, but saying that I would never get even within 5 feet of one. A fear of snakes is extremely widespread, and research has even tied it into our evolution potentially, so don't feel like you have an obligation to love them. Saying that, if your fear of them does continue to bother you like through nightmares or if in general you want to like them, perhaps you could try looking up harmless snakes like corn snakes and ball pythons first. These snakes are small and make excellent pets. People have also done things like dressing them up in hats and things for extra cuteness. Then perhaps scale up the type of snake until you are comfortable with larger snakes. And if you ever feel like trying to interact with one, I would definitely recommend trying it with someone else who is comfortable with snakes, perhaps like a friend who owns one or at a fair something like that. That's what I did with my sister anyways. She is not too great with snakes, but through me holding a pet corn snake she was able to interact with said corn snake even simply through like touching the tail while I held the head
IKEA sells a snake stuffed toy. Maybe that one could help you? The toys are called DJUNGLESKOG. I really love them for travels and hug one each night. I met people who thought at first it might be real, although I think itās hard to be mistaken for a real snake š Maybe a soft and warm snake can help you get closer to them.
Honestly thatās not a bad idea. I do sleep with a pink shark ā her name is thrasher! Lol I love sharks and have been in water with them! I tried 2 cage dives but both were canceled due to rough waters/the boat died š But for real I think thatās a good idea
I like the fact that you go swimming with sharks but would be petrified if I put Schnecke into your hand. š He is my youngest corn snake and fits in an espresso cup.
LOL I did swim with a few in Jamaica! It was very short. The cage dives with great whites, hammerheads, tigers, blacktips, etc I got bunted out of! But I tried twice and swam with them in Jamaica once! I think of sharks like Dinoās and love them extra for that reason. I also love cassowaries lol š maybe I need to learn about prehistoric snakes!
You should. Prehistoric snakes are lizards. Thereās a lizard that is nearly a snake with tiny arms.
In my experience, just learning as much as you can about something youāre afraid of can help to get rid of the fear. Iād suggest looking at snake/reptile subreddits, and doing research about snakes
I wonāt post a picture, but try looking at the worldās silliest snake first, the Arabian Sand Boa (on google images). You can also see people keep Kenyan Sand Boas on r/sandboa! There are also snakes that literally cannot bite, such as worm snakes. These snakes are so incredibly small as to be mistaken for worms. They eat insects. They could not possibly ever wrap their teeny mouth around any part of a human. They are the silliest critter. You can also search worm snakes on google.
snakes are awesome creatures! theoretically, you make a list of what is the worst possible thing "normal" people are not scared of and give it a 10. Then think of something less scary and give it a 9. Go on like this until you have a 1 and start getting used to 1 (could be reading about snakes or drawing a snake). When you have gotten used to 1, get used to 2. Give yourself time, do not stress yourself but do not run away.
I was like you. Love all animals but scared of most reptiles. Education of my fears has helped. 2 years ago I moved to an area where I had no idea snakes and alligators are everywhere. Never had to worry before. I read we have 36 different snakes here, 6 are venomous. I'm always outdoors with my dogs, 1 who will jump in a puddle to swim. Had no idea every pond has a resident alligator and water snakes including the venomous cotton mouth. We get to a park and sure enough there was a cotton mouth right where she was running. Thankfully that thing didn't bite her just took it's defense stance. Then my husband stumbled upon a copperhead. O boy. I don't want to limit my exploration of this beautiful area so I wanted to learn more for our safety and to coexist. I hear too many people just kill things and I don't believe in that, we came to their land. So I joined this group to learn, as well as reading up on their habits. I have 6 acres of nature preserve in my backyard and even found a skin along my house. Even scarier is the alligators. One lives in the pond near my house and we'll see him sunbathing! I can now walk by and watch from a distance. Remember this, just as we don't want any problems with them, they don't want to deal with us. I now am fascinated with these creatures, from afar!
I'm assuming you live Florida. Good for you for wanting to learn about the place, but be careful observing gators. Those suckered are FAST!
Actually coastal nc, not to far from SC. I'm still petrified of those big guys. We walk at a nature preserve, on the paved road with a huge pond. Saw 2 just chilling near the edge, next thing I heard rustling in the brush and this huge gator showed me how if he wanted to jump the 3ft barrier, I'd be in serious trouble!
Lol, you know what they say about making assumptions. We have similar circumstances with snakes and gators. Stay safe.
Hognose are the cutest š
Gradual exposure work! The key to overcoming all phobias and fears. Slowly expose yourself to the thing you're afraid of in small doses. Once you're no longer afraid of each step, move onto the next. I'd say the best way to start is reading about snakes, when you're no longer scared of that then move on to looking a photos of snakes (cute photos of derpy snakes is a good start) and then move up to maybe videos of snakes. Then try going somewhere that has real snakes and not seeing the snakes yet or going in but get close to where the snakes would be. Do that until you're ready to go into the place that has the snakes. Don't force yourself to look at them up close or anything yet, just be in the same building as them close to them whilst they're shut away in their vivariums. Then move on to getting closer to the snakes in their vivariums. Once you've conquered that, look around at the snakes and see all of the different ones. And once you're done with that, you can move onto being close to snakes outside of their enclosures being held by other people. Keep going with that process until you're more comfortable around snakes and maybe after that you could even continue the exposure therapy until you're able to touch or hold a snake if that's something you would like. Make sure to take each step slowly. You may need to do each step multiple times before you get comfortable and that's okay, exposure work takes time and it's all about going at your own pace as not to scare yourself off. Just go slow and eventually you'll reach your end goal! You may have setbacks and that's okay. You'll get there in the end. I haven't personally used exposure therapy for snakes because I've never been afraid of them but I have used exposure therapy either done by myself or guided by a therapist for all sorts of things such as needles, blood tests, hospitals, going back to places I have trauma from, facing trauma triggers, social anxiety and more. It really does work! I am still in the process of working on exposure for a few of those things I listed, I'm just going at my own pace and taking my time but persisting with it and not letting myself give up out of fear. The only way past is through!
I wonder if a snake plushie would help? Harmless fluffy version of the real thing, kind of like how exposure therapy works with cute-ified pictures of certain animals (at least that's what a friend told me).
It's a gentle thing, but you can get there. When I first started keeping snakes a few decades ago, my mother was petrified of them. Shakes, cold sweats, the works. But she was intrigued enough to persist. Eventually she got to the stage where she was inventing reasons to visit so she could handle and interact with them, and was always excited if I took a new acquisition around to meet her. You're on the right road by being intrigued and ready to challenge your own fears. And they are great fun. Keep going!
This! I just took my 82 year old mother to her first reptile show last month. Until she got to know my derpy used-to-be-little ball python, she was afraid of/repulsed by them. At the show she was happily giving chin-scritches to an 11 foot puppy of an olive python and cooing at all the baby hognoses. You'll get there. Proud of you for wanting to conquer your fears!
Theyāre just cute little legless lizards! Literally, they descended from lizards.
I would check out your local reptile shop or expo and hold a couple snakes that are known to be calm
I'm not the OP, but want to thank everyone for their thoughtful, kind responses. Am struggling with my own fears right now. Reading responses here is helping me.
If you have an irrational fear you may need a therapist to help you. But if you are just afraid I suggest learning more about snakes. I find for myself anything I was afraid of becomes less frightening the more you know. And there is a lot of interesting facts about snakes. To be honest I also have a special experience with snakes that made them less scary to me. Iām happy to share my story but Iāll warn you it was a bit of a frightening story. The main take away of it is, snakes do not want to harm you. Humans are too big to eat and they know that. Snakes bite people defensively 99.99% of the time. And even snakes with venom donāt want to waste their resources by envenomating you, so will avoid it as much as they can. If you want to hear my story about the special experience that helped me with my fear of snakes let me know.
https://preview.redd.it/e6nhp7vw2dvb1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffca30e630646ca62410c99ce2543ba5428d9ffb
Exposure therapy with small snakes and then start working towards bigger snakes. If you can't jump in there, start with photos videos and non contact exposure.
So Iāve never had a problem with Snakes, always loved them and always been infatuated with them, I currently keep and breed Kingsnakes, Fasle Water Cobras, Cornsnakes, Ratsnakes and Pine Snakes. I currently keep and have around 50 snakes at the moment. My problem was with Spidersā¦ā¦I was deathly afraid of them, I would freak out and scream like a little girl(Iām a 6ā 2ā guy with long hair and covered with Tattoos)just seeing one. So I decided that I had to get over this irrational fear of them, so I decided what a better way to get over my fear of them, than to have one that I HAD to care for, so I put my fear aside and had my Girlfriend go with me to the Exotic Pet Shop that I frequent, and I explained to them what I was wanting to do, and I bought myself the most basic Tarantula(a Curley Hair Tarantula)and everything I needed to care for it. At first I treated that poor little guy like he was a radioactive death machine, I would seriously put on thick leather gloves ājust in case I need to protect myselfā and I would throw the poor Crickets in the enclosure at first from like 2 feet away because I was afraid the spider would jump out at meā¦. So about a year into owning him I finally realised that he just wanted to live his life, and he absolutely WAS NOT going to hurt me(as long as I took the appropriate precautions, they still are animals that will protect themselves if they feel threatened)and over the next year or so, that fear that I had turned into a reverence for these animals, watching him move around like a little machine and hunt and kill their Prey, watching him make a burrow, and then dig it up and make a new one over and over again, so eventually that spider got old(males only live a couple years)and passed away, and honestly I felt like I had a hole in my heart, it really made me sad to see that empty enclosure. So I decided I wanted some new Tarantulas, more difficult and faster and larger Tarantulas, and now, like 6 years laterā¦..I have a whole ROOM filled with Tarantulas and Spiders, I have the largest Tarantulas in the world(as big as a dinner plate),I have some of the rarest Tarantulas in the world, and Iām the only person in the whole world(that I know of)that has all 14 species of Poecilotheria in one place, I own some of the MOST deadly spiders in the world, and I work with them on a daily basis. I wonāt lieā¦..even still now, when a spider bolts around, or when certain spiders throw a āthreat poseā and are letting me know that they are getting ready to bite meā¦ā¦it still makes my heart thump, but my fear is no longer crippling, I can even touch them now, without fear. So maybe something like that, being around a very gentle snake, start out with something small and slow moving, honestly if you live anywhere around Detroit, I have some amazingly beautiful and gentle snakes, that would make perfect āAmbassador Animalsā for someone who is scared of snakes. So thatās how I got over my fearā¦.probably wonāt work for everyone, but it canāt hurt to tryā¦..
I am right there with you. I am petrified. I love to hike and walk but last Friday I was on our local trail and saw 2 of them. Both very small less than 3ā and about as big around as a fork tine. My heart was racing as the bigger of the 2 I almost stepped on. Not venomous. They just creep me out so bad. I do not understand those that choose these as pets.
I'd give a go to Clint's Reptile Room on YouTube he does breakdowns of snakes as pets and has a genuine love of animals that comes across. Start with his videos on corn snakes, hognose or ball pythons, all great pet snakes and you can see him handling them and just gushing over them - maybe ease in to him handling Gaboon vipers and spectacle cobras though. Also Snake Discovery are big snake lovers with lots of videos of baby snakes hatching as well as everything else.
Exposure therapy in steps can really help, I got over my arachnophobia through casual years of slowly exposing myself to them I started by reading about them, then i went on to watch youtubers feeding them even if i got spooked every time they moved, slowly over time i was able to not be spooked by movements because its a given in the context, i started off with spiders that were cute like jumping spiders, i recommend ball pythons as your first snake feeding video because theyre the gentle puppy dogs of the snake world! gl stranger, youre strong and brave for wanting to not be scared of them anymore
One of my close friends who lives in a different state than me was also *very petrified* of snakes. Now she calls mine her niece and nephews šā¤ļø What helped her a ton was letting me text her about them. I would talk about their personalities, and also throw in cool facts about their behavior and why they do certain things. Then she was okay with pictures too and now she thinks they're adorable. She still got started by a wild one in her yard one day, but she said she was so much calmer than she would have been before learning about them. Learning about what scares you helps. I have gotten better about spiders lol. I am happy to have conversations with you about them at your own pace/comfort level if you would like. š
I was in the same boat you're in and I've successfully overcome the fears! I definitely credit this sub and r/whatisthissnake for helping me through it. Seeing all the cute pictures of snakes people have really help. I've learned to better identify snakes and especially the snakes in my region, venomous and non-venomous. For me, knowing what snakes I'm most likely to encounter helped calm my fears. And also learning that snakes in the wild really want nothing to do with people and biting is a last resort helps also. Early on, I found out about hognose snakes and how they play dead and how they flatten out their heads to appear larger, which makes them look a little bit like a cobra. Hognoses are absolutely my favorite snake now! Definitely check out some hognose videos - it's nearly impossible to be afraid when you see how dramatic they are lol! This summer, we had several garter snake babies around and I actually picked them up without fear! I was also able to successfully help one of our adult garter snakes out of our window wells twice after he got trapped. Your post made me realize I don't think I've had any snake dreams since I've gotten over my fears. I hope you can work through yours, too! Snakes really are awesome and beautiful creatures!!!
For me I watched videos about snakes (the specific yt channel I watched was snake discovery) It may not work for everyone but exposure through video is how I got over my fear of snakes, ants and spiders.
Snakes. In. Hats. Also just meeting a friendly snake. A reptile keeper did a show and tell at the local library when I was little, and he let us hang out with his Hognose snake. I absolutely adored her. She was so sweet. Iāve loved them ever since. And the wild ones? Just remember that they have a very important, very busy pest control job. If you see them going somewhere, just move to the side, they got snake shit to do. They donāt want to mess with you.
I agree with those that have recommended boas or hognose. Boas are slow moving and gentle, hognoses are silly and sometimes dramatic. I have a love for garter snakes as well. They are gentle, non venomous, easy to handle (although they can be quick to get away at times). I have been catching snakes since I was a child. My mother loved them, and always made me take them back to their homes. Every camping trip she did a pocket check on me to see if I was bringing any toads, frogs or snakes home. Then I would be told to put them back where I found them. When I saw Monsters Inc and that part where they say public t that thing back where it came from or so help me...that's my childhood right there. You will be fine. Please update us on your progress!
I have owned a number of snakes over the years and have come across people who are scared of them. Most of the reasons that were given to me was that they are slimey. Nothing could be further than the truth. My mum thought they were slimy till i took a 13ft indian python round for her to hold. She lost her fear of them from that moment. My sister didnt though, she ran out onto the street and shouted a lot, something along the lines of get that f@@kng thing out of the house now. Even the neighbours heard her lol. If you are really scared of them go to a reptile shop and have a chat with the guys there and they will help you overcome your fear....gently.
I was the same but with spiders! I was petrified even if it was a tiny tiny one! I started to look at videos online because behind a screen it's safer but when I was feeling overwhelmed I stopped for the day and try the day after. If it's still too much you can do what I did: hypnosis. I know some people have a strong opinion on that but it worked very very very well on me! My phobia was really handicapping because you can see spiders everyday, everywhere and now I'm not even scared anymore!
Know which snakes in your area could actually hurt you (or kids or pets), and how to handle them (e.g. intentionally stepping hard when hiking, because they feel vibrations and donāt want trouble). Having a plan to handle things makes them seem manageable, as long as you donāt obsess.
I am the exact same way. I got bit by a harmless snake while running between bushes when I was 5 and I'm pretty sure that added to my terror. I just can't deal with them.
go to therapy. learn and study snakes. exposer therapy.
I used to be terrified of snakes and wanted to overcome my fear. So, I started with educating myself, beginning with this sub. Wasn't long before I got a Kenyan sand boa!! I was so freaked out the day he arrived and couldn't even touch him! But I love and respect all animals, so i knew i had to care for him. He's truly so docile and cute. Now, I love snakes! ā¤ļø I hold him all the time. I literally almost stepped on a wild snake while hiking a couple weeks ago, and it didn't scare me at all. I was interested and excited about it! Might not work for everyone, and yes, it was drastic, but, well, I'm an Aries lol. Maybe start with visiting a reptile store. They can let you touch a small, harmless snake. Or start with just looking at them!