Evan McGuire
Why do so many people fear or hate snakes? Snakes are not as dangerous as people make them out to be, and leaving them alone is often the best practice. Yet people hate them enough to go out of their way to kill them, despite that being one of the main reasons people get bitten by snakes in the first place
Humans have an innate fear of snakes. Even babies have a physiological response to the sight of a snake. This fear is reasonable, as snake venom can be incredibly dangerous, but in most developed countries, hospitals carry antivenoms for local snake species. Nowadays, snake bites, even venomous ones, are usually quite treatable.
Snake bites often occur when people are purposefully trying to interact with the snake. Whether they keep them as pets, are trying to pick them up, or harm them, this is the time when snakes get defensive and strike. If you leave them alone and give them a wide berth, they generally won’t bother you.
Snakes view people as predators more often than not, and they are scared of us. They do not bite maliciously, they bite to deter the predators (or perceived predators) so that they don’t get eaten. Many snakes will try to slither away from you before they even get defensive.
To keep your dog safe from snakes, you can teach them to avoid snakes using snake aversion training. Keeping your dogs on a leash also helps ensure they do not approach snakes. Large livestock are rarely bitten by snakes, and often times it is not fatal.
Snakes can work well with people despite the bad rap. The rodents and other small animals we attract to farms and ranches are a food source, attracting snakes to the area. These snakes do some pretty helpful pest control, keeping rodent populations down and away from our pantries. They will eat rodents opportunistically, and few livestock animals would be prey for any snakes in Texas.
If snakes are near or in your spaces, they will usually be hiding in dark crevices and corners, such as underneath buildings or brush piles. Anything that stays on the ground for long periods of time could be a good hiding spot. If you have a fear of snakes, exercise caution in these areas, or try to prevent them from forming.
In Texas we have quite a few venomous snake species scattered throughout the state, with several different types of rattlesnakes, copperheads, or coral snakes. In the greater Houston area, we only have 5 species of venomous snakes: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Coral Snake, Cottonmouth, and Copperhead. You are far more likely to run across a harmless non-venomous snake in our area than a venomous one. There are 90 species of non-venomous snake species in Texas, versus only 15 venomous species.
Though they may be scary to some, snakes are beautiful, interesting animals and should be respected. They do not want anything to do with humans and can even benefit us by removing pests. So, why be afraid of snakes when you could be a fan of them?
Photo credit: Michael Gray
Caption: Water Moccasin
