This is an informational post meant to educate the uninformed. I do not claim to know everything, but I do enjoy sharing what I know in hopes of teaching even one person something they didn't know before. This post will focus on common myths and misconceptions of snakes, including things such as snakes being slimy, evil, baby murderers. I hope you enjoy it!
1. Snakes will only get as large as the enclosure you keep them in. If you keep them in a large (150 gallon) aquarium, they will grow to fit the tank. FALSE
Snakes are like humans. They grow to an average length and generally stop. If you wear a size six shoe and you buy a size twelve pair of shoes, will your feet grow to fit the shoes? No. The same goes for snakes. Each species is different, but each has average lengths and weights, and they generally fit into these categories. There are exceptions, but you're not going to see a ball python grow to be ten feet long just because you keep it in a fifteen foot long enclosure.
2. Snakes are slimy. FALSE
Snakes are not slimy. They have scales, and this leads some people to compare them to fish which, obviously, can be rather gooey and slimy. They are also compared to worms. The truth is, snakes are fairly soft to the touch, and very dry. Their scales actually feel quite pleasant, if you want my opinion.
3. Snakes will constrict just for the pleasure of doing so. FALSE
Constrictors such as pythons and boas will not constrict just because they feel like it. They constrict their prey to kill it so they can eat. When holding a snake, they will also sometimes grip very tightly in order to feel more secure being held and/or carried. This leads some people to believe that the snake has some malicious intent. They do not. They are simply frightened and they use their natural abilities (powerful muscles) to grip and hang on. They will not intentionally constrict you. Of course, this being said, if you put a Burmese Python around your neck and it grips you tightly, causing you to have trouble breathing, A) You're not very bright if you're putting an eight foot or longer snake around your neck, and B) The snake is just using what it has available to keep itself secure and safe. If your neck happens to be in the way, don't blame the snake. Blame yourself.
4. Snakes will only eat live prey. FALSE
Snakes are scavengers. They will eat what is available. In the wild, this means live or dead prey. They will eat carrion, like many other animals in the wild. In captivity, they will eat live or a number of dead prey options. These include prey that has recently been killed or stunned, either via blunt force or euthanized prey. This also includes prey that has been killed, frozen, and then thawed and warmed up before feeding.
5. Snakes will kill your dog, your cat, or your child. FALSE
I call this false because your snake is not going to eat your German Shepherd, your Husky, or your teenager. Of course, if you tempt your giant hungry snake (and by giant I mean Burmese or Reticulated Python, and similar snakes), with a yapping, rabbit size terrier, don't hold it against the snake if it makes a meal of it. Chances are, though, the snake will be frightened by the incessant yapping of the dog and will attempt to escape.
- That's all for now, folks. If you have questions or want a myth challenged, comment and I'll do my best to answer.
Rick
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