Four Snake Myths, Busted
Even if you don't like spiders and snakes, you'll probably be happy to learn that these snake myths are just so much hooey.
Snake myths are many and varied. Why? Well, if there's one type of beast almost all of us have an aversion to, it's snakes. Oh, sure, you can learn to get over your fear of the slithery critters. But if you're like most people, your initial reaction to the sight of a wild one is to find yourself several dozen feet away. Instantly.
But let's be fair: it's not altogether reasonable to malign these quiet creatures, most of whom are not venomous, and all of whom serve completely respectable purposes in the natural order of things. In this article, we'll do our part to calm the anti-snake storm with the anodyne of truth.
Myth 1: Snakes are cold and slimy. Yuck!
Only someone who's never touched a snake would fall for this snake myth. Snakes are dry to the touch, and their scales are smooth; no slime is necessary. Because they're invariably cold-blooded, their temperature will be whatever the surrounding environment's is. Thus, they can be either cold or warm to the touch.
Myth 2: Venomous snakes will attack as soon as they see you, and they can jump several feet.
Both statements are untrue. You're too big for a meal; snakes prefer dealing with creatures that they can swallow whole. They'll strike if provoked, but it usually takes a lot of provoking. Your humble writer has come within inches of stepping on numerous venomous snakes, and has never been bitten or struck at.
And about that jumping thing: that's a silly snake myth, when you think about it. Snakes don't have legs, so they can't jump. The most they can do is strike the full length of their bodies from a coiled or semi-coiled position; that's about it.
Myth 3: Snakes can hypnotize creatures and even people with their eyes.
Well, they can in Disney movies. But in reality, who needs hypnosis when you have powerful coils, sharp teeth, and (in some cases) a handy venom to paralyze your prey? Most animals aren't smart enough to be hypnotized anyway -- true hypnosis takes the willing participation of the victim. As for humans, forget it.
Myth 4: Snakes always travel in pairs.
Actually, snakes tend to be solitary creatures. The only exception, of course, occurs during mating season (usually April-June), when boy snakes and girl snakes get together to perpetuate the species. Just like the folklore belief that a snake won't cross a hemp rope, this is purely snake myth, nothing more.
