The unreasonable fear of spiders is called “arachnophobia”, whereas the reasonable fear of snakes is called “common sense”. As you might guess I have a fear of snakes similar to touching a live electric wire, the first sight of one stops my heart for two or three beats.
The photo of the spider is totally gratuitous and was placed here just to creep out the people that are not afraid of snakes. You are welcome!
I understand that some people feel that same fear that I described, upon seeing a spider. I don’t react to seeing a spider. My only thought is to identify it and stay a respectful distance from it’s territory. And, if it interferes with my life, it gets whacked. Sorry, but that’s life in the fast lane, and some spiders just don’t survive.
But, all snakes have to leave my yard! Rattlesnakes would have to leave dead, and I will move anything else in a gentle fashion that doesn’t harm them. Otherwise, I imagine them sneaking into my house at night and slithering onto my bed, eating my dog, and causing all kinds of snaky mischief. So they have to go, far, far away!
I understand that some people don’t feel that way about snakes, and in fact, would welcome them into their yard. The thought gives me the Heeby-Geebies, the Jeepers Creeepers, The Willies, and the Shudders, if you get my drift.
But, Kaivalya asked this question, so I thought that I might pass it on to more reasonable people than myself.
Kaivalya Quote:
As a reptile-lover, I've been trying to relocate snakes into my garden. I'd rather have snakes than moles and mice eating my dinner!And I've got to give some props to rattlesnakes - they usually give you lots of warning before they attempt to bit you. A funny thing is happening in Texas were rattlesnake round-ups are popular; through the many years that rattlesnakes have been rounded up, it's easiest to catch the ones that like to rattle the most. Therefore, there are more and more rattlesnakes not inclined to rattle due to their genetic successfulness. So when I hear a rattle, I think of it as the snake letting me know it's there because it doesn't want to have to bite me.The Humboldt Herpetological Society has been considering putting together a reptile response line for a while now. The idea is that you could call 24/7 to get advice or have snakes relocated from your property. I'm pretty sure that I would be the only Southern Humboldt contingency, but that's better than nothing. I guess we've just been a bit cynical about potential use. What do you Think?
End Quote:::
I think it's creepy, but I realize that my perspective might be different from normal people.
hahaha, fair enough Ernie - I won't hold it against you. Afterall, I really do hate spiders (and ticks).
ReplyDeleteIt's just another day in the life of a monkey, as I like to say.
I'm looking forward to people's feedback, and maybe I'll post some pictures of my snakies in the near future.
I uaually never think about snakes in my house, but it has happened. Spiders however show up in places you can't see or not looking for them in your bed, clothes, couch,,,
ReplyDeletewell you get the idea.
Scorpions and potato bugs are my least favorite bugs.
Jim
I learned a long time ago that people are usually frightened by snakes, or bugs, or both, but few people are not afraid of either.
ReplyDeleteSo if someone teases uou with a bug, there is better than an even chance that you can scare the hell out of then with a snake!
Oh, for Pete's sake, Ernie! What're you trying to do - kill me?!!
ReplyDeleteYour snake pic is a Kingsnake. Reputed to eat rattlesnakes, tho I don't know if it is true. I found one just the othe day at the foot of my drivewy and chased it into the brush so it wouldn't get run over. I've only seen afew of them over the years.
ReplyDeleteThanks, ben. I was thinking that was a king snake. They're supposed to be very beneficial to have around. Don't know that I've ever seen one in the wild.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I'm one of those that's not particularly afraid of snakes (or spiders). In fact, I used to have fun when I worked at Humboldt Bay Power Plant catching garter snakes.
But one girl I worked with was scared to death of snakes. I went in to our control room once with a teeny little garter snake wrapped around my hand. It was maybe ten inches in length. Poor girl saw the snake and started screaming bloody murder. My supervisor was in the room and, while he didn't scream, you could tell he was uncomfortable with the teeny little snake I was holding.
Oh well. Made me feel pretty manly in comparison.
Kings snakes are very active snakes and they can move extremely fast. They kill by constricting.
ReplyDeleteThey do eat rattlesnakes. I have seen them do it. (On telivision)
They grow up to 60 inces in length.
They are one of my favorite snakes. Them, and the little grey ringneck, which is kinda cute for a snake.
They all still creep me out. So the only one that I allow in my yard is the ring neck, and they are very secretive, so I don't often run across one.
I seen lots of different colored ring snakes. Red, orange and I think yellow. Ask Darrel S..
ReplyDeleteSorry Ernie, I just remembered a time the 3 of us were strolling up above your house, Garberville, when we walked up on a king snake. It was a big one too. I knew I had your number as I thought you were going to jump into the Cheerleaders arms. Dang, that was fun..
ReplyDeleteking snakes are wonderful. i have had them crawl by me and stay under my lawn chair. i spent a half hour in bliss with one who stayed on the porch. i waited and finally got him to slither across my hand. a friend rescued a 1 1/2 footer in the road to transplant to his land. he showed him to me and i let him crawl up my sleeve and all around in my tucked in shirt. so much fun. better stay anonymous. i love snakes. If the situation allows i like to sneak up close on the ground to a moderately mad young coiled rattlesnake and get them to relax their coiling and relax the frown they hold. i dont recommend anyone else do it, but i have had good luck even with witnesses present. older rattlers i would never try such a stupid thing.
ReplyDeletein the month before i moved into my home, the indigenous black widow population took it back over, unbeknownst to me. one of the first things i moved in one dusktime was my favorite chair. i took the opportunity to sit in it and just feel living there. just like the nursery rhyme, alongside me... down from the twenty foot ceiling came, not a small or medium sized widow but a fat one. i debated a nano-second and told her that she had had lots of babies, but i was going to kill her. all i had was a shoe, so i tried to knock her to the ground with it but like a very small tetherball she swung away and then Baaaack at me. yikes. i dodged sideways knocked her off her fibrous thread and squished it. it felt wrong...i thought this is not the way to start a relationhip with my BW neighbors.
i slept back home that night and kept moving into the new place. days later i went into the new place at dusk and walked right into a characteristic strand with my forehead and felt the spider on my cheek. the first response was to swipe my face flinging my glasses across the floor. my second response was a dance step that would rival st. vitus hisself. then i got real still. and felt a crawling in my hair and started up the spastic flailing again. i never saw her, i retrieved my glasses and figured i got my karma back. since then i rarely kill one of the many outdoor blackwidows, and find that the indoor ones stay away...never find the tough webs inside. respect goes a long ways.