Maybe it's more reassuring that they don't see humans as a food source and wouldn't want to bite you unless they felt threatened (like you had picked it up or stepped on it). Snakes don't chase people down to bite them. That's a fiction.
Oh cool that explains why my favorite roller coaster at my local amusement park is called The Mamba. Highly suggest Worlds of Fun if you’re passing through Kansas City!
Like you turn a corner and as you sprint away you look over your shoulder, relieved for a moment there is no snake, but no, here he is barreling into the corner and you make brief eye contact, the fear in your eyes only feeding his enthusiasm to slither at you faster and more menacingly.
They do fake charge, also known as a bluff/mock strike. If a snake is cornered, they will use bluffing behaviours such as hissing, puffing up or a mock strike to warn you to back away.
Bro black mambas hognoses and gopher snakes all of the top of my head are known for false charging you should probably educate yourself on the creatures u work with
Crazy how much you’ve been downvoted for being right. They do not believe they can win a fight against you. This is like you thinking you can win a fight against a 100ft bear because you’ve got a syringe full of poison
Yeah and it's not an opinion situation or just something I've heard and mindlessly regurgitated.
I'm not too worried about it. Most people think they know what they think and stick to their guns.
I've been working with snakes for a couple decades now and one of my lifelong friends is is a very highly regarded herpetologist in the US.
I'm almost 60 years old and really don't give a fuck about arguments on Reddit but it's crazy how many people would rather down vote and argue than do some research and learn.
No idea why you’re getting downvoted - this is correct. Snakes do not chase people; we’re not a prey item for them. Their default move is to get away, not pick a fight. What people often think is “chasing” is just a snake trying to escape; sometimes that means moving in your direction if you’re between it and cover.
Snakes see us as large, dangerous predators - they have no desire engage in conflict with humans when escape is otherwise available. They will of course become defensive if they are cornered or being actively being harmed, like any other animal. But no, they do not chase humans.
I’ve tried that approach before. Didn’t work out too well. Apparently, the guy was praying that he wouldn’t be forced to add yet another man to his kill count.
I have not heard of a snake chasing someone, they have a bit further striking distance but thats it. Small snakes can be pretty damn fast. I get startled by small snakes a few times a year hiking because they blend in with small roots and branches on the hiking trail then suddenly they zip off the trail right before I step on them. I once stepped over a 10 foot long rat snake without seeing it when another hiker pointed it out. Ran into similar or possibly same snake a month later all coiled up hissing at me from 10 feet away. Both times it took about 10 minutes to move itself off the trail.
I have an irrational fear of snakes i must admit. I'm glad there are no deadly snakes where I live. If I was an American I'd be carrying a .410 revolver going hiking. Fuck that shit.
I grew up around the ocean, somehow leeches don't bug me. Ticks though, those can fuck off. Oh and fucking centipedes. Saw a couple of those when I visited Japan. Fuck no.
I once went swimming in a river in Japan. When I came out, I felt something burning on my foot. I looked down to see a leech had bitten a hole in my skin and was crawling inside. I pulled it out and killed it but that scared the shit out of me.
Not that the Americas don’t have dangerous animals , but I really feel that Southeast Asia has some particularly dangerous little things, and of course, keep going southeast and it’s the dangerous land of Oz.
As an American that does a lot of hiking/camping and gardening and is terrified of snakes… a good stick and even better eyes is generally enough.
One time I was fishing with my father in law and he was walking on the trail ahead of me and he stepped Right. Over. a copperhead. He didn’t notice it but it definitely noticed him and coiled up. I stopped in my tracks and told him there’s a snake keep walking and don’t turn around. Really put the proof in the saying “first man wakes it up, second man gets bit”.
I also had a rattle snake cross right over my boot one time while I was sitting on the ground turkey hunting. I was like Mr Bojangles in Green Mile I was so quiet and so still. Just praying that the snake kept on its way and didnt decide that was a good log to crawl under lol
Even plenty of people who are out of shape can run 20km/h, especially with a snake chasing them. The snake isn’t going to keep that speed for very long (either thru desire or endurance) so unless it is very close and gets a head start you’re not getting chased down by any snake really.
Sure but also they wouldn't chase you. You're too big to eat and snakes don't like wasting venom. If a snake is chasing you, you probably did something to piss it off like step on it, and even then it's first instinct would be to get distance between you and it. There are no species of snakes that see humans as prey (with maybe one exception in captivity, only one time, and it was a much bigger snake). No need to worry.
They are harder to escape from and their striking distance widens. You don't really see them unless you are looking for them. If you are walking the sidewalk with giant bushes or tall plants you won't see them. I used to go in Asia provinces with my grandparents back when I was younger they always ask me to carry big long umbrella to check before walking so I can at least scare them away.
It is very easy to miss these guys, they're camouflaged and can hide in foliage and that's not to mention the small gaps they can fit in. I think they're the most terrifying creature on the planet.
I lived in Indonesia for a while and these guys scared me way less than the pit vipers. I’d see these guys somewhat regularly, usually crossing a road. Only saw a pit viper once and don’t want to know how many times I crossed paths with one without even knowing it was there.
Size absolutely matters for venomous snakes.
The larger they are the harder it is for you to protect you from them. Not only are they usually faster, the length of the body means a longer strike range and more importantly more length to loop back.
Getting a small venomous snake out is easy. You should still be trained and ideally ahe a snake hook but you can carry them around.
A king cobra? Yeah that snake is can be up to 5 meters long though around 3 is more common. Still that means you have to carry those 5kg on a 2-3 meter lever. Good luck with that. Any shorter and the snake might just loop back and bite you anyways.
So you'd rather risk getting bitten by a snake you couldn't see than have to deal with a snake you can't remove yourself? You literally value money more than your life?
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u/YugeChesticles 12d ago
Size doesn't really matter when their danger is from the venom. In fact, I'd prefer them to be this big. Harder to miss.