Photo by Ashleigh Newnes
Along with spiders, snakes are one of the most feared creatures in America. It’s true that if you get on the wrong side of a snake, things could get pretty messy. But isn’t that also true for most creatures?
I know, I know, there is the whole “venomous” thing, but just like most creatures in the wild, they are way more scared of us humans than we are of them. Snakes are very shy creatures, and if you leave them be, all will be well. Actually, it takes a long time for a venomous snake to produce more venom after use, so as long as you aren’t provoking the animal, it will not waste that energy to bite you for no good reason. The only reason it would bite is self-defense. Don’t want to get bitten? Leave it alone.
With overdevelopment and urbanization of most of our natural areas, we are going to have more and more human/snake encounters. I believe it’s important to try to remember, they are trying to co-exist in this ever-changing environment that they called home before it was ever ours. It might be your first instinct to grab the shovel if you see a snake in your yard, but I urge you to think twice. Will the snake harm you or your family? Chances are, no, it will not, unless it is provoked. Will the snake stay in my yard? No, the snake is likely just passing through and will move on to new territories.
If I see a snake what do I do? Calmly take three steps back and walk away. The snake will be wiping its brow, thankful that the big scary predator backed off and let it go.
I have a snake in my yard, and I’m not supposed to use a shovel, or a gun? What now?
If you feel you absolutely have to do something, a gentle squirt with the garden hose from a distance will get the message across. If you need assistance, there are local wildlife services to call that can remove the snake and relocate it to a safe place for you.
Snakes are magnificent creatures and are given such a bad rap. They often appear in literature, movies and the like in a manner that creates negative connotations: e.g., Slytherin House in the Harry Potter books and movies, Eve and the serpent (in this scriptural anecdote, though, the serpent was actually a demonic presence, definitely damaging the snake family’s reputation for future generations), and in many other instances.
As a snake lover, I was happy to recognize a snake on the side of a life-saving vehicle: an ambulance. That’s right, there is a snake represented in the universal symbol for emergency medical care. The star of life has a staff in the center with a snake wrapped around it. After some research I learned that the serpent and the staff portray the staff of Asclepius (God of Medicine in Greek mythology). The staff as a whole represents healing, the skin-shedding serpent being indicative of renewal.
Seeing a snake in your yard should produce the same response as observing any other animal in your yard. You do not have to like snakes to understand that they are living creatures in the natural world and deserve to be treated with respect.
