How can I cure my irrational fear of snakes?

Question

I know that most snakes I may come into contact with are harmless ~ how can I cure my irrational fear of snakes or is it fine to just remain afraid of them if that's what I choose?

Answer 1

There's nothing wrong with being afraid of snakes.

Answer 2

I was deadly afraid of snakes.Then I decided enough was enough.So I got educated first of all on a snake I was interested in.Got some hands on time with the snakes by hanging around guys that knew what they were doing.Finally got a baby Burmese python 20" long and thin as a thumb.Then I studied it the way it moves feeding,shedding,climbing, and I realized that my fear was turning into fascination.That was 10yrs. ago and my little snake is now 19 1/2 feet long as thick as a telephone poll and ways about 275 lbs.My fear has turned into respect and admiration for these animals that have there place in pest control.I live in rattle snake country (Western Diamondbacks) and one off the things I do now is make house calls to relocate rattlers and others that have wondered to close to people.I have handled hundreds of snakes and have never been bitten but I have been bitten by a dog,cat,hamster,flea,ant,... well no need to get ridiculous but the point is anything that eats other things has a potential to want to taste you.Good Luck!

Answer 3

Why live in fear? You're right - most snakes are harmless. And those that aren't - knowledge and remaining calm can help.
I've not been *scared* of them but wasn't at ease around them. Growing up in the midwest we had cottonmouths and other poisonous snakes we were taught anything other than a garter snake don't mess with.
Several years ago I came across Taz and she changed everything - she was an 8' long burmese python and this snake would (for reasons I do not know) cross the room to come to me when I sat down. I touched her...watched her, learned her behaviors. A friend bought her and she grew to 12' and I was in and out of the house all the time so got used to her. I later had a few snakes of my own...including a couple baby corn snakes. One did bite me - it felt like sandpaper. (They are not toxic). I'm no longer afraid of them but cautious until I know what kind I'm dealing with. Introduce yourself to them in stages - read about them and their behaviors. They're actually quite interesting animals.

Answer 4

1) Learn what snakes are dangerous and not. Looking at all the pictures may help you rein in that fear.

2) Visit a petting zoo that has small constrictors, grass snakes, etc. Most non-poisonous snakes (grass snakes are actually poisonous but harmless to humans) will not attempt to bite humans, though stay away from that 20-foot python! :)

Hopefully the chance to sit for a few minutes with a 2 foot long grass snake coiled around your wrist enjoying your body heat will help reduce your fear.

3) Snakes are, on the other hand, one of those critters it's basically okay to be afraid of, as long as you don't freak out when you see one.

Answer 5

first do you know where the fear comes from. were you scared as a child? this May seem far-fetched to you but many fears we have are left over trauma from past-lives.you may have been bitten in another incarnation and that fear has stayed with you. meditation may help you confront that fear and put it to rest. you might also try gradually being around snakes in a controlled environment such as a pet shop. take someone you trust with you for support. try to get a little closer each time you go and stay a little longer eventually you'll be able to be around snakes without feeling that terror..........just a note snakes represent healing in that they shed their skins and become new is there something else in your life you don't want to confront?

Answer 6

One thing is for sure if you dont disturb them they wont harm you when you move fastly or do something the snake things you going to harm snake so snake just defend him self and attacks. I agree to one guy you have to hold snake for long time. My father did that when i was little may be 9 or 10 years old my father put snake arround my neck my fears were gone then.

Answer 7

Sometimes you can't cure a phobia. And its not irrational to be afraid of snakes... some are dangerous.

However, if you learn more about them and try to observe them in safety (like at the zoo for example) you might be able to feel more calm around them in the future.

Answer 8

Its best to start off small scale, and watch a small snake behind a glass cage. When you are comfortable with this, keep going till you can watch and be comfortable watching a larger one... when you do this fine, I would then suggest trying to get hold of an owner of a snake, and ask if you can hold it... but of course everything just takes time, and work it forward one step at a time...

Answer 9

I think a lot of people are afraid of snakes. I'm not crazy about them myself. I don't think there is a cure for fear, though.

Answer 10

Nothing wrong w/ being afraid of snakes
start with being up close to a snake(@ a pet store of course) while it's still in it's cage. Keep doing that til you're comfortable being around a sake cage. then later on, ask if you can hold them, but have whoever u ask to stand close by just in case your a bit jittery

Answer 11

guy is extra frightened of snakes, even the none venom ones. a million. there's a fantasy/tale contained in the Christianity. a tale about a snake tricking Eve into ingesting the apple. that's the position we get that serpents are evil and the devil or demons. human beings nonetheless imagine that way because of the bible. 2. some human beings flow the direction of Evolution. they imagine that in the course of the previous when we were monkeys that snakes were snacking on us like nutrients. for this reason that we nonetheless have this primordial worry of them. 3. videos. Yeah how about those "Anaconda" videos. about wide Anacondas contained in the South us of a ingesting human beings. How about, "Snakes on a airplane." back the position human beings could confront their worry of snakes.How about the Sleestaks from that teach "Land of the lost" 4. human beings do merely not like Reptilian animals in any respect. they imagine that snakes or reptiles are merely undeniable creepy or ugly. Yeah tell me guy isn't frightened of them. We nonetheless have not conquered our worry of them human beings will inform you that we are the "correct Predator" yet that retains to be a lie.