“Snakes are mean!” a seven-year old boy exclaimed when we asked him if he wanted us to remove one of our snakes from its cage so he could have a closer look. “They’re really mean!”
“Snakes aren’t mean,” I told the youngster. “They are neither good nor bad, but like most animals, they have a place in nature and a job to do.”
Going for Sis
“I want my sister here!” The boy ran home and soon returned with his younger sister who appeared excited to encounter a new-to-her species.
Chuck removed our garter snake, Karma, from her cage and held her toward the children. “Touch her if you want,” he told them.
Without hesitation, the 5-year-old girl extended a finger and ran it along Karma’s scaly back. “She’s soft!”
After watching his sister’s delight in her new experience, the boy tentatively reached a finger toward the snake, but snatched it back before contact.
No Need to Touch
“It’s okay,” we told him. “You don’t have to touch her.”
But not wanting to be outdone by his sister, he once again presented a finger, this time running it the length of Karma’s back. “What do you think?” we asked him.
“She’s smooth,” he said as he withdrew his hand and pondered the experience a bit. Finally, he reached out once again and touched Karma’s back and then her belly. “They look different,” he said, as he examined the scales.
Feeding Time
“Would you like to feed the snakes tomorrow?” Chuck asked.
The sister’s eyes widened and she smiled broadly. “Yes!” she exclaimed. Her brother nodded slowly. He would accompany his sister and give it a try.
The next day, the brother and sister both returned. Chuck brought a bag of thawed mice for the snakes. “I want to feed Karma!” the sister announced. “I like her!”
Chuck picked up a mouse at the base of its tail with a pair of hemostats and handed it to the girl. After careful explanation of what to expect and how to offer the food, Chuck opened the cage. As usual, Karma slithered out toward the front, tongue flicking, ready for her dinner. The sister held the mouse near Karma’s mouth and wiggled it as Chuck had instructed. “Snakes aren’t too smart,” he had told her. “She’ll think it’s alive if you wiggle it.”
When Karma latched onto the mouse, Chuck took the hemostats and released the lock, leaving Karma to enjoy her meal.
His Turn
Her brother was next. Chuck slid open the cage where Spike, the king snake, resides. As Spike emerged from his house, Chuck handed the hemostats with the dangling dead mouse to the child. The 7-year-old took the hemostats without hesitation and offered the mouse to the expectant snake. Spike obliged by striking gently and holding onto the mouse as Chuck took the hemostats to unlock them and release the snake’s dinner.
Cool!
“That’s cool!” the young boy said as he watched Spike devour his meal.
Once again, what one learns about and understands, one can appreciate and protect. Education is the essential ingredient.