Snakes as Necklaces Revisited (AGAIN)

Once again we viewed a website of well-intentioned reptile lovers who insist on placing large pythons around audience members’ necks. While they may deliver excellent information, as well as attempting to instill a respect for these misunderstood creatures, their message degrades into showmanship.

We’ve written previous articles that promote respect for the animal, as well as safety for individuals, but we feel it needs repeating.  There is no need to resort to theatrics by using snakes as necklaces. A large snake is better handled by more than one person or, at least, supported around a person’s waist.

Safety for Snakes and People

Sapphire and Spike, the Kingsnake
Touching a Snake

When we present our snake program to schools, libraries, and RV groups, we emphasize safety for audience members and for the snakes. These animals are not fond of being touched and are easily stressed. To allow children or just any adult to handle them could result in injury to the snake or the participant.

Picture after picture in the website mentioned above depicted large constrictors draped around visitors’ necks. Undoubtedly, nothing adverse happened to either the reptiles or the visitors; however, the possibilities existed. What if someone panicked and dropped the snake? What if someone held it too tightly and the snake reacted badly? What if the constrictor coiled around the person’s neck and strangled them as has happened in the past? Although people have been killed by “pet” constrictors choking their airways as they tighten around the neck in an effort to hold on and prevent falling, showmanship seems to demand draping snakes in this fashion.

Because a snake is untrainable, no one can predict exactly how it might react. Different smells and vibrations can elicit different and unpredictable reactions. Stress is also a factor as we once discovered with our bullsnake, Hatch.

Unpredictable

While visiting an office one day after several school programs, we handed Hatch to the manager who had handled the snake in the past. Hatch had been a part of our programs for nearly 10 years without an incident. We trusted her implicitly. As we performed other tasks, the manager showed Hatch around to others throughout the building. She was gone for 10 or 15 minutes.

“What’s she doing?” the manager asked us when she returned.

With mouth open, Hatch was “feeling” her way up and down the manager’s arm. We had never before witnessed this behavior. We immediately replaced her into the snake carrier. Whether or not she was preparing to bite the manager we would never know. But after a day of school programs, followed by more touching and handling at the office, she obviously had had enough. She was stressed and needed a break.

Hatch was our largest snake – a five-foot constrictor. During school programs, she served as our “touch” snake. While we controlled the snake’s head, children used two fingers to gently run them in the direction that the scales lay.

What is a Constrictor?

“What is a constrictor?” we ask the students during our presentations. Usually at least one child can explain that this is the kind of snake that coils around its prey and squeezes until the animal can no longer breathe.

“So,” we continue, “how many of you think it would be really cool to put this snake around your neck?” Often, many children raise their hands. But after some consideration and discussion about the consequences and irresponsibility, most of them reconsider. They realize that the snake could hurt them.

After one classroom presentation, however, two girls separately approached us, each with the same story. “I went to another snake program,” each said, “and they put a snake around my neck. Nothing happened.”

Can it Happen?

That’s right. Most of the time, nothing will happen. Most of the time nothing happens when you encounter a bear or a moose while hiking, either. Most of the time lightning won’t strike you. Most of the time you won’t crack your head on a rock when riding your bike without a helmet. But putting a constrictor, or any snake, around a person’s neck shows no respect for that animal and puts the person at risk, as well as possibly injuring the snake. It also sets a poor example of proper snake handling.

Using a snake as a necklace to promote and glorify a snake program may spark an interest in this vilified species; but in the long run, these theatrics may diminish the message that we strive to deliver.

2 thoughts on “Snakes as Necklaces Revisited (AGAIN)”

  1. I always enjoy reading your articles and definitely appreciate the work you do!
    But I would like to make a plug for those of us who work with these large constrictors on a daily basis.
    “Theatrics” is typically not at all what we are after, no more than Steve Irwin wanted to “show Off” when he worked with animals.
    When an accident does happen with a constrictor around someone’s neck, and it’s extremely rare, it’s because someone chose to work with the animal alone.
    When we do educational events, large constrictors end up on the shoulders of many people, but like you with the smaller animals, we watch for any signs the snake is “not right”, and how the people are interacting with them.
    There is also always enough qualified people on hand so if something does happen, it can be addressed immediately.
    Yes, they are indeed wild animals, and anything can happen which is why waivers are always present, people are aware of the inherent dangers, but as with any aspect of working with and enjoying wild animals, are willing to take certain risks.
    There are always a few people out there who enjoy the sensationalism, but the majority of us who do this, again, on a daily basis, do it because we love the animals and love to share both our knowledge and our animals, with others.
    Many of these folks have spent their lifetimes sharing their love of these amazing creatures, incident free, and deserve better than to be accused of mere “theatrics”.
    Again, thanks so much for what you guys do, and maybe consider that a snake around the shoulders under the right, supervised conditions, can be an enjoyable experience for both the animal and the handler!

    Reply
    • Thanks for your comments on the issue of allowing constrictors, or any other snake to be placed around the neck. Your comments were well taken and I hold you and your organization in the highest regard. Our scaly neighbors need all the attention and understanding we can provide.
      Although we may differ somewhat in our educational processes, the message remains the same: Respect and understanding for an all too often, misunderstood animal.
      We have, over the years, as you may have, witnessed some reptile shows at county fairs and other events where the emphasis on displaying a snake was often for the entertainment of the crowd. Although most of the handlers were knowledgeable in the reptile field, they sometimes failed to provide the vital educational information. Many of the audience, both young and old, enjoyed the “gee whiz” factor when seeing a potentially dangerous snake displayed just inches from their face and could have benefited from a degree of education as well. Unfortunately, there was very little educational value contained in some of these programs. Information was provided as to where the snake was from, what it ate and in general how it made a living. In our programs, as well as yours, frequent mention is made of a snake’s job in nature and its location on the food chain.
      During your programs when you allow a snake around a viewer’s neck experienced handlers are nearby in the event of a mishap. This does give a margin of safety. My concern, however, is that sometimes a younger viewer will feel that they can imitate the same handling techniques seen in a show, often by themselves or with a couple friends who may have no knowledge of what to do in an emergency. What we try emphasize during our classroom programs is that we don’t recommend putting a snake around the neck due to the potential for strangulation as has happened in the past as well, as not showing respect for the animal. There have been at least two incidents along the Front Range of CO in recent history as mentioned in the Denver Post a few years ago. Even though there were strong firemen and policemen on the scene, removing the python proved more difficult than planned.
      As I mentioned earlier, we all are proceeding toward the same destination in our efforts but on different roads. Here, south of Tucson, we’ve seen some herpetological organizations providing “snake shows” that rarely stress education and understanding of that specialized animal. These groups don’t hold a candle to your group from what I’ve read. Thanks for being a great representative to a valuable part of our ecosystem!

      Reply

Leave a Comment