Snake myths: the truths and fallacies

SNAKES have always been feared and misunderstood creatures. This is largely because of myths that surround them, movies or TV shows, or over-exaggerated stories from friends or family.

Before I get to some of the commonly believed myths, here is one for the books. The dreaded seven-headed snake. One mind-boggling story I heard, which left me in hysterics and confused, was when a woman called me for a snake with seven heads. Seven heads. One of the heads apparently had a light on it too. Perhaps to help for hunting at night? The woman was adamant that that’s what she was looking at, and continued to argue against my statement of “No, you’re definitely not, you are perhaps seeing things”. However, I guess she can be forgiven, as it was a Friday night. I had to tell her to try the police though, I couldn’t help with a serpent like that.

The myth of a seven-headed snake existing is quite popular, particularly in the Zulu culture. However, it is not true, and I’m not sure where the myth originated from. A snake may be born with two heads, but this is a very rare deformity, and the snake does not survive for long.

Do snakes attack people? No, snakes are not out to harm humans. They do not seek us out, nor do they enjoy biting us. A snake will bite as a last resort, to defend itself if it fears for its life. If escape is futile, and if it feels like you’re too close for comfort, that’s when they bite. So please don’t try to catch or kill one. Hikers, or people who are barefoot, occasionally get bitten after standing on a snake, but this is just a freak accident. The infamous Black Mamba is no different to other snakes, they too do not attack people. A snake will never just sense you and start chasing you. They’re a lot more scared of you, than you are of it (even though you may not think so).

Are snakes territorial? No. A snake does not have a demarcated territory that it actively defends. Some people may believe that if you go into a mamba’s territory, that’s when they’ll attack, but this is not true. Most snakes do not hang around in one place for very long, and are generally constantly searching for food and shelter, no matter the area.

The Black Mamba is different though, in a way. Adults often take up residence in an area where they feel like they have a safe hiding spot, and plenty of food. They become creatures of habit. They usually bask in the same spot religiously, and return to the same hide-out every evening. They do not aggressively defend the area, it’s more of a ‘home’. This behaviour has been recorded in Mozambique Spitting Cobras too.

Does Jeye’s Fluid keeps snakes away? No. Jeye’s Fluid is often used by people to chase snakes away, or prevent them from coming into ones yard. It does not work as a repellent and will not keep snakes away from your property. However, if poured directly on a snake, the toxic fluid will kill the animal-please don’t do this (snakes are a key link in the food chain, they keep your rats away). There is no set way in which people can repel snakes, the best thing to do would be to keep a neat and tidy yard, or move to New Zealand.

For snake removals/emergency rescues you can contact Nick Evans on 072 809 5806, or for snake awareness/educational work, e-mailnickevanskzn@gmail.com or visit www.kznamphibianreptileconservation.com.