First snake encounter.

[Didymus20X6]

My first up-close encounter with a snake:

When I was about 10, I had found a huge tortoise in our yard. I was going to try to keep him as a pet, but he got away when I wasn't looking. Thinking it might have gotten into the tall grass near a neighbor's property, I started poking around in the tall grass. As I was walking along, I happened to look down beneath my feet and saw a huge black snake looking up at me. I sprinted back inside, not knowing what kind it was, and got my mom. We barely caught a glimpse of it as it slithered away from us toward the neighbor's property. From what little I remember about it, it was probably a black racer, but at the time, I had no idea: it was a snake, and snakes bite people.

I have a strong feeling this is how my ophidiophobia developed.

Growing up in a rural area, we encountered all sorts of snakes on occasion - rattlers, moccasins, corns, rats (what we called "oaks"). For a long time, I couldn't even be near "safe" snakes like pythons or boas, even when handlers assured me they wouldn't harm me.

But thanks to conservationists like the late Steve Erwin, I harbored a secret fascination for the animals. When I lived in St. Louis, I frequently visited the reptile house at the zoo. But it took having to catch a score of garter snakes that had invaded my yard a few years ago that I began to overcome my terrors and learn to love these animals.

[EasternGirl]

We have a local zoo here that is very small but they actually have a nice little reptile house...of course, it is my favorite part of the zoo...well, that and the female Siberian tiger. The tiger died last year...she was very old...*sad*, but they have a new tiger, I will have to go see. Anyway, when we go to the zoo...my ex and my son are always scared of the reptile house...but they go in with me. I was upset last time we were there because I couldn't see the anaconda because she was at the vet. Hopefully, I can see her this year.

[Mommy2many]

I always loved to go looking for critters and flipping rocks and boards looking for things. I would occasionally find a snake in the early spring or chill and would warm them up. They became my "protectors",striking at anyone coming near me, as I was their heat source. I always loved snakes and had all but forgotten about that until 2 1/2 years ago when my Husband found "Stewie" in our yard while mowing the lawn. I decided to keep her and it's all been history since then. Garter snake love reborn! A beautiful thing and my children get to experience it as well. What could be better?

[aquamentus_11]

Zoos were always a favourite when I was younger. You couldn't get me away from any exhibit that had fish or reptiles in it. Most of the time it was only the carnivores I actually wanted to see.

I was also a huge zoo fan as a kid. My fav animals there were the hippos. I remember one winter my mom and I went and since it's too cold for hippos to be outside in Detroit in the winter, the hippos were inside. The hippo house was locked for some reason and my world was ruined. My mom actually forced the door open and we snuck in. Best mom ever.

The Detriot Zoo now has an AWESOME amphibian house. If anyone is ever in the area it's worth the visit. The reptile house is small, but very nicely kept with a huge reticulated python in a brand new viv.

[EasternGirl]

Detroit...wow...so you grew up street, huh? Lol... She does sound like a great mom. I would do the same for my son. I can't stand seeing him crushed over something. I was just saying to someone the other day...I guess the proper word for more than one hippopotamus would be hippopotami...but how many times have you heard that? I looked it up and apparently, hippopotami and hippopotamuses are both correct. The latin form of the plural really isn't used anymore since people now say "hippos". Just a little factoid for all of you....

[aquamentus_11]

nice. well I didn't grow up in the city itself, it was more of the suburbs meets the country when I was a kid. the zoo is in the suburbs just north of the city. there's a lot of just waste area in Detroit though: ruins of apartment buildings, playgrounds and factories that are being reclaimed by a twisted form of nature (sumac, grasses, briars, stunted trees, etc.). i wouldn't be surprised to find a lot of snakes in some of these places with their piles of concrete and overgrown/burned down houses. it'd be interesting to see what sort of animal life lives there. i know foxes, deer, raccoons, falcons for sure, but i'd be willing to bet snakes are there too.

[GarterGuy17]

Lol I grew up in the street and still live here , not really what they show in movies.

[EasternGirl]

Yeah...nothing is really like what they show in the movies is it?