SFH - How To Properly Handle Snakes

Handling snakes is something that definatly needs to be done with care. Snakes are very fragile creatures and therefore can be injured easily if not handled properly. Handling a snake is something I would only recomend if you know the snake species and know that it is a non-venomous snake. HANDLING VENOMOUS SNAKES IS A HOSPITAL TRIP WAITING TO HAPPEN!!!! I've handled snakes all my life and for the most part though that i was handling them correctly, I was wrong. I grew up watching Steve Irwin and other Animal Planet stars and just basically whent off of what they were doing, with my own little twist in there of course. When I found out that I had been handling these awesome creatures so wrongfully I was shocked. I had no idea that you should use your hands as a gliding surface for a snake. I guess that's why every snake that I found wanted to bite me so bad. Anyway, once you perfect the proper ways for handling snakes then the snake, once caught, will become docile quicker. The simple fact of the snake feeling comfortable is key. Unneeded stress on the serpent is exactly that UNNEEDED. So just remember next time your out and about and find a snake that you want to hold that your hands need to just be another object for the snake to continue on its normal rout. If you are handling the snake properly and it still seems adjetated then it probably just wants to be let go and you should do just that. I hope this helps anyone wanting to know how to properly handle snakes. I know it helped me ALOT. Stay safe out there herping!