I’ve always wanted a snake. I love snakes. I remember in high school having a math teacher who used to bring his snakes to school, usually on Hallowe’en – he’d have one or two hanging around his neck as he walked the halls making half the school scream and run the other way and the other half would be drawn to him in fascination.
You may have seen recently that I have two cats living in my house at the moment. I prefer dogs, however. I would have liked to request a service dog for my Autistic son, Chris, but for some reason he’s afraid of dogs and always refused to have one when I suggested it. He’s also afraid of the cats, though he won’t admit it. He hides in his room whenever they come upstairs unless he really wants something from the kitchen. Then he seems okay with them. He’ll pet them even. People ask me if he’s ever had a bad experience with a dog – I don’t believe he has. At least not while in my care, though we did have a babysitter with a dog once…
It’s scary having a child with a huge fear of animals. There was a time when I couldn’t take Chris out unless we were going in the car. I took him for a walk once with my eldest son and Alex who was in a stroller at the time. Chris would have been about eight years old maybe. So we’re walking on the sidewalk of a moderately busy street and these kids coming the other way were walking a dog – a German Sheppard – and the kids were being dragged by the animal having decided it was going to run. Chris decided to run away from it. I couldn’t let go of the stroller because I didn’t know what the dog would do to Alex so I had my other son (nine years old) chase Chris back up the street. Chris eventually ran into the road not having the sense at the time to realize that a car would certainly hurt him worse than the dog probably would. Luckily nothing was coming. Gone were the days of taking the kids for a walk together. It was too dangerous to do alone.
I still worry about him when he’s out alone, even though he’s now 19 years old.
Snaking back to the beginning of the post that’s gone wildly off track… I still want a snake. What do they eat? Not sure how I’d handle the tweets of crickets through the night, and if it’s big enough … let’s just say I like mice too.
It’s a purchase that’s going to require some research.
This post is part of SoCS: https://lindaghill.com/2015/03/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-1415/ Click the link and join in today! Yes, you!
March 15, 2015 at 7:15 pm
I wanted a snake for a long time, and my ten year old daughter does now, intermittently.
If you get one, I hope you will post pictures! =D
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March 16, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Of course! You too, Shan! 🙂
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March 20, 2015 at 8:10 pm
=)
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March 15, 2015 at 2:35 am
A snake (coughs) ???!!! I can’t even imagine!
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March 15, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Haha… I take it you’re one of the ones who would have run screaming in the other direction at my high school…?
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March 15, 2015 at 6:51 pm
Totally 😉
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March 14, 2015 at 10:58 pm
I had an Eastern Garter. He ate nightcrawlers and goldfish, and he really loved me. He was adorable. I have also had a Burmese, but he wrapped me once and I knew he needed a bigger owner, so I gave him to the best snake owners in town, who were looking for a new baby. They gave him his own room. Lucky boy.
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March 15, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Wow! So you’ve had some experience with them then. Thanks for sharing! I think if I do buy one it’ll be something small and cuddly. 😀
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March 14, 2015 at 8:31 pm
My son wanted a pet snake and I bought him a small one. I think it was an Indonesian Garter Snake. It stayed small. We had to feed it Goldfish, the fish not the crackers. 🙂 When he was little he took a class at the Natural History Museum on snakes and he make a picture of ” The Anatomy of a Snake.” I loved it and had it framed. I was afraid of big dogs after I was bitten by one.
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March 15, 2015 at 6:05 pm
Indonesian Garter… duly noted. Thanks Deborah. 🙂 I do like goldfish though… 😛 But at least they’re quieter than crickets!
Sorry about your experience with the dog. That must have been horrible!
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March 15, 2015 at 8:21 pm
Luckily I had long pants on and the bite did not break the skin but made a dent in my leg for a while. Two dogs were barking at each other as I walked past on a city sidewalk and the owner did not have a good hold on their dog so the dog decided to go for my leg. But I am better about big dogs now. I used to actually want to cross the street if I saw a big dog coming. 😛
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March 16, 2015 at 12:43 pm
You were lucky.
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March 14, 2015 at 8:13 pm
I think snakes are interesting to watch, outside, as they slither away from me. My son had a pet snake when he was a teenager and bought mice to feed it. I did not like this part at all. Once he bought a mouse that was too big, and that was a nasty situation which I won’t go into. So I’m a little biased about snakes. How about an iguana?
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March 15, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Oooh, sounds nasty. I think I’ll stick to smaller snakes then. I’ve thought about getting other reptiles but ehhh… most of them move too slow for me.
Thanks very much for sharing your experience, JoAnne. 🙂
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March 14, 2015 at 7:17 pm
Hairy times Linda! Chasing children, running into roads big dogs and whether or not to by a snake………………… eeek ! they eat little critters! Great post!xxxx
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March 15, 2015 at 5:59 pm
Thanks, Willow. 🙂 If only I could buy a snake that would eat all the fruit flies in my kitchen in the summer I’d buy one in an instant!
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March 15, 2015 at 6:03 pm
If only life was that easy…. how about a Venus Flytrap!
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March 15, 2015 at 6:06 pm
Knowing my luck it would grow and eat me! Ha! 😛
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March 15, 2015 at 6:16 pm
Heheh your luck sounds like mine!
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March 15, 2015 at 6:17 pm
One of the many things we share, my dear. 🙂
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March 15, 2015 at 6:21 pm
Yes God help us!! ❤
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March 14, 2015 at 6:13 pm
Interesting post. I would vote for no snake, but that is just me.
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March 15, 2015 at 5:57 pm
Thanks, John. No snake for you then. Got it. 🙂
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March 15, 2015 at 6:03 pm
A rhinoceros would be fine.
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March 15, 2015 at 6:07 pm
Put it on your Christmas list. I’ll talk to Santa. Don’t blame me for the divorce.
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March 15, 2015 at 8:35 pm
I guess the hardwood would take a beating.
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March 15, 2015 at 9:36 pm
Not to mention the grocery bill.
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March 14, 2015 at 5:12 pm
Come on down, I have snakes around me, thankfully we don’t greet each other so often but we have a healthy avoidance understanding.
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March 15, 2015 at 5:57 pm
Ah yes, well, I prefer the ones that won’t kill me thanks. We don’t have any poisonous snakes here in Ontario and I’m quite happy about that. 🙂
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March 14, 2015 at 2:23 pm
I was touched by your post. I just retired from teaching Special Education. I knew and worked with many children with autism, in all its varying degrees. Such intelligent children and I found each one lovely. I don’t care for exotic pets,though, and especially snakes. They don’t touch me at all. ( and I won’t touch them). Beautiful writing.
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March 14, 2015 at 2:30 pm
I think kids with special needs – it’s their innocence that people get attached to so easily. I’m glad I could bring that back for you with my post. 🙂
Thanks so much, Leigh. 🙂
(Just ignore the bit about the snakes. 😛 ) hehe
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March 14, 2015 at 1:56 pm
I used to work for a vet who specialized in exotic pets like reptiles and birds. Personally, the only reptile that doesn’t totally freak me out is a turtle. Turtles are cool. They eat lettuce and stuff like that. Snakes eat…well, I assume you read “Le Petit Prince?” 😉
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March 14, 2015 at 2:10 pm
Elephants!!! Haha! Yes, it hasn’t been that long since I last read it, either. 🙂
Turtles are cool. But they tend to fall off if you put them on your shoulder. 😛
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March 14, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I agree, turtles are awesome. I have a friend who has both, and I definitely like the turtle better.
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March 14, 2015 at 1:45 pm
When I lived in Georgia, I occasionally sat for two boys one of whom was the classic Asberger’s Little Professor, terrified of my dog. My dog is like the happiest, dog-like, family friend ever. I mean, even people who don’t care for dogs like my dog. She’s just a sweetie. Anyway, he’d been to my house several times and Sadie was happy to see him, but he asked me if I’d put her up. I said, “You have dogs at your house,” and he said, “But not so big. She’s scary.”
I couldn’t see crating her just because he was afraid of her — there she lie, panting on the rug — but I didn’t want to be unkind, so I asked Sassy to take the dog upstairs.
I later found this was much an issue when he plays outdoors.
In contrast, I know many more families of autistic children whose homes are like zoos, and the kids love animals, seemingly more than the people, haha.
Is there a relationship? I have no idea. Personal preference, me thinks.
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March 14, 2015 at 2:08 pm
I’ve always had the sense that if I got a dog, Chris would get used to it and love it to death. I think a properly trained service dog would even calm him. But… there you go. I can’t know for sure.
He loves zoos… 😛
Thanks for sharing your story, Joey. 🙂
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March 14, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Right here we don’t agree Linda, even we often do. I prefer Odin and my loving cats.
Great post 🙂
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March 14, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Thanks, Irene. 🙂
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March 14, 2015 at 1:29 pm
Snakes are tricky pets,and do you go for one that stay small and eats insects on do you go for a python type that kill mammals and grows to very large size ,bearing in mind the that the bigger they grow the more agressive they become and when they get really big feeding it live mice ain’t going to satisfy its appetite and that’s when you have to feed it rabbits and has the potential to kill you ,tricky decision.I guess I would be inclined to stay away from python types and stick to those smaller breeds.but then Speedy was rescued from going to reptile breeders so that makes me biased.but for the inexperienced the python types and boa’s aren’t the best pet snake to have.anyway good luck in your research into this,xx Rachel Speedy’s Mum
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March 14, 2015 at 2:04 pm
Oooh, yeah. I’d rather have a bunny as a pet than lunch for something else. I’ll stick to the smaller snakes I think. Good for you for rescuing Speedy, Rachel! 😀
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March 14, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Sounds like you’ve spent a lot of time worrying about your son. I think snakes are pretty neat, but I do feel sorry for the mice. But you know, everything has to eat.
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March 14, 2015 at 2:02 pm
I never really stop worrying. It’s my lot in life.
And yeah, everything’s gotta eat. I don’t like watching a baby deer being taken down by a cougar either… Some things are just better ignored. As I said, I have my own young to worry about. 😛
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March 14, 2015 at 1:26 pm
Cool post Linda. I like the way you ramble – and I mean that in a good way – much like a real conversation would. I am always amazed when I see women with two or more ambulatory children. How they herd them and keep them from danger is a study unto itself. Often when you see groups of young children out with an adult, you see them tethered together for safety.
The worries of a Mom are never done, even when the kids get older.
Good luck with the snake. I’m ambivalent about snakes- no great fear but no attraction either. I prefer pets that can recognize and react to their owner.
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March 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm
I wonder if there’s ever been a study done to see if snakes recognize their owners… huh.
It was suggested that I put Chris on a leash – and I actually thought about it for a while. I don’t like them though and really, would it have helped him to force him to stand still while a dog went by, sniffing him as it did? Don’t think so.
Thanks very much for your comment, Paul. Glad you enjoyed my ramble. 🙂
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