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(Readers' stories inspired by the book, The Snakebite Survivors' Club.)
Dear Suzanne,
 A number of years ago I was sitting at our computer in our
converted garage. It was warm so I had opened the doors to let the air through the screens. I looked down and saw what I thought was
the tail of our Chocolate Point Siamese. Just as I said, "You know you don't belong out here!" I realized that I was talking to a snake -
not a cat. I yelled. My husband rushed out and the two of us tried to move the snake out. As we flailed around with brooms, another
snake slithered in around the screens which did not go all across the doorway. Three snakes in all got into that converted garage and a
fourth was standing guard outside. Two of them left the way they came in and the third went out the dryer vent. The snakes were harmless King snakes,
but that did not keep me from being very scared and upset. You may be sure that I did not open those doors again. –Martha
Dear Suzanne,
My son and family were here for a visit and brought their 4 snakes ( 2 corn snakes & 2
gopher snakes) in traveling cages with them. They were kept in their traveling cages except when they would fill the bathroom sink about half full - and one snake at a time -
would put them in the sink - so they could drink. I never watched a snake drink before. It was very interesting. But that was as close as I got to them. The one snake our son's
family has had over 10 years. At home, they keep 2 to a cage - big glass aquarium tanks - that he has built a big wooden "bookcase" to hold them - one tank above the other on
separate shelves. They all 4 shed while visiting here. That's why I was not wanting to miss this week's book. Thanks for sending it to me. -- Pat
Dear Suzanne,
My mother was standing on the top step of the masonry steps we had built, basically
jumping up and down and screaming. I walked over to check. She had stepped down from the house onto the top step and right into the middle of a coiled snake of some
sort, who did not seem to be bothered in the least with her placement in his midst. It seemed to be a beautiful King snake; of course, one could never know whether it was a
King snake or a rattler. Since it wasn't being aggressive, I assumed it was a king snake. My mother was screaming, "Kill it, kill it". I approached the snake which slowly
lumbered off the step into the grass and headed off towards one of the wooded lots. Occasionally, I would touch the snake with my boot or with a stick. The snake actually
honked at me on those occasions. I thought it a particularly beautiful and nice snake...meanwhile, my mother is going crazy and urging me to kill the snake...I inquired as to
why...she said that any snake that came that close needed to be killed. She would not listen to my statements about the peaceful nature of the snake and remained stirred up.
I must admit I did kill the snake with some help from a hoe, but have always regretted it. --Gld
Dear Suzanne,
When my daughter began teaching, she got some snakes in terrariums for her
classroom as a "hook" - the instrument by which you gain children's respect. She kept them at home during vacations.
One evening, 2 of them got out. I was the only one home. Very timid about snakes, still, but I sure didn't want them roaming all over my condo. I finally got up my courage to
get the cage ready to receive the two of them securely, and grasped the first one behind the head. Snakes are one long muscle. When I grasped the head, the tail grabbed onto
something. When I grabbed the tail, the head grasped onto something. I had to hold the lid ready to insert and enclose them in the terrarium, so I was trying to do that, and still
have two hands free to catch them. Quite a tricky operation! It took quite awhile to get the first one in, and then I had to go thru the same procedure with the second snake. It
cured me of any remnant of fear I might have still had. --Julie
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