Speaking of fears...

kmaty13 · May 2014

After posting in the Weird Fears thread about snakes getting into a basement, I haven't been able to stop googling about it. I have a very rational fear of snakes... Petrified is an understatement! So I was down in the basement tonight doing laundry when I saw something on the floor that looked like a wire. I touched it with my foot and it started moving. It was a baby snake! Baby snake as in it was so small it looked like it was just born (not that I know anything about the size of snakes when they are just born). I freaked the fuck out of course even though it was tiny and screamed for DH to take it outside.

Does anyone know anything about snakes? Since it was so small, does that mean there may be more down there? Is there any way to keep them out of the basement? Is it sad that a 30 year old is still shaking about seeing a snake that was the size of a worm in her basement and won't be able to sleep tonight? (<~ I'll answer this one. Yes.) TIA!

kmaty13 · May 2014

Brewgirl1980 said:

Could have just been a garden snake. They are harmless.

ETA: And just to make you feel better, I am terrified of June Bugs. Seriously, I hate them. And I'm 34.

It probably was. Not that I've seen many snakes in my lifetime but I've never seen any other kind where I'm from. It was black but not sure if they change colors as they get older? I know nothing about them TBH, just that they give me nightmares.

icaughtfire · May 2014

I also have an irrational fear of snakes. Like full blown panic attacks just seeing one on TV. I have no advice, but don't feel bad about freaking out. Our neighbors found a snake in their garage about a month ago, and to this day I refuse to go in my own garage without my husband. I know the second I go alone a fucking anaconda will viciously attack me.

brettanomyces · May 2014

Brewgirl1980 said:

Could have just been a garden snake. They are harmless.

ETA: And just to make you feel better, I am terrified of June Bugs. Seriously, I hate them. And I'm 34.

JUNE BUGS ARE PROOF THE DEVIL IS REAL.

UnicornsAndGlitter · May 2014

WHY AM I READING THIS BEFORE BED?!?

These threads are the stuff nightmares are made of. It sounds like it was probably just a garter snake, but I'd have shat myself, had it been me. And I'm 32, if it makes you feel better.

suzysurparis · May 2014

Those little garden snakes are so cute!
I grew up in Florida, so I miss those snakes. But the water moccasins freak me out with the whole deadly poisonous thing.
As long as the snake is relatively thin and solid colored, it's probably harmless. There are green and black garden snakes that can get pretty big in the South, but they dont do anything. I like snakes and I've never been bitten or had any problems with them. We used to sometimes find and play with the small, thin black ones in the pool or back-yard, I'm pretty sure they're mouths are so small at that point they probably couldnt have hurt us if they tried. I'd be super careful if the snake's head/jam seemed excessively large for the body, but most of the time they run away anyway.

nowsgood · May 2014

If it was a garden snake it will stay small and they are pretty much like a lizard, cute and harmless

they even eat bugs, so you could consider them helpful. However if it's head was larger than its body it could be a baby copper head... Depending on where you live.... We have those where I'm from and those are bad news as a baby. Their bite has more poison than an adult copper head

but if it was a baby copper head you would have likely seen more than one. Try not to panic, if you get super freaked out there is such a product as "snake away" that you could research and use if you really thought it was necessary.

nittanyllama · May 2014

I'm having palpitations just reading your post. I am no help, sorry.

brettanomyces · May 2014

@Sassmaster33 OH MY GOD both those stories are terrifying. I can't even imagine a June bug in my hair. You poor poor thing.

kmaty13 · May 2014

Ok even though my hate for snakes is strong the thing was so small that it was KINDA cute. It still freaked me out though! And I keep thinking that since it was so small that the mama snake must have given birth in the basement or near our house. And that is enough to make me want to move! (Not really)

I told DH to check the basement today for more. We have unpacked boxes everywhere. And he's going to get moth balls. I heard that keeps them away.

ngolimento · May 2014

I think there is no age limit on irrational fears, so don't feel bad about being so scared. I personally am terrified of needles. Like if there is a hypodermic needle in a nearby room, I have nightmares all night and can't sleep.

As far as snakes go, I wouldn't worry about finding a ton of babies in your basement unless you have huge holes in your foundation (your heating bill would tell you that). The little guys can get in teeny tiny pipes and holes because they're, well, teeny tiny. They get lost in the spring searching for food, or burrowing to avoid frost.

KingLED · May 2014

BBnut said:
I joke that I got married so that if have someone to kill bugs and take care of snakes/rodents

Pretty sure that's why my h married me. Lol

My only snake story is from when I was still living with my parents. I was maybe 15? I had found a baby corn snake and decided to keep it as a pet. After a couple months my baby sister (4 or 5 at the time) decided to lecture me on how mean it was to keep a wild animal inside as a pet. This lecture was, of course, after she had already let it go.

kellyrn9956 · May 2014

brettanomyces said:

Brewgirl1980 said:

Could have just been a garden snake. They are harmless.

ETA: And just to make you feel better, I am terrified of June Bugs. Seriously, I hate them. And I'm 34.

JUNE BUGS ARE PROOF THE DEVIL IS REAL.

The clicking on the windows.::Shudder::

kimmykaye · May 2014

I'm 30 and TERRIFIED of spiders. No matter the size, I get freaked out. I would've freaked out if I saw a snake, too.

rlpointer · May 2014

I don't care the type of snake or the size, but I hate snakes. They freak me out. I always was afraid that they would somehow come up through the drain and be in my bath tub. I don't know where I got that fear but finding any type, any size, any place in my house would terrify me.

hydrangea1019 · May 2014

OMG!! So I had no idea what a June bug was so I googled it.... These suckers keep finding their way into my apartment. Most of the time I find them dead already by the front door, but we've had a couple flying around that I scream and run away from and DH has to kill.... Gross!

kmaty13 · May 2014

@rlpointer, I fear that they'll come up through my toilet... while I'm on it. *shudder*

GirlOnTheBeach · May 2014

kmaty13 said:
Ok even though my hate for snakes is strong the thing was so small that it was KINDA cute. It still freaked me out though! And I keep thinking that since it was so small that the mama snake must have given birth in the basement or near our house.

The mama snake wouldn't have given birth. They lay eggs. I'd just look around for any evidence of empty shells to know if you can expect more ;-)

ETA: I guess it turns out that about 70 percent lay eggs... Others do give birth... There goes that theory!

kmaty13 · May 2014

GirlOnTheBeach said:

Ok even though my hate for snakes is strong the thing was so small that it was KINDA cute. It still freaked me out though! And I keep thinking that since it was so small that the mama snake must have given birth in the basement or near our house.
The mama snake wouldn't have given birth. They lay eggs. I'd just look around for any evidence of empty shells to know if you can expect more ;-)

See how much I don't know about them? lol Thanks for the advice!

GirlOnTheBeach · May 2014

kmaty13 said:

GirlOnTheBeach said:

kmaty13 said:
Ok even though my hate for snakes is strong the thing was so small that it was KINDA cute. It still freaked me out though! And I keep thinking that since it was so small that the mama snake must have given birth in the basement or near our house.
The mama snake wouldn't have given birth. They lay eggs. I'd just look around for any evidence of empty shells to know if you can expect more ;-)

See how much I don't know about them? lol Thanks for the advice!

It turns out some do give birth though. The thought of that just creeps me out! :-(

rlpointer · May 2014

kmaty13 said:

@rlpointer, I fear that they'll come up through my toilet... while I'm on it. *shudder*

That's definitely way worse than thinking I'll just find them in my shower. Yuck!

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