Local snake lovers share their appreciation with the public

On Saturday, July 25, local snake enthusiasts came together to show the world that there is nothing to fear. An estimated 150 people turned out for the event, which was held in two sessions: one each in the morning and evening. It was a warm day, with temperatures climbing high into the 90s, but given a little shade, the snakes didn't mind at all.

Snakes, like all reptiles, are heterothermic, more commonly known as cold-blooded. This means that unlike birds and mammals, snakes cannot regulate their own body temperature and instead rely on the environment to warm them. Have you ever seen a snake sitting still on a rock or on a gravel road? They are sunning themselves, warming their bodies.

The event featured a variety of snakes, lizards and even tarantulas - all safely contained - for the public to see up close and personal.

It is understandable that people tend to steer clear of snakes. Evolutionarily speaking fear helped early humans navigate a landscape with venomous snakes. The ability to spot a snake in the blink of an eye likely helped our ancestors survive in the wild.

But does this fear serve us now? Snakes carry a strong connotation in our culture, which only contributes to a misunderstanding of these animals. From the serpent of Eden, to Kaa the Snake in Disney's Jungle Book, to the pits that taunted Indiana Jones, these animals are portrayed in an inaccurate light. In general, snakes pose little threat to humans.

Snakes have roamed this earth for more than 67 million years, placing them as evolutionary contemporaries to the dinosaurs. Today there are more than 3,000 species of snakes on the planet and they're found everywhere except in Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland and New Zealand. They help control rodent populations and also serve as a food source for birds of prey.

Jennifer Weber of Carrington would even argue that snakes make good companions. She and her 7-foot boa constrictor have spent the last five years together, and their bond was apparent during their first Snake Day event on Saturday.

"It's like Voldemort," a kid declared from nearby. I could see the resemblance to Nagini, the villain's most trusted companion as depicted in the Harry Potter series.

The 7-year-old boa's name is Izabel. She enjoys a nice fat rabbit from time to time, but is relatively easy to care for. Weber elaborates, "Snakes can be incredibly rewarding animals. There are so many beautiful species and they all seem to have different personalities."

Weber cares for a total of 14 snakes in her home, as well as a few other reptiles, citing that snakes are fairly low maintenance. She says she owes her love of her pet snakes to her co-worker Russell Keys.

Keys has been fascinated with snakes for nearly all his years. It was in college that he says he dove "head first" into snake keeping, as he was inspired by NDSU Zoology department's collection at the time. Since then Keys has gained 20 years of experience and countless acquisitions to his own collection.

With the help of his teenage daughter, he was able to bring and manage dozens of snakes to Saturday's event. The bull snake was one of the most common snakes that Keys had on hand, which ranged from young hatchlings that were no bigger than a pencil to larger snakes that took well to handling.

Keys spent most of the time helping visitors handle his 14-year-old bull snake. "That snake is always a star at these types of events as she's so laid back." This particular creature certainly caught the attention of 11-year-old Judy Meier of New Rockford, who reflected on the experience as an "all-around good one."

"The snake was heavier than I thought and kinda slimy feeling on the belly." She added with a tone of excitement.

Not everyone likes snakes. In fact, the fear of snakes, also known as ophidiophobia, was reported among 51% of Americans in a 2001 Gallup Poll. The fear of snakes even tops that of public speaking!

If you made it through this article without feeling squeamish, then I commend you. Yes, snakes are vastly different than we are. They have no feet to walk. No hands to create. They don't have a voice that carries across the prairie. They express little emotion and don't depend on social bonds. They are quite literally the opposite of a human. Still, we can learn many great things from them by looking past our fears.