I could not kill the snake.
By silentwill
@silentwill (1685)
Philippines
November 12, 2012 8:28pm CST
I've had ophidiophobia or fear of snakes eversince I was a kid when I unknowingly touched a snake thinking it was a hose for watering plants in our garden.
Yesterday, I was playing with my dog when I thought of bringing him to the abandoned nipa hut in the backyard. I was just there yesterday and I thought I'd have my dog practice climbing on steeper stairs than the one on the nipa hut beside our house.
As I was climbing the stairs, I noticed something entangled on the mesh screen of the door. It didn't occur to me right away that it was a snake until I saw its had looking right at me. It was just a small one maybe three feet long but it gave me the chills remembering my childhood fear. I quickl went back to our house but I was thinking I wanted to catch it or kill it to maybe conquer my fear of it. I recalled the last time I saw one in our backyard maybe a decade ago I just ran and called my cousin to ask him to kill it. This time I went and grabbed an iron pole and while I passed by the same cousin, I did not alert him of it.
I went back to the hut and the snake was still where I left it. It was facing me and when I hit its body with the pole it dropped on the wooden floor and crawled in the corner behind the door. I was hesitant to get inside and chase it so it took me a few minutes to do so. When I got there, I could no longer see it. The walls of the hut is made of bamboo and it probably hid inside one of those. I tried looking but all I saw was the skin it shed in the corner. I was disapponited that I did not get to kill it and overcome my phobia. If I had chased it sooner when it dropped on the floor I could have hit it before it was able to hide.
I plan to go back there today to see if maybe it went out again. It's raining right now so hopefully later the rain will stop and I can go back there to hunt the snake down.
4 people like this
10 responses
@subhojit10 (7375)
• India
13 Nov 12
Thanks a ton for sharing this discussion. To be very honest i can understand what kind of emotions might have ran through your mind after seeing the snake but then i would like to recommend u never to kill any snake as it is said that if you kill a snake then u are cursed. So its better to leave the snake as it is and let it go. It wont harm u, if u scare an animal or insect then it would also hit back hard to u. Since its raining u will obviously see snakes around, so take care.
What say?
4 people like this
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
13 Nov 12
Hi subhojit10, I've never heard that killing a snake will curse you. But well I don't believe in sayings like those and the snake was inside the nipa hut my aunt owns so I can't just let it be and make it its home. The rain was harder earlier so it looks like it's going to stop soon and I'll be able to continue my hunt.
2 people like this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
19 Jan 13
It is a faith among hindus not kill snake, snake is associated with God Shiv, so we have faith that if we kill snake, we will be cursed, i honor such faith.
@Sindelle (824)
• United States
14 Nov 12
I cannot stand snakes either. It didn't take a childhood experience for me to not like snakes I am just naturally afraid of them. They're gross, sneak up on you, bite, and many are poisonous. Especially where I live right now they're tons of snakes and other creepy crawlies that can kill me with just one bite.
Fortunately for me I've only ran into one once. One night I was walking down the steps to my apartment. I put one foot on the pavement when I reached the bottom and as I was putting my other foot on the ground a rattle snake crawled in between my legs. He was a baby rattle snake which are the most deadly. I am not ashamed to say I screamed, jumped ten feet in the air, and ran.
2 people like this
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
Oh my God! Glad it didn't bite you. I have never screamed in my entire life but that may just have. I lol'd visualizing someone jumped ten feet in the air. That must have been an olympic worthy jump! 
@shaggin (71666)
• United States
13 Nov 12
As long as its not poisionous you should just let it go. They eat mice and other things. They have a purpose in the food chain. I used to be terrified of them as well and make my dad kill them. But now I let them go. They dont bother me anymore and a lot of the times my kids and I will play with them. We have a lot of harmless snakes around here. There rattlesnakes as well though so we always have to be careful you just never know.
2 people like this
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
13 Nov 12
Well it lives inside the hut so I can't just leave it be. It may be abandoned right now but my aunt who owns it will have it rented out. The previous tenant already expressed intention to her of coming back.
The snake was green, but I'm no expert so I can't tell if it was the infamous local snake we call dahong palay (literally rice leaf) which is very venomous. The hut's surrounding is already cleared of grasses except on the back part so that may be where the snakes are coming from. Once that's cleared I hope to banish them away for good.
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
when you ran away, i was instantly worried about your dog, that he might sense your fear and be on the offensive against the snake which, in turn, might bite him. 
(how did he react?)
i'm sure the next time you see it, your reflexes will be quicker because you've managed to break through your fear the first time around. it will then be easier for you to act decisively on your next encounter. 
i've never seen a snake here or in the province.
(how did he react?)
i'm sure the next time you see it, your reflexes will be quicker because you've managed to break through your fear the first time around. it will then be easier for you to act decisively on your next encounter.
i've never seen a snake here or in the province. 
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
No I don't think they're immune to venoms they just have quicker reflexes with their mouth that's why they are braver than us. Yesterday my dog who adores me bit me. I was feeding him and I was going to remove a plastic from his food but thinking probably that I was going to take his food he snapped at my fingers. It was not hard enough to cause a wound but harder than when he gives me playful bites on my toes.
I'll be leaving our town today but will bale back next week so I hope to continue my hunt by then.
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
I already hit the post button when I remembered I did not mention what happened to my dog. When no one asked I figured that's fine. Now here and there you are! Sorry for the pun. 
Well my dog Hiro (Nakamura, yeah like the Heroes character) is a big one and he could easily take out that snake. But he went back to the house with me when I went to get something to hit the snake with. I forgot about him after that so I was alone when I went back to the hut. I remember we used to have a dog which I called a dogcat because she would chase after rats and several times I saw her kill a few. There was this one time I saw her agitated fighting with something. It was a snake and my cousin helped her out and killed it.
I went back the day after but I still did not see the snake. When I do I hope I will act more quickly and less afraid as you said. I do feel my fear letting up a little after the incident since I did not just cower and ran like the last time.
Well my dog Hiro (Nakamura, yeah like the Heroes character) is a big one and he could easily take out that snake. But he went back to the house with me when I went to get something to hit the snake with. I forgot about him after that so I was alone when I went back to the hut. I remember we used to have a dog which I called a dogcat because she would chase after rats and several times I saw her kill a few. There was this one time I saw her agitated fighting with something. It was a snake and my cousin helped her out and killed it.
I went back the day after but I still did not see the snake. When I do I hope I will act more quickly and less afraid as you said. I do feel my fear letting up a little after the incident since I did not just cower and ran like the last time.@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
yep, i can be a dog with a bone sometimes. 
it's not that much different from recovering from an illness or learning something new. the first steps will always be slower but i'm sure you'll be quick to the draw next time it shows up to challenge you. 
yes, i've heard of dogs killing rats and snakes. what i'm curious about is whether they're immune to rabies (or other diseases the rats carry) and venom. 
it's not that much different from recovering from an illness or learning something new. the first steps will always be slower but i'm sure you'll be quick to the draw next time it shows up to challenge you.
yes, i've heard of dogs killing rats and snakes. what i'm curious about is whether they're immune to rabies (or other diseases the rats carry) and venom. 
@Sukeena1961 (343)
• United States
21 Nov 12
I would have caught the snake and tossed him in the woods or put him in an aquarium. There are plenty of snakes around where I live. I caught several small snakes this summer and killed one. It was non poisonous, but they eat eggs, young chicks and I have a little fish pool and they will eat my fish and my minnows. We went fishing at the river one day and I killed a cotton mouth, he's poisonous and one day at the pond I caught a large yellow rat snake that was about 5 feet. I killed him. The Bible says that a snake and man are enemies, the man is to bruise his head and he the man's heel. This come about because of Adam and Eve, it was a serpent that enticed Eve and God cursed him to crawl on his belly. Some snakes I will kill, others I won't. I won't kill a king snake because they eat other snakes. There is a lot of people that have a phobia against snakes. I've never been afraid of them, neither has my son. I had to teach him about the different types of snakes when he was a very young age, because he walked up to me one day with a baby rattler in his hand. He was five. I thought it better to educate him than try to get him to leave them alone. If you want to get over your fear of snakes, visit a zoo or animal park that has a herpetology exhibit, read and study about them. Educate yourself. Good luck.
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
22 Nov 12
I guess if I have more knowledge about snakes and encounter them more often like you do I can overcome my fear. My cousin has killed a lot of snakes too. He also ended up killing this one. I agree with you, snakes and men are enemies, it was a snake that lured Eve and I have no mercy for them. Your kid will grow up like you, skilled in killing snakes.
@nitinnair89 (2900)
• India
13 Nov 12
Hi :) do you know the state named 'Kerala' in our country 'India'? Killing snakes in not considered good there and it is believed it will cause bad luck to us.
1 person likes this
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
13 Nov 12
Hi nitinnair89,
I have not heard of that place. Is it only considered bad there or are there other places in India that has the same custom? In the Philippines it's pretty normal to kill snakes and we do not believe it causes bad luck. It is a predator and we must protect ourselves and families from it. Some even eat snakes but I don't think I'd like to try that.
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
That's also what subhojit said in the first response so I guess it is a common belief in India. I'm not sure I heard that they have good memory but if they do, I don't think it's really surprising. Animals are not as stupid as some people think.
@nitinnair89 (2900)
• India
13 Nov 12
Hi. It's the same maybe in other parts of India too. By bad luck i meant sort of curse. Did you know snakes have good memories as they say
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
13 Nov 12
hi lsilent will if its not poisonous let it go bu t if it could hurt your
aunt or any of your fam ily then go ahead and hunt it d own,But I have
an idea to get over your fear of snakes when you find it just stand
there and do not run off,.You will see you have conquered your fear
of snakes t hen, a lot of non poisonous snakes do eat insects and
do good for our life so let non ones go.If it did not rattle its
not a rattler.
1 person likes this
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
13 Nov 12
Hi hatley, rattlesnakes are not common in our country. I think we don't even have them at all. But as I was saying in a comment on another response, it could be a local snake considered to be very poisonous. It's actually the second time a snake was seen there. The first one was when a pregnant woman was renting there, she saw a snake, ran away scared and gave birth earlier than her due. She lost the baby 
not long after. Poisonous or not it still poses a threat because some people get scared of snakes regardless and can't tell if it's poisonous or harmless, like myself. So letting it go is no question, we need to hunt it down and kill it.
As for my phobia I'm sure it'll help but maybe not totally if I just stay and not run in its presence.
not long after. Poisonous or not it still poses a threat because some people get scared of snakes regardless and can't tell if it's poisonous or harmless, like myself. So letting it go is no question, we need to hunt it down and kill it.
As for my phobia I'm sure it'll help but maybe not totally if I just stay and not run in its presence.
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
15 Nov 12
i do not like snakes and i do not know if i have a phobia. what i do know is i feel fear seeing one.
snakes, as i have learned, do not attack when not threatened. it maybe an initial reaction to kill it because of the fear but why hunt it down when it didn't do anything at all? 
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
16 Nov 12
It's living in my aunt's hut and even if no one's currently living there they plan to rent it out. Also it's a dangerous snake and I saw it the next day guarding the door ready to attack anyone who will go inside. It was hiding in a bamboo walling and the head was out watching for anyone who'd get nearby.
We hunted it down and in the end, I still could not kill it. My cousin did and I just watched him kill it. We think it is indeed a poisonous one. I took a picture of it and will upload it later.
So my quest ended and I still have not overcome my phobia. But at least I think I gained a few courageous steps to conquer it.
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
13 Nov 12
Hi manasha,
Snakes are the only animal I get scared about and I think it has to do with that incident when I was a kid. The snake was stuck under a make shift cage my parents use to carry a pig and have it weighed on the scale. I only foundout it was a snake I touched when the cage was lifted and the snake crawled away. I've been scared of it since then.
@Ladycwells (96)
• United States
14 Nov 12
You seem to be making steps to overcome your fears...congratulations on that!! I am terrified of snakes also and try hard not to go anywhere I think they could even be in the summer months. Your looking for him and wanting to kill him says alot. Good luck to you in overcoming this fear. I know I never will, I have no desire to overcome it!!!
1 person likes this
@silentwill (1685)
• Philippines
14 Nov 12
Thank you. I took the first steps and I know that's progress and I'm happy with that. But I'm not satisfied because I still chickened out and that moment, no minutes, of hesitation cost me the hunt. But yeah I will continue the pursuit and hopefully I'll be successful in hunting it down and killing it.
