A snake’s behavior around humans largely depends on the type and breed of snake that comes into contact with a human. There are over 2,000 different varieties of snake in the world that will react differently when in direct contact with a larger species, such as when approached by a human. The main distinction in how any snake will behave is due to whether or not it is of the venomous variety. While less than 20% of all snakes are considered to be venomous, it is common to worry or worry when approaching a snake due to connections to the minority that are venomous.
a basic instinct
Snakes, like most animals, have a built-in instinct that dominates how they behave, especially around humans. But unlike many other animal species, it is believed that there is only minimal thought process that contributes to a snake’s actions, instinct will usually take over and a snake will react in the way it is instinctively designed to. In venomous varieties such as the cobra, this makes them more dangerous to humans and their aggressive approach to interaction will show when disturbed.
For non-venomous snakes, such as boas, their behavior with humans will be very different depending on the type of situation they find themselves in. Most non-venomous snakes are not considered to be aggressive in nature. However, this is not consistent with all breeds and there are certain non-venomous snakes that will attack without provocation from humans. If the breed of the snake can be determined prior to any close interaction and it is identified as the non-aggressive type, it may be safe to approach in some cases.
When in direct contact with a human, a snake’s temperament will reflect how it is treated, which ties directly into its instinctual nature. For snakes that are not naturally aggressive and non-venomous, there is very little reason why they would attack. No considerable thought process dictates the snake’s actions, so if it feels comfortable in its surroundings, it likely won’t pose much of a threat to nearby humans.
flight or flight
A snake’s instinctive behavior is often to flee from an area a human enters; the dominant size of a human over that of a snake is the reason behind their instinct to escape the immediate area. A human will normally pose a greater threat to the snake than vice versa, so the snake will feel the need to protect itself defensively rather than offensively and attacking directly.
This can vary depending on the situation the snake is in. If the human directly corners the snake or intrusively interrupts it, then the snake may feel that it has no choice but to aggressively defend itself. Under these circumstances, the snake is likely to attack the human it believes to be a threat to it. While this is not normally meant to kill or harm the human, it is a warning with enough force and speed to startle the person and show that the snake is ready to fight back.
Non-venomous snakes generally do not see humans as a food source as they do not have a predatory instinct to attack them. However, this behavior can change if the human’s scent is contaminated with a snake’s normal food, such as a small mammal. If contact has recently been made with any small creature that the snake may instinctively hunt, including common household pets like cats, the lingering odor will in some situations cause them to attack a human.
A snake’s behavior with humans depends on both the behavior displayed around them and the instinctive nature they have. If you quickly approach a snake or create a noisy scene, they will consider it an attack on them and will defend themselves the only way they know how. If you approach a snake calmly, cautiously, and in the right way, it will behave differently than it would otherwise, not knowing if it is friend or foe.
The most common snake varieties will only attack if provoked and will allow humans to handle them with ease. With other rarer, naturally aggressive or venomous snakes, such as the rattlesnake varieties, they can attack any human that comes near, even if they don’t see the person as a direct threat. Some species of snakes have evolved to become more capable of attacking without being noticed, while others can be easily frightened and wary of any intrusion. A snake’s behavior can usually be predicted if the breed is known, but it is always wise to be cautious.
