How to hold a snake

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How To Hold A Snake

Pick up gently. Support their body weight in your hand/arm.

If one snake is wrapped around or underneath another, gently unwrap/unbury them as you lift the one you want out.

When holding out for people to touch, keep control of the snake's head - cup one hand under it so that you can gently direct it away from the person if they appear nervous.

When placing a snake, especially a large one, (relative to the size of the person holding it) on someone, place it around the back of their neck and back. Stand behind tall people to do this; with small kids, you can stand in front or to the side and lift the snake over their head. Drape the snake's midsection down the back somewhat from the person's shoulder, with the tail and the head ends down in front of either shoulder. Let them know which side the head is on. If need be, control the head for them.

Watch for heavy breathing on the part of the snake. Watch for signs of nervousness on the part of the snake, particularly around people who are nervous.

Try to put each snake away for 5-10 minutes every 45 minutes to an hour or so for a rest period.

Interesting things to point out:

immovable eyelids and the fact that they shed the skin covering their eyes (called the "spectacle");

lack of ears (they didn't need them or the eyelids when they evolved from above ground lizards to snakes living underground);

the use of the tongue in smelling (many people think the snake is trying to "sting" them with its tongue);

how the tongue works (the forks are filled with molecular chemical receptors with, when filled, is pulled back into the mouth and stuck into the Jacobson's organ in the roof of the mouth--many animals, including many mammals, continue to use their Jacobson's organ...humans, however, have lost the use of theirs);

where they "do it" - many people are interested in where/how they go potty, mate, have babies or lay eggs - show them the vent;

show the spurs on the pythons and boas, and the fact that you can sex them by the fact that the females have spurs that are so tiny you can barely see them at all; explain that the spurs are what is left of their legs from when they evolved from lizards. Only boas and pythons have these vestigial legs and pelvis bone.