The ball python that I had was a pretty stout one. It went about six feet or so, and was pretty thick around the middle. The snake had always been a very laid back snake, and was not prone to strike in the least. We had no small pets or children in the house, and the ball python does not get terribly large, so we did not worry too much about it getting out of it’s cage. Big mistake….

One morning I woke up and walked over to say good morning. When I did, the lid of the cage had been moved away just enough for the snake to get out, and the ball python was gone! No snake anywhere. I searched that apartment for hours. I started to panic a bit, because the snake could be anywhere. I wasn’t worried about the snake actually harming anyone, but I was worried that an escaped six foot python could alarm the heck out of the neighbors not to mention the snake itself.

After about six hours and several uncomfortable conversations with the neighbors, I gave in and when to work.

I got home that night and started to implement some of the many ideas given to me by coworkers. I tried putting out some food. I tried the ventilation system. I tried the heaters and ducts. I tried everything. After about six more hours, I gave up ever finding that ball python.

I fixed myself some supper, and then got myself propped up in front of the television for the latest “Seinfeld” episode. Then it hit me.

The television is often considered a prime hiding spot for escaped snakes because of the heat source. Not so much the television as under the television. The problem was, the only way to check it out was to stick my head down there and look. Now a six foot python that decides to bite you is not very fun. I figured that it would be a bit cranky and maybe a bit hungry as well. Not a good mixture when you are putting your face down into a small area.

I stuck my head down to peek under the television where there was about three inches of clearance. As soon as I did, my ball python bit me right on the nose. The strike nearly gave me a heart attack. I had never seen him strike unless he was eating and seeing it that close up and personal was a snake bite experience I would have loved to have missed.

I finally got him out of there, but only with the promise of food. I waved a little mouse (dead) in front of the opening and slowly brought it out far enough that I could get him behind the head.

I learned my lesson about escaping snakes that day. From that point forward, I always kept my snake safely tucked away and the locks in place. My nose is now healed, but I will never forget that snake bite.

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Most of you have heard the stories… The camel spider is as big as a dinner plate, chase people screaming like a banshee, eat the insides of camels, and are generally all around nasty disgusting spiders, right? Wrong. The camel spider is none of those things at all. If you want to know the real deal, then this article is for you.

Camel Spider Giving Birth

The camel spider that our soldiers are encountering in Iraq is actually not a spider at all. They are in the family of solpugid. This is the same family that spiders are in, but the camel spider is not classified as a real spider. Camel spiders are not the dangerous spider that is spoken of all over the web.

The camel spider has no interest at all in biting a human being. We are far too large to eat. They generally will not bite unless we threaten them, or surprise them. Camel spiders want to be left alone as a rule, and stay largely out of sight during the day. They do not like light at all.

Another common myth about camel spiders is that they like to chase us at speeds of up to 30 mph. Sorry, but the camel spider runs at around ten mph. That is still strikingly fast, and amazing in its own right. Camel Spiders have been known to seem as though they are chasing people, but that is simply a matter of them seeking shade from the light.

People cast shadows. When they move to get away from a camel spider, the camel spider may then follow them to stay in the shade. This led to the “screaming spider story” that circulated all over the web.

Camel spiders also do not grow to the size of a small UFO. They grow about seven to eight inches in length. That is still a huge size for any spider or scorpion. The camel spider can kick a scorpion’s butt too.

Camel spiders are fascinating creatures. Wouldn’t you love to have one hang out around your house?

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The Tarantula!

Just the name used to send shudders through my entire body.  Tarantula….Something about the way the letters are formed seems to perfectly describe this hairy arachnid.  As a boy, a tarantula was an orange and black patterned monster that grew to be the size of my face.

(Okay, so we are talking about the Mexican red leg tarantula and it gets about the size of my palm.  Give me a break… I was seven)

So anyway, this platter sized spider was living in every corner of my bedroom.  I would see them crawling up and down my Spiderman curtains.  Every giant Superman Logo on my blanket was actually a tarantula bent on eating me.

We had shag carpet back then, and it just happened to be orange and black in my bedroom.  It was hairy.  It felt like tartantulas all over my floor.

More than anything, my irrational fear of these tarantulas stemmed from watching the made for television classic, “Tarantulas” back in the late 70s I beleive.  Whatever the case, they were everywhere in my bedroom as a kid.

That fear led to wonder.  The wonder led to curiosity.  Now, in my adult years, that fear has led to fascination.  I love to watch this incredible creatures.  I love to learn about spiders and tarantulas in particular.  They still give me the willies, mind you…

I do not wish to have a tarantula in my bed.  I knew there was a great reason to get rid of those Superman bed sheets.

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Snake bite myths are something else.  I once was told this story by a person that obviously thought I knew diddily squat about snakes.  I laughed and walked away, though I should have informed them that a black mamba does not chase you unless cornered.  Even then, it will quickly take an escape route if given one.  I should have also told them that a black mamba does not kill you in ten seconds, unless it gives you a heart attack from the scare.

This story illustrates the irrational fears that people have about snakes.  The fact is, snake bites are almost always a case of someone doing something stupid.  Maybe they tried to kill the snake.  Maybe they stepped on it.  Maybe they tried to play with it.  I assure you they were not chased by it.

Snakes are creatures that simply want no part of anything that they can not eat.  They do not wish to harm people.  They can not eat us, and so we are useless to them.  We may be a danger to them, and so they bite in self defense.  Snake bites happen when we invade the reptile’s space.

The one exception to this rule might be the reticulated python or the Anaconda.  These two snakes could almost certainly eat a child or small framed adult.  The veracity of those claims is constantly debated.  What is certain is that many snakes can kill humans.  This does not mean they want to.

Venomous snakes bite purely in self defense.  If they feel threatened, they will bite quickly and forcefully.  The thing is, they sometimes do not even inject the venom.  This is called a “dry bite” and is usually because the snake is reserving their venom for food sources.  They do not want to waste their venom on us silly humans.

If you want to see the perfect example of people doing stupid things to get snake bitten, read all about this guy that got bitten in the face by a deadly pet gaboon viper.  It is a good illustration of how we bring snake bites down on ourselves.

The bottom line is that if we leave them alone, they will do the same.  If you come across a snake, ignore it and give it a wide berth.  I assure you, it will not chase you….. Even in Africa.

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