General Chat

My nephew runs a pet shop in Canberra. He, his wife, three children and dog don't have a problem with either snakes or spiders - mainly because they sell them :-D
My nephew is also called on to remove 'invasive' spiders and snakes from people's houses.

I wouldn't say, In India 'people don't give much thought to dangers posed by creatures such as leopards'
A wee bit of a sweeping statement, methinks, that probably needs some proof.
Also, leopards aren't snakes or spiders - neither are mosquitos..

A lot of Australian snakes are venomous but not all by a long way. Many of the venomous ones are not lethal to humans. Only a handful are aggressive and then only when cornered. Offered an escape they will skink off.

https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/livingwith/snakes/near-you/snakes_of_southeast_queensland.html

My niece lives nr Brisbane and in several years in Oz has yet to see a snake away from Fernberg Road, Paddington, Brisbane.
She is neutral about snakes generally but with small kids such items, sharks and crocodiles do affect their leisure decisions.

Indian cities are full of wild life up to and including leopards. People really don't give much thought to the dangers posed being far more focussed on real problems such as mad driving, violent crime and disease.

The most dangerous wild creature for human beings is the mosquito.
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Maggie, you don't have to know which Australian spiders are dangerous, they all are.

As for drop-bears, why do you think that Aussies wear big hats in Summer?

My OH has a fear of snakes, I find them fascinating.

On the other hand I have a fear of balloons....go figure :-)

Wow! to have them breeding in your garden is an honour! <3

...now you'll have to identify it! :-D :-D
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40853286

In as far as it manifests itself in this country, I have a snake phobia. I believe snake and spider phobias are part inherited (perhaps originally from our primate ancestors) and part learned. A couple of months ago, a tiny baby grass snake got itself into our hall (possibly via the dog's extra furry coat) - enough to send me screeching up the stairs although it was tiny and, I admit, beautiful. I am thrilled that we have them in the garden, but petrified of seeing one nonetheless :-D :-D

Interesting that one side of your family are scared of them the other aren't - could it be the DNA theory?

Your comment about the inhabitants of Asian countries being 'unfazed' by snakes, is a bit of a sweeping statement, don't you think? I mean - everyone?
...and could this be the result of DNA?

I'm sorry the Huffington Post isn't your reading preference - but it's an update. There was a similar report in the Telegraph a few years ago, and if you read Guinevere's link - that was from the BBC, so I'm not sure what you mean by 'Huffington Post is full of drivel'.

Maybe that devious demon cold slithering snake in the Garden of Eden got our fears into gear.

The little devil!

Iceland Ireland New Zealand Hawaii etc no snakes so do any of the human population have an iñnate fear of snakes all the same?
My granny and my mother always had a negative attitude towards snakes and spiders. Not shared by my father and siblings. I find snakes beautiful and spiders fascinating.
India and many Asian countries have numerous snakes, spiders, lizards etc living in and near homes. The people living there are unfazed.
Huffington Post is full of drivel.

Guinevere - very good article! :-)
It would also explain some people's behaviour :-(


Allan, if I lived in Australia, I would make sure I knew the dangerous spiders - purely for survival reasons.
Ummmm - are drop-bears real? :-S

I read an article ages ago and I was convinced.

Here's a shorter version -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25156510

I have an absolute phobia of snakes. Spiders on the other hand don't bother me (I certainly don't bother them)

Mind you, living in Australia, where deadly species of all types exist, I have no wish to be attacked by a drop-bear :-0

I believe that my mother may have been attacked by a drop-bear when she was expecting me......strange really as she never visited Australia until 1971 when I was 23.

I suppose that, like spiders, drop-bears can be found everywhere :-D :-D

A new study has discovered that a fear of snakes and spiders is (probably) hereditary - it's in your DNA! :-D :-D

Over the last few decades there has been much debate between scientists about whether these phobias are innate or are learned during childhood.

They've discovered that babies at only six months old (long before they have had a chance to learn about the dangers of spiders and snakes) show signs of stress when they see these creatures.
More here if you want to read it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/phobia-of-snakes-and-spiders-is-actually-built-into-our-dna_uk_59edea69e4b0a484d0646a89?ui&utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

Do you have what could describes as a phobia of spiders or snakes - and did your parents?