Some Amazing Myths and Facts About Snakes in India

Several mythological snakes are considered of as ‘destroyers’ whereas some are believed to be ‘protectors’.

However, there are thousands of myths & beliefs about snakes that are well-known in the country, which is false. The majority of these beliefs & myths are spread via snake charmers for their living.

Some of the everyday beliefs & myths among the people are mentioned below along with the facts.

Myth 1: Rat Snakes are Poisonous.

Fact : Rat snakes are Non- poisonous on the other hand there are few rat snakes like Asian rat which poisonous however their poison is not harmful to humans.

Myth 2: Rat Snakes mate with cobras

Fact: In fact, not only rat snake but other snakes too cannot mate with dissimilar species. Snakes can mate only with their own species. Generally, Cobra eats other snakes hence mating between them is just not possible.

Myth 3: Snakes drink Milk

Fact: Snakes do not drink milk but they do drink water, in fact, it is very difficult for them to digest the milk. They die after consuming Milk. Snakes are reptiles and hence it has no connection with milk, only mammals having mammary glands may make milk and therefore fondness for milk is improbable in non-mammals.

When rigorously dried out, a snake may drink any accessible liquid. It is just because of thirst nothing else snake can drink cola/ tea etc anything.

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Myth 4: Some snakes as they age they grow a beard.

Fact: Reptile generally doesn’t have hairs on their body so does snake hence chances of a beard is just not possible.

Myth 5: Diamond on Snake forehead

Fact: It is impracticable for a Snake to have something on its head. The fairy-tale status attached by an Indian Snake is perhaps too blamed for such beliefs & myth. Snakes are born from egg whereas diamonds are produced deep underground for several years.

However, few snakes do have diamond shaped spotting on their forehead yet there are no diamonds in his head. There is nothing else apart from the brain in snake’s forehead as a diamond cannot grow in few weeks in a skull of a snake.

Myth 6: Snakes memorize you if you harmed them

Fact: Snakes are not revengeful living things and do not have an essential aptitude to memorize the place or people taking vengeance.

Myth 7: If one Snake is killed its partner will trace you

Fact: Another myth created by movies. Snakes are not revengeful animals and are not involved in tracking or mapping out an individual who have harmed them. Snakes do not have the essential remembrance power and intelligence to memorize individuals & to track them back. Nor do they have a feeling of companionship neither do they a couple for life.

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Myth 8: Flying Snakes can puncture/ prick someone’s head or put out their eyes.

Fact: There are Flying Snake but they do not, in fact, fly however only slide along through air via broadening its spines and jerking in the underneath. It is capable of sliding along a distance of 100 meters or 330 ft. Green vine snake has stretched out head that seems like an arrow, however, it is flexible and by no means, it can puncture/ prick.

Myth 9: Indian Snakes can spit poison

Fact: No Indian Snake spit poison. Poison can only be spat by Spitting-Cobras & they are found outside India. Our great grandparents have spread these beliefs & myths, the reason behind this was that they didnt want us to harm snakes and some were spread via snake charmers since it is a source of income for them.

Myth 10: There are “Two- headed” snakes

Fact: Such myth is spread by Snake-Charmers so as to keep the mythological status alive. They generally flame the tail of a red sand boa and sketches eyes on it and try to prove us that it has heads on both sides. The red sand boas are believed to be a fortunate pet by many and are required in black magic via some.

Under Schedule 4 of the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972, Red sand boa is protected. Moreover, some snakes do have 2 head but that is a genetic disorder nothing else, however, this is a very rare case & lifespan of such snake is not much long.

Myth 11: Snakes dance to the tune of Snake- Charmers

Fact: Snakes, on the whole, cannot listen hence dancing on tunes of Snake-Charmers is not possible. The reason behind this is that the snake thinks that the moving charmer and his devices may harm them so in order to save themselves snake moves & changes it positions.

Myth 12: Do snake eats its own egg

Fact: In this case, it depends as some snakes don’t lay an egg they bare live snakes and their children stay only for 24 hours with mother snake. In addition there are few snakes that lay eggs & eat only damaged or unfertilized egg to recover from the reproduction process, however, there is some egg eating snakes that do eat some of the eggs laid by them.

They do this only out of laziness or due to the scarcity of food. Usually, they gulp the entire egg similar to their prey or crack the shell and consume the yolk.