Where do these myths come from?

CosmicOwl · 02-26-14, 05:14 PM

I feel like most people who are in the hobby have at one point probably believed a reptile/snake. I don't mean ridiculous myths, such as snakes only growing as larges as their enclosure. I'm talking about the myths that get passed around forums and betweeb experienced keepers as if they were the truth. For instance, a lot of people still believe that feeding snakes in a separate enclosure will make them tame. There is also the belief that reptiles shouldn't be kept on sand because it causes impaction and can get under scales.

Where do you guys think these idea originate from? Sometimes I think a lot of them could probably be traced back to a misquoted scientific study or the opinion of a breeder. Is it possible that anybody might know original source for some of the most common and pervasive myths that have taken root in the community?

LadyWraith · 02-26-14, 05:30 PM

I feel like a lot of the myths probably stem from poorly understood husbandry back in the day. Also, some of the products sold at pet stores can be/are harmful and could have led to some of them. Dunno where the separate enclosure for feeding thing came from. Talked with my hair stylist today, who owns a male Retic, and she feeds in a separate tub. He's a juvie but I can't imagine pulling a hungry 6 foot retic out for feeding time O.o. She was also under the impression it would lead to aggression and impaction from consuming substrate.

wrecker45 · 02-26-14, 06:04 PM

I had a couple tell me. They watched a milk snake suck milk from a cow. A woman told me today she had a 10 ft. eastern fox snake on her property.

CameronVarnish · 02-27-14, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecker45

I had a couple tell me. They watched a milk snake suck milk from a cow. A woman told me today she had a 10 ft. eastern fox snake on her property.

Yea and I saw a corn snake eat an ear of corn once... And then there was a 65 foot anaconda in my backyard in NJ. And it sprayed venom at me.

Derek Roddy · 03-01-14, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CameronVarnish

Yea and I saw a corn snake eat an ear of corn once... And then there was a 65 foot anaconda in my backyard in NJ. And it sprayed venom at me.

Haven't seen a snake eat corn but, I have seen this.......

D

**Pareeeee** · 03-01-14, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Roddy

Haven't seen a snake eat corn but, I have seen this.......

D

?!?!??!?! Silly snake.

drumcrush · 02-26-14, 07:02 PM

Bad experiences?

robertjnovak59 · 02-26-14, 08:30 PM

They all came from me!

wareagleA5 · 02-26-14, 09:52 PM

Probably from old books that were written by people who just wanted to sell books, before the internet it was the only way to learn things.

wrecker45 · 02-26-14, 10:20 PM

How about the hoop snake. Can put its tail in its mouth and roll down a hill like a hoop.

CameronVarnish · 02-27-14, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecker45

How about the hoop snake. Can put its tail in its mouth and roll down a hill like a hoop.

Lol. probs was thinking of an armadillo lizard?

red ink · 02-27-14, 01:07 AM

Sand does/can cause impaction in captivity, place a carpet python on sand in it's enclosure and then have a close looks at labial scales and cloacal scales after a few weeks.

poison123 · 02-27-14, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red ink

Sand does/can cause impaction in captivity, place a carpet python on sand in it's enclosure and then have a close looks at labial scales and cloacal scales after a few weeks.

Not a carpet but I have my hognose on sand and he does not get sand stuck in between his scales.

Impaction can still happen in good conditions but its just not as high of a risk with a healthy animal.

CosmicOwl · 02-27-14, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red ink

Sand does/can cause impaction in captivity, place a carpet python on sand in it's enclosure and then have a close looks at labial scales and cloacal scales after a few weeks.

I doubt that the sand itself is causing the impaction. Rather, not providing the snake with appropriate husbandry would make it so the snake is unable to pass the sand. Either way, I think a snake would be far more likely to become impacted from eating aspen, fir bark or cypress mulch than sand.

And like poison, I have a snake(not a carpet) on sand/soil and after something like 8 weeks, I haven't noticed anything wrong with his scales. He's a heavy burrower who digs his own tunnels and underground chambers.

red ink · 02-27-14, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

I doubt that the sand itself is causing the impaction. Rather, not providing the snake with appropriate husbandry would make it so the snake is unable to pass the sand. Either way, I think a snake would be far more likely to become impacted from eating aspen, fir bark or cypress mulch than sand.

And like poison, I have a snake(not a carpet) on sand/soil and after something like 8 weeks, I haven't noticed anything wrong with his scales. He's a heavy burrower who digs his own tunnels and underground chambers.

You made a sweeping statement about "reptiles/snakes" myths and sand... I gave you a specific scenario where its not a myth in regards to scales. Neither you or poison own a carpet, but you do own reptiles yet still believe otherwise. Sand in captivity can cause impaction in bearded dragons... again a reptile. Not really a myth, poor husbandry does play a factor in it and sand is not the only cause. It is'nt entirely a myth either in the same respect.

I have kept a bearded dragon in a sanded enclosure for over a decade... I also hear stories of BDs being kept in sand and being impacted within a month. The details in husbandry practices is the difference. Regardless of the difference in the details.. it was sand that was in the stomach.