What causes a snake to bite someone?

Westchester snake

Why Snakes Bite People
Snake bites cause fear in most, and illness and death in many. Snakes are not to be messed with or taken lightly. They can quickly and easily turn on you. Snakes are like any other wild animal. They can bite you at any time and you cannot trust that they will not. Even if you have had positive experiences with snakes in the past, the risk of a bite is still there. This is true of all snakes, really – including pets. It is like any other animal. There is the risk of a bite if you do the wrong thing. That is going to make anyone worry; what is the wrong thing and why do snakes bite?

The Reason Behind the Bite
Snakes bite for the same reason as any other animal. When cornered or when they feel fear, they are likely to bite the cause of it. If you go after a snake or corner it, it is likely to bite to protect itself. That is its only form of self-defense and has no other options. It does not know your intent, only that you are a threat. Snakes may bite when they feel threatened by your presence, even if you do not directly do anything. Again, it is an animal. It does not understand threats fully, only that it feels threatened at times. When it feels that way, it is going to move to protect itself any way it can.

Know the Signs
Wild animals do not bite randomly and happily. It is not something they want to do. Snakes do not want to bite you. They would much rather you left them alone when they deem you a threat. To achieve that, they are going to show signs of annoyance in an attempt to get you to go away. Backing up, lunging near you, and other aggressive signs are them telling you to go away. If you see the snake acting aggressively, assume it is going to bite. It is telling you to stop and leave. If you do not, it is going to attack. Snakes are not happy when people disrespect them. They are like any other animal. If you make them feel threatened, they are going to bite and attack in an attempt to protect themselves. All they see is a threat in you. Keep your distance and respect them. Treat them like they want nothing to do with you – because that is very likely the case.

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