Do snakes chase people? Two encounters, seen from the snake’s side

In this lesson: two classic “the snake chased me” stories, told first the way people tell them and then the way the snake experienced them.

It is not uncommon for people to swear up, down, and sideways that they have been chased by a snake. Some particularly imaginative people have even made claims that a snake chased them down the street while they were riding a bicycle, chased them back to their car and then leaped at the windows, or chased them from their yard into the house and then struck at the door trying to get in. If you think these tales sound ludicrous, it is because they are.

When naturalists say that snakes do not chase people, we are not saying that no snake has ever come towards a human. We are saying that they do not see humans as prey and are not trying to “catch” us. Simply approaching a person or moving in their direction is not the same thing as “chasing.”

It is easy to understand how your average person who doesn’t know the difference between venomous and harmless snakes would be nervous or fearful if they happen upon a snake. They may experience an adrenaline rush, causing their mind to enter a “fight or flight” mode. In this situation, almost any motion the snake makes is likely to be misinterpreted as aggression. Of course, this is not what is happening, as snakes are not aggressive, but it is at least understandable. We needn’t judge these people too harshly, provided their lack of knowledge doesn’t lead them to start wantonly killing these beneficial animals.

Maybe you believe a snake chased you at some point in your life. Maybe your daddy or grandma swears they were chased, and you don’t want to call them a liar. Whatever the reason that brought you here, I would like to offer a different perspective on these encounters. I can assure you that, from the snake’s perspective, something else was going on.

Here are some common reasons people claim that a snake was being aggressive, coupled with interpretations of the encounters from someone intimately familiar with snakes. To understand animal behavior, you have to try to see through the creature’s eyes instead of your own. This is not easy for most people, but I will try to help.

Scenario one: the bank

A fisherman walking along a bank stumbles across a snake. Usually, this is a harmless watersnake, but people often immediately assume it is venomous. The snake darts toward the person from a few feet away and the person thinks they are being chased.

The same scenario as seen from the snake’s eyes:
A large potential predator (the human) is approaching. The snake waits where it is, hoping to go unnoticed. As the predator gets closer and closer, it seems more and more like the snake is going to be discovered, so finally, it decides to risk being seen and flee. It makes a straight line for the safety of the water, even though the predator is in the way at this point, hoping that it will be fast enough to get into the water before being eaten.

The takeaway:
Several species of snakes live near water and blend in well with their surroundings. Most snakes are perfectly harmless, but whether they are or not, they have no interest in you. If they dart out at you, they are not trying to startle you; they’re only trying to get to safety as quickly as possible. The fact that you might be in their path is coincidental. You don’t need to run or defend yourself; you can simply let them pass on by without incident. Note: this same type of situation also occurs in other settings. People in their yard or in a park see a snake darting in their general direction and their emotions make 2+2 equal 5. In reality, the snake is simply fleeing for the nearest cover and not aiming for the person.

Scenario two: the canoe

A fisherman is floating down a creek in a canoe. Suddenly, a snake drops from a branch into the boat and flails about. The snake comes toward the person and the person thinks it dropped into the boat with the goal of attacking them.

The same scenario as seen from the snake’s eyes:
Similar to scenario one, the snake assumed that it could just keep basking on the branch, but as this large strange object (the boat) finally got so close that danger seemed imminent, it decides to drop into the water. It is surprised to find itself landing on a hard object that is difficult to get out of. Even worse, it finds itself trapped with a large potential predator that is making noise and moving about. It tries to climb up the sides and out but can’t find purchase on the hull. Frantic and used to climbing bushes and shrubs, it tries to use the only object it can find to climb up, which happens to be the person.

The takeaway:
Snakes sometimes climb out onto overhanging branches. This is partially to bask and warm up and partially for safety, as it is easy to simply drop into the water if danger appears. Boats are not the easiest thing for a snake to understand, so they may not know to flee until the boat is underneath them. The snake is trying to escape. You do not need to attack it or defend yourself. You can simply offer it something (like a paddle, knapsack, or fishing rod) to use to climb out and get away.

Take this further

• Cottonmouths get blamed for both of these stories more than any other snake. The maligned cottonmouth looks at what actually happens when scientists step on them.
• Why snakes wait so long before fleeing, and why they blend in so well, is explained in Hidden in plain sight.
• Next: Racers on the trail, snakes at the pier.