I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of an animal to write about.
I’m very nearly in the “writer’s block” phase of my writing career after having written over a hundred articles this year.
Luckily, something happened last Sunday while we were picking up our orders of fish and other seafood from my wife’s cousin in Juna.
Outside his gate, I saw a small wolf snake and after shining a light on it, I picked it up.
Now normally, I wouldn’t dare pick up a snake even if I knew what type of snake it was. I don’t know what came over me.
Maybe it was because wanted to show my son the snake.
Or maybe deep down, I wanted to bring it home and keep it as a pet.
Spoiler alert: I let it go after we admired it for a short time.
Why Was I Lucky Enough to See One?
Wolf snakes usually come out at night.
It was night time and I was surprised to see one slithering across an open area where it could easily have been run over by a car or stepped on by someone.
Maybe that’s my main reason why I picked it up.
Maybe I didn’t want it to get hurt.
But anyway, I picked it up to the surprise of everyone.
Since these are nocturnal snakes, it wasn’t really that surprising for me to see one. It was just that it was out in the open.
And it was so tiny so I didn’t really feel afraid to pick it up.
It was barely 10 inches long and was a bit cold because it had just rained and it was night time. So maybe it enjoyed the warmth of my palm and that’s why it didn’t bite me. Or maybe it was because it was too young to realize that I could be dangerous to it and that’s why it didn’t defend itself.
I’ve also found a way to pick up snakes without alarming them but I only do it for snakes I am absolutely sure pose no harm to me. Instead of picking it up from above, I slide my palm below its belly, near the tail and lift it up.
Picking it up just feels like what a typical predator would do to a snake which would then prompt it to bite to defend itself.
Sliding a hand under its belly may be a little bit more reassuring to snakes because you’re also providing the much needed support they need because most snakes do have a fear of heights or getting dropped.
What is a Wolf Snake?
A wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus) is a very common snake found in the Philippines that has a unique appearance thanks to its squared off muzzle which gives it a dog-like or wolf-like appearance, hence the name, wolf snake.
That was a mouthful.
Anyway, these small snakes barely reach 3 feet in length and can often be found near houses because their favorite prey include lizards and small frogs.
Is it Venomous?
This is probably one of the most common if not the most common question people ask when it comes to snakes. And the answer is no. Wolf snakes are not venomous.
Although…
If you do get bitten, it can still be very painful and there might be some swelling in the area where you were bitten.
So maybe it is but it’s just not strong enough to affect a normal-sized, healthy adult?
Wolf Snakes Make Bad Pets
Although I wanted to keep this tiny danger noodle, I knew it’d be a bad idea.
At its current size, it’d be hard to feed which could ultimately lead to its early demise. I couldn’t have that on my hands.
I didn’t have an enclosure ready for it at home which meant I’d have to keep it in a temporary container which could also lead to its early departure from Earth.
But here are more reasons why:
They’re very nervous snakes – I love snakes because they can be very chill pets to have and own. For example, you can spend an hour or two just hanging out with a ball python and not worry about getting bit. They’re just gonna curl up there on your lap and enjoy your warmth. A wolf snake on the other hand is just going to spend the entire time with you actively trying to escape. Well, until they get tired. And then they’re gonna do it again when they have enough strength and energy.
They bite. – I’ve been bitten twice. Each time, just as painful as the other. And that’s why I suspect that they might have a little bit of venom in those back teeth. The front teeth, being how long they are are painful. Like two needles pricking your skin but not enough to make you drop the snake. I’ve been bitten by bigger wolf snakes specimens than the one I just recently picked up.
They have a specialized diet – these snakes eat lizards as their main diet. Do you have time to catch or breed appropriate-sized lizards just so you’d be able to feed your wolf snake?
They’re just too much of a hassle to keep as pets – bottom line is these snakes are too much of a hassle to keep. They’re too small, too nervous, a bit aggressive when they get older if you hold them and too hard to feed. Keeping pets should be enjoyable. Keeping a wolf snake is not.
They’re boring – wolf snakes are pretty boring snakes because they’re nocturnal animals and hide all the time. If you want an interactive pet, this is not the one for you. You’re better off with a ball python or a hog-nosed snake.
Don’t Keep a Wolf Snake as a Pet
Keeping a wolf snake as a pet is very difficult.
You wouldn’t want to do that.
However, since these snakes are very common and can easily be found near where people live, you could in essence keep one without having to keep them inside an enclosure.
All you have to do is be observant and try to locate where they live within your premises. Try to make the place nearest to them attractive to lizards by first attracting the lizards’ prey: insects.
And then make it easy for these wolf snakes to access the area where these lizards feed.
That way you can have a “pet” wolf snake without all the hassles accompanying the actual keeping of one.
As someone who’s guilty pleasure is keeping reptiles, I hope you will listen to my advice not to keep one.
And if you see one, please ignore the initial impulse to kill it or pick it up.
These are generally harmless snakes that, when they get bigger can be beneficial to having around your house because there have been reports that they do eat small rodents every now and then.
Like all snakes, they play an important role in our ecosystem.
We benefit more from keeping them alive than killing them.
That’s it for now.
Oh yeah, give my book a read if you have the chance 🙂
