How Venomous Snakes Help ADHD, Addiction Recovery, and Inspire Joy (with Mark's Reptiles)

[@jtelevenoyd1571]

This was fantastic. Mark has been one of my favorite reptile KZbinrs for a while, and now he's even more so. Your hosting this interview with him was a truly inspired act, and I thank you for it.

[@Snake_Therapy]

@@jtelevenoyd1571 thank you for those kind words- I’m so glad you enjoyed it! His light deserves to be shining to as many people as possible! 💙 it’s an honor to bask in its glow 😊

[@snakemannn1744]

Great one ,,,, agree to all '

[@paulveenvliet9130]

About bonds with snakes: I think this is often (always?) one-sided. I provide my snakes with several hiding options. After i handle them, they NEVER return to the same hide where they were before. It is like they had a negative experience there (being disturbed, picked up) and rather retreat somewhere else for a while. From my side, what I feel for my snakes is similar to what I feel for aquarium fish: great admiration, joy and pride in caring for them so well that they thrive, that kind of thing. But a "personal bond": nope. At least not from the snake's side. They are used to the way I do things, but as long as someone else behaves similarly, they will react exactly the same to that person as well. And, in line with this, my snakes also do not have individual names, although I very well recognise them. I do love the feeling of touching their skin, the feeling of handling them. But they merely tolerate me picking them up. They don't ever come to me for that. And this is why i don't push it either: They are terrarium animals to me, not pets that I have in hands whenever I want to. I handle them whenever needed for their care (feeding, cleaning terrarium, health checks) but not "recreationally". And this is all the more reason that the terrarium should be as good as possible.

[@Snake_Therapy]

I respect your personal experience, but it is not that way for every person or every snake. My snakes do actually come to me, and I do have bonds with most of mine- and if not all are two-way, then I remain open and work to develop it with those that are not there yet. It takes time and patience sometimes because we are such different creatures. But I speak with people every single day who have experiences of great depth of connection and bonding with their snakes. It's not that way for every single person/snake, so as I said, I can respect your experience, but saying "nope" to *any* personal bond with a snake is only cutting you off from the possibility- and isn't a definitive assessment that it can and does happen.

[@marksreptiles1]

Aw yay! Thank you so much for all you do and for having me on!

[@Snake_Therapy]

It was my pleasure, truly! Thank you for sharing with us! ❤

[@tammymc37]

Another fascinating episode!

[@Snake_Therapy]

Thank you so much! ❤

[@Allendavid79]

Great interview and very interesting because it talked about venomous snakes in a different way.

[@Snake_Therapy]

@@Allendavid79 thank you! So glad you enjoyed it! And I agree- the way he presents these animals to the world is unique and so valuable.

[@theaveragecomment1014]

WOOOOOO! I've always loved venomous snakes. My favourite snake is the boomslang! they're beautiful and fascinating. Not quite the type of snake I'd get as a pet ofc but still my favourite. I'd love to work with them some day...

[@Snake_Therapy]

@theaveragecomment1014 they’re amazing, but not good pets!

[@theaveragecomment1014]

@@Snake_Therapy Definitely! It's why I'd love to become a biologist and work in conservation or smth like that.

[@EileenNorcross-xd3ob]

I work with dogs eye contact is a real thing it can intimidate and aggravate a dog i seldom make eye contact with my snakes eye contact with people can be intimidating to

[@Janeway1269]

I love you and your goals and content very much. I'm sure I'll catch hate for this, but even with all your warnings, I really have issues with anyone promoting private keeping of venomous species. I can't tell you how many people are excused from irresponsible handling like "free handling" with the reasoning that these are "experienced, professional" keepers with many years under their belts. We've seen several things go wrong under these "professionals" because of their lack of safeguards. I was a volunteer back in the 90s in a real zoological institution's herp department. Volunteers were not allowed to work with the "hots". When the pros did it, there was no free handling, anti venin was on hand, and the snake went into a container immediately and they were handled only strictly as necessary, all with tools. Field people studying herps do the same. The fewer such interactions, the better. I just don't see trusting Joe Q Public to stick with this.

[@Snake_Therapy]

@@Janeway1269 I don’t hate you for it. I respect your perspective deeply. I agree, most people shouldn’t be doing it, which is why I don’t endorse it. But I also have tons of respect for Mark, and know that he’s doing what is right for him, and that he’s truly trying to educate and reduce fear. I picked the “do not attempt” image for a reason. ❤️

[@Janeway1269]

@@Snake_Therapy Thank you. And I don't think you would hate me. I just expect pushback from anyone commenting who defends keeping hots or absolutely anything they want to, as a "right." Keeping these animals - ANY of them - are not "rights" but privileges. Same goes for giant monitors or giant constrictors but venomous by far, should really be left to the true pros; not hobbyists or devout hobbyists that make $$ off of keeping them. We have access to so many species, and an array of diversity to satisfy our curiosity and fascinations, and our need for soothing tension and retaining focus. I get the therapeutic value of herps. But with everything out there to choose from, venomous just isn't necessary. Zoos, scientific touring, television shows, all are available to educate. Hot herps are far too prevalent in our society and not everyone keeping them should. Not even close. I trust your judgement in terms of someone's character, but it's still giving a hot keeper a platform. It's a lot like the "Don't use these catchy thumbnails" when you had your snake bite videos up. Granted you don't use drama here, and that means a lot in and of itself. But people may walk away with "He's keeping hots and they can be therapeutic", rather than the fuller message. Or worse, I can predict some saying "Okay for thee but not for me? Who are you to gatekeep?" At the very least, it should be only under strict regulation, heavy permitting, regular inspections and with the right resources available. It's not just a threat to the keepers, but to the immediate public if any of these animals escapes.

[@Snake_Therapy]

Firstly, I agree whole-heartedly that keeping any animal isn't a right but a privilege. Secondly, my point was to highlight his personal experience, which has been beneficial to him, and therefore is valid as a therapeutic journey with these animals. And as I said, I don't personally endorse keeping hots. He is a professional educator- albeit one who came into it in, as he even said, a reckless way- but he does do this on a broader scale than just keeping. He already has a platform that's bigger than mine, so I'm not giving him anymore than he already has- beyond saying that out of all of the ones I've seen, he has the most genuinely positive ones I've seen. Thirdly, I agree wholeheartedly that there should be strict regulation, permitting and inspections. 1000%. Unfortunately that's a battle within the keeping "community" that I fear may never be resolved, since the primary representation of herpetoculture is USARK, who stands for "Rights" of keeping over welfare and responsibility.. not to mention the multitudes of people who have a "don't take my guns" view about keeping herps, and will fight hard against any imposition by authorities. European countries have done better with some of these issues, but there's also the problem of *who makes* the regulations. There is merit to the idea that the people who end up making the rules actually don't know or have the best information to inform them. Money, fear... these things play a heavy role. It's a clusterf*ck, in my opinion. I don't think things are as they should be. Taking ideas like those from Rain (not sure if you've watched AAH's interviews with him) about registration and insurance would be a great start, but again, it comes back to WHO takes this on and enforces it, and what the pushback will look like. In my mind, the future looks a little bleak on this front, so the best I feel I can do is to encourage us to learn about the animals, treat them with respect and give as much as we can to them if we keep them, educate the public as much as we can about them, be as responsible as we can. And for my mission, that also involves showing the benefits they give to people emotionally and mentally. Whether or not he should have them at all is not the point of this interview- but to show that these animals have value in many different ways, and that he is a good human being who pulled himself out of darkness because they are in his life. I appreciate you and your thoughts and perspective. Much respect.

[@Janeway1269]

@@Snake_Therapy On the clusterf*ck, I could not agree more. The regulating bodies are typically full of people who get a low level "training" and have zero personal interest in the organisms they are charged with. I can honestly say I know from experience. REAL experience. USARK is as you say. Respect back!! 🙂