There are few regions in the world that haven’t been colonised by snakes and other reptiles. Snakes can be even found in cities, although it is only the friendlier ones that usually survive human wrath. However, if you want to find some of the more uncommon snakes, you could look in parks and fields, on beaches or in rivers and ponds and even in the sea, depending on where you live, naturally, as sea snakes are inclined to inhabit warmer, tropical waters.

You will have to be wide awake and train your eyes to spot even the smallest movement. Wear clothes of dull, drab colours and move very slowly, stopping often to listen out for movement in the grass or bushes. In the beginning, you will have many false hopes, until you learn to tell the difference between the sounds of the various animals that live or hunt in the grass.

Snakes are not easy to find, because most of the adventurous snakes get killed by frightened (and often ignorant) humans, but good advice is to look for relatively damp areas in arid regions and, on the other hand, dry spots in damp areas. Look for where their prey might congregate. For instance, near water for toads and frogs. Watch for frightened lizards or birds fleeing for their lives. And listen out for geckos warning each other of the presence of a predatory snake.

If you have to move anything, at least don’t damage it and make sure you put it back as you found it. Two useful tools while out looking for snakes are binoculars (for tree snakes) and a snake-hook, which should also be used for moving bits of debris so that you don’t risk getting bitten by a snake or stung by a scorpion. A camera, a torch and a notebook and pen are more or less essential, depending on how seriously you treat your interest in herpetology.

You might also take a rule or tape to measure your specimens and a few plastic bags and boxes to hold them while you are doing so. However, do not harm anything and do not take anything home with you either! Apart from it not being right to wander into their domain and cause mayhem, it is frequently contrary to the law too. Be very wary of picking up any snake that you cannot definitely identify as non-poisonous. You could be a long way from anywhere and will probably not have any anti-venom with you. Since many snakes can kill within 30 minutes, you would probably die.

In summary, go looking for snakes by all means, but take it easy and slowly and wear inconspicuous clothing. Moreover, wear strong, hiking-style boots to give you some protection where you are most vulnerable and do not disturb anything you don’t have to. Take a snake-hook to move things if you need to; a tape, torch, camera, notebook and pen to record your experience and/or findings and a few clear plastic receptacles in case you feel that you have to pick something up.

I hope you really enjoy your hunt for snakes and other reptiles, but always remember that snakes are not friendly and they are definitely not pets, so be on your guard against snake bites especially if your search is not taking place in the grounds of a hospital!

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