WHY I LOVE ANIMALS

MEET BOSS HOGG & JJ WATTS

If you ever want to know what it’s like to be misunderstood, feared, and even hated, just ask a snake! Among the least popular of animals, snakes get a really bad rap because they are a very different type of reptile. They have no arms or legs, can crawl most anywhere and over most any surface, they move very fast, and in some cases, even kill. While we as humans typically prefer the cuteness of a mammal with limbs, such as a dog or cat, the importance of the snake in our environment is vital and therefore we need to live in harmony with these creatures that have inhabited the earth for nearly 130 million years.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center, previously known as TWRC, to learn more about two of their resident reptiles, Boss Hogg the Western Hognose Snake and JJ Watts the Bullsnake.

Anyone that knows me is aware that snakes are not my favorite animal. I truly respect them and understand their value, but let’s just say I prefer to keep my distance! I recently moved to acreage where I’ve had quite a few snake encounters, several leaving me in tears, mostly because of the “startling” affect and the fact they were very close to the house. This scenario is of course quite dif- ferent than the controlled environment of our photoshoot, but even so, it took a lot of my “spirit” to touch or hold these two snakes. Their markings are really fascinating to look at but there is something about when they begin to slither that really gets me LOL!

Helping to ease my anxiety, Education Manager Samantha Norris and Education Animal Coordinator Claire Schwabenland gave me encouragement and filled me in on the personalities and background of each snake as they coached me through handling. Both snakes are ambassadors and are often taken to public engagements for educational purposes. Here’s what I learned about each:

1. Boss Hogg was donated to the center by the parents of a student who was unable to take him to college. Both Western and Eastern hognose snakes are native to Texas. They are notable for their elaborate defensive displays, rear-fangs, and mild venom. While this venom is classified as "medically insignificant" to humans, it does help to make them very effective predators of frogs and toads. When threatened, hognose snakes try to intimidate predators by hissing and flaring out their head and neck in a behavior called "hooding." If this display fails to deter the predator, the hognose goes belly-up in a dramatic death scene, opening their vent to release smelly musk and letting their tongue hang out. Such drama!

2. JJ Watts stays with the center on permanent loan from one of their reptile rehabbers. Bullsnakes are common non-venomous snakes that range across the Western half of Texas and have evolved specialized anatomy and behavior to discourage predators. When threatened or harassed, they will coil their bodies, raise their heads, and emit a loud hiss while rattling their tail. The modified structure of their glottis helps amplify and gives a puised quality to the sound. This dramatic defensive display often causes people to mistake them for rattlesnakes. With their large size and high activity level, bullsnakes can make a significant improvement in a serious rodent infestation. They contribute to a healthy ecosystem by eliminating a large number of potentially disease-carrying mice and rats.

As both predator and prey, snakes are highly important to biodiversity on earth. Snakes are a food source for birds, mammals and other reptiles. Conversely, they feed on birds, mammals, amphibians, fish and insects. Many species of pests, such as rodents and slugs, are eaten by snakes.

Without this “balance of nature,” most pest species could overpopulate the landscape and cause considerable damage to homes, gardens and farms. Rodents have a tendency to spread diseases as well. So, you can see the immense benefit snakes provide and although some folks find them scary and creepy, remember they are typically harmless if left alone and prefer to avoid people. Unfortunately, snakes are often unnecessarily killed out of fear or misunderstanding. If you encounter a snake, move away and let it move on or call a snake catcher if necessary. With all the good that snakes truly do, it is more important than ever that we do our best to keep them around in order to maintain the biodiversity of the planet!

To learn more about Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center, visit them online at TWRCwildlifeCenter.org.