PE - camping in snake country

[Corun MacAnndra]

I wrote:
>>
>> I have heard that when sleeping on the ground in desert on would
>> lay a hempen rope (i.e. a very hairy type of rope like sisal) on 
>> the ground a good distance around the sleeping bag. Snakes, who
>> feel with  their tongues, would encounter the harsh and hairy
>> surface of the rope and  not crawl over it, but instead go around.

Wolf responded:
>
>classic urban legend ... unlike mammels whose tongues are designed to
>sense texture (among other things) snake tongues are primarily heat /
>vibration / electricity sensors ... rope has *zero* effect (this was
>demonstrated at Philmont one year i attended during the scouting
>phase ...) ... purely a placebo solution - you think it's a barrier
>so you stop worrying about it

That's good to know. I had no idea that information was ersatz. Thank you.
When dealing with potentially poisonous creatures it's good to have the
proper info.

>humans are NOT snake prey, they don't like you, they will stay away
>from you.  small mammels are their prey - keep your food well sealed
>so you do not attract rats & mice, and you will have no snakes in
>your campsite.

More importantly remember; you are not Steve Irwin. ;-)
 
Corun


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