“Dog Days of Summer” Causing Dangerous Snake Behavior in Alabama

Do you know about the “Dog Days of Summer”?

It’s the period of the hottest portion of the summertime. It runs from July to mid-August.

Did you know that it has nothing to do with the actual dog? [kinda]

The “Dog Days of Summer” is patterned after the “rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—the “Greater Dog”—which is where Sirius gets its canine nickname, as well as its official name, Alpha Canis Majoris,” said the Farmer’s Almanac.

Now you are all informed about the “Dog Days of Summer” I bet you are thinking what does this yearly passage have to do with snakes?

Well, strange things happen during this time.

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My mother said that …

“Men tend to cheat more.”

“You can’t go swimming in the ocean/lake/river because infections are at an all-time high.”

My West Virginia Uncle said that …

“Animals (some humans) tend to go mad and strike their prey.”

A random Tuscaloosa man said that …

“Snakes Go Blind.”

That was his response when I asked him why he had a huge hunting knife on his hip. Also, his son was very excited about the possibility of nabbing a blind snake.

[You already know my eyes were rollin']

This exchange went down while I was visiting a local park that has extensive wooded trails.

Blind Snakes ???????????????????

Nope, not me! I packed our stuff up and zoomed on out of there.

And you wonder why I’m not an outdoorsy type of gal.

Here’s what you should know about snakes going blind during the summer.

Scientists say no.

Southern folks say yes. So, we may have to file this under “Southern myths.”

Here is the deal, snakes do shed skin, and “to help the old skin slide off, a grayish-white lubricant is secreted underneath the old skin,” said Animal Questions. “This liquid is visible under the clear scale that protects the eye, often making it look clouded over or milky.”

This makes it very hard for snakes to see.

So some would say this makes them somewhat blind.

From what I remember from science class, snakes are cold-blooded, carnivores, they have to get heat from another source and they shed. During the shedding process, “the snake may become more aggressive or seek shelter under a rock or log,” said Bird & Exotic Vet.

This totally backs up what the man at the park had to say about “blind snakes.” He said because “they can’t see this puts them on the defense, so they often strike without cause.”

I’ll file all of that under “dangerous.”

My list is growing of reasons why I don’t do the outdoors.

Reason #4,329 = Blind Snakes.

(Source) Click here for more from Farmer’s Almanac. Click here for more from Animals Questions. Click here for more from the Bird & Exotic Vet.