Is It A Bad Thing To Be Afraid Of Garter Snakes?

[Purplenugget21]

My husband lived on alot of acreage growing up and he saw alot of them and isnt afraid of them. Ive never seen any in person until I visited my in-laws place and it freaked me out a little. Now my husband and I live on a lot of acreage and we see them every now and then and I get a little freaked out. He doesnt like me getting freaked out though, since they are harmless but its hard for me to not be. I am working on it though but anyway my question is, is it that bad of a thing that I am a little freaked out by them especially since ive never been around them like he has?

[roopower]

There are a lot of people who are more than a little freaked out by any snake. You are working on not worrying about the snakes as much, it's going to take time. In the Uk we only have three snakes, only one is venomous but some people are very frightened of them, even the harmless ones. Good luck!

[davebro]

Apparently (I'm told) fear of snakes is inborn not learned. A child who has not encountered or heard of snakes will still be afraid of them.

If that's the case then people who don't fear snakes must have "learned" not to be afraid.

[douglas9401]

Freaked then.