New words

[bladespark]

I have several new words for the day. One is "boid" which I can see why it hasn't entered the common lexicon, because it's so ridiculous, but that's the proper term for the snake family that includes pythons and boas together. I just called them constrictors, but really all non-venemous snakes constrict, so that's misleading. (Even little garter snakes and cornsnakes are constrictors.) There are a great number of snake families, although most snakes you're ever going to see are colubrids. The majority of the other families have only a handful of members, but there are hundreds of colubrid species.

Another new word is ophidiphobia, which is the fear of snakes.

And although I don't think I would ever actually do it, the image of my waving my python at somebody who is deathly afraid of snakes is really quite amusing. *grins*

Comments

[svashtar.livejournal.com]

I use the word Boid. But then, I've been into herpetology since I was little.

I've actually used Pip to help people over their fear of snakes. She may be a six foot boa, but she is about as mellow and slow moving as you can get, and relatively unscary.

[harliquinnraver.livejournal.com]

Psykos mum is terrified of snakes. however, she doesnt visit so we have no reason to get one. ;)