Snakes have long been the victims of negative advertising. They have gotten a bad rap over literally thousands of years.

Why is this and where does this reputation come from?

Many of us associate snakes with evil. This comes out of Christian tradition where the snake was the foul creature who tempted Eve to eat the apple in the Garden of Eden.

This fatal move by Eve set humankind up to receive a legacy of pain and suffering, all because of the evil serpent.

The snake in the Bible represents the devil, and it has been hard for the snake to shake off that persona ever since.

There are some other reasons people don’t exactly care for snakes. First of all, their appearance doesn’t exactly say ‘warm and cuddly.’

Unlike a fluffy little kitten, or bunny rabbit, the snake has a smooth skin that looks like it would be slimy.

In actual fact, a snake is not slimy, but that's still not enough to make it endearing to many.

Snakes are long and thin and that’s opposite to what we are programmed to think of as good-natured and approachable.

Think of the stereotypical witch. She has a long, thin face and a narrow, pointy chin. The witch in The Wizard of Oz is a perfect example, and she has been giving kids nightmares for decades.

Another factor the snake doesn’t have going for it is the way it moves. It slithers. 

It’s sneaky and surreptitious (a fancy word for sneaky;) and because of that we often don’t notice it until it is very nearby.

You know the scene, you’re walking along a path or in your backyard, when suddenly a quick, slithering motion grabs your attention. You almost step on the thing and shriek as your heart races.

So snakes seem shifty and sneaky to us, and therefore we don’t like them. The surprise attack is not a loveable trait.

Our fear of snakes is partly due to our ancestors. Back in the age of hunters and gatherers, the men of a tribe would go out hunting. 

They needed to be on the lookout for poisonous snakes that might be in the long grass or drop out of a tree. A bite from one of these creatures could mean death.

This need to beware of snakes is built into us as a survival mechanism. Even though we have supermarkets to buy our groceries in, we still have that fear of snakes.

Despite all the negative stuff, snakes have a lot of cool aspects, too. Did you know that snakes have no eyelids? So they sleep with their eyes open.

There are more than 3,700 snake species in the world! That makes them the second largest reptile group, coming in just behind lizards.

Snakes can be found on every continent of the earth except Antarctica, and snakes can live in pretty much any and all conditions from deserts to mountains, oceans to forests.

Most snakes reproduce by laying eggs. Snakes have nostrils like we do, but unlike us, they don’t use them to smell. Have you ever noticed how a snake flicks its forked tongue in and out? It’s smelling!

If you take the time to look at a snake you will notice that it has a particular pattern on its body. Snakes come in all sorts of colors with beautiful, intricate designs.

Our relationship with snakes is complex and with so much history and negative associations, it can be challenging to see the beauty and amazing qualities a snake possesses, but it’s worth taking time to try.

In our “Mystical Snakes Coloring Book” you will find fifty pages of entrancing snakes from cobras and pythons to anacondas and vipers.

While you’re coloring these marvelous creatures, you’ll also be experiencing any number of fabulous benefits from this activity!

Read on to learn more about the many benefits of coloring!