10/09/2026
In honor of Halloween month, let’s talk about something spooky - the fear of reptiles and amphibians and “creepy” animals in general! While many people have a strong aversion to reptiles, some even experience anxiety when looking at reptiles online. There are many contributing factors that cause this fear, all of them rooted in reptile myths and knowledge gaps that lead to misinformation. If you’re here to help unlearn some of that fear, to expose yourself to reptiles more, you’re already part of the journey.
So why DO people think reptiles are scary? Here is one Common Myth:
Reptiles are gross and slimy and spiky and I don’t want to touch them!
Many people who have never handled a reptile think that they’re going to be slimy or gross in texture. Since all reptiles are cold-blooded, most reptiles are cool to the touch and covered in scales. Some of these are aquatic, and will be wet to the touch if you handle them. Many people think these scales and spikes will hurt, but they’re typically soft, especially if the animal is handleable.
