Ah I see the confusion.
To me, inherited implys something that is passed down, without control, such as hair color, shape of the face etc. It is just automatic due to the genetics of the family.
I have heard often that humans fear of snakes is an inherited trait passed on genetically by way of some sort of an "ancestral memory".
To that I disagree.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Actually, come to think of it, I should be afraid of snakes. My mother has a deathly aversion to them, and most of my family thinks I'm truly strange for keeping one. I wonder why I'm not afraid of them.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

Typh, just like me you are a MUTANT!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Well, actually, a lot of things now make sense...

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

Why is that so out of the ordinary to beleive?
I have to respectfully disagree with your disagreement.
I wonder why all animals have fears. And they rightly do!
There is allways something that is going to either eat you or kill you out of protection. Humans didn't come to being in a vacuum. If we had to wait to learn to be afraid, Our species would be extinct long ago. How is it a bird is born knowing how to make a nest in a tree to avoid predators? As a bird instinctivly knows to peck for worms, Our anscestors knew to avoid snakes.

No problem there buddy! I have had this conversation with people before.

If there was such an ancestral, instinctive, fear of snakes, then would we not all be born with it? Would our instincts not all be genetically coded with "the only good snake is a dead snake" mentality and none of us would be here talking about keeping pet snakes.

It has been my experience that children who have not been taught to fear snakes, do not. They may be cautious or unsure of them at first but the blind unreasoning fear that many people exhibit is apparently not present until its been cultivated. Every one of my numerous grandchildren, as well as children of friends, when introduced to my snakes had varying aspects of curiosity but never outright terror!
Which by the way many of the PARENTS exhibited!
Fortunately they knew me well enough to trust that I would never put a child in harms way.
I have worked with several people to overcome snake phobias. In talking with people regarding the fear that they have, many can pinpoint exactly how and when they came to have this fear. Usually due to a traumatic occurance when they were young. It is not something that just automatically IS. There is a source and a reason for it.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I have to agree with Merlin, Out of three cousins I have, all brothers and sister, two of them are terrified of dogs and anyother strange animal at that because my aunt is. My aunt had a bad experience with a neighbor hood dog and now sees all dogs as mean creatures. Had she not have had this experience she wouldn't be affraid and neither would two of her kids, but at the same time I see where you're comming from Og_. I just think Merlins fits the mold better, but both are possible.

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My dream is that our love for people and our love for animals will one day become intertwined