Superb Snake Tattoos

Snakes are without a doubt one of the most polarizing creatures to walk this Earth. Oh, and by “walk” I mean “slither in an otherworldly way that gives people the creeps.” No matter how you may feel about snakes personally, it’s undeniable that they are one of the most badass tattoo motifs around.

Snake tattoos are perfect for wrapping around the body and look amazing as the focal point of a sleeve. They can also wriggle around a bunch of other tattoos and serve as a creative gap filler. There are so many different ways an artist can depict a snake, which is really quite a feat considering a snake is nothing more than a long tube with teeth on one end.

On a personal level, I’m not so sure how I feel about snakes. When I was a little kid I adored snakes. Long before I was born my mom had worked as a docent at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago where she spent the bulk of her time hanging out in the reptile house. Naturally she attempted to get me to feel the same way during out trips to the zoo when I was a youngster. And for a while, it took. I got to hold a boa constrictor one time and it is still one of the most memorable experiences of my life. If I close my eyes I can vividly recall the heft of the snake on my shoulders as it slowly wrapped it’s way around my waist.

This was the first of two major encounters I had with a snake in my childhood. The second encounter went far differently and left me with some pretty mixed feelings about the creatures.

I was hiking on Mount Diablo in Walnut Creek, California with my dad one fall day. The grass was all yellow and the trail was a bit dusty, as is customary. We were talking about one thing or another—I don’t believe I ever shut up for longer than 15 seconds from the age of 3 until I was an adult—when we came around a bend. Just as I was about to place my right foot down I heard a deafening hiss, and in the background of the hiss a rattle that could only mean one thing. I looked down and about a foot in front of me was a snake, coiled up with its head raised, baring teeth and hissing, ready to strike.

In that moment I moved more quickly than I ever had before and likely ever have since. I did a 180 and ran as hard as I could in the other direction. I nearly bowled over my father (luckily I didn’t) and didn’t stop for at least a quarter of a mile. I then had a full on panic attack about how the snake was taking up real estate along the path that was the only way back to the car. We’d have to go back and the light was fading pretty quickly.

Thankfully, I calmed down after a little bit and when we passed the spot the snake had moved on. I understand as an adult that the snake was probably more terrified of getting trampled by a talkative tween than I had been of being bitten. But within my psyche the incident pushed all of the warm feelings I had for the cold-blooded creatures and left me with a brand new phobia.

For years I was terrified of snakes, but over time, the curiosity and wonder I had when holding that boa came back to me. Now I can fully appreciate the beauty snakes have and the way they are unlike any other creature on this planet. Surprisingly, I’ve even considered getting a snake tattoo of my own. I’m still on the fence about it, but as I gathered up the tattoos for the gallery below I came pretty damn close to booking an appointment to get it done. Something tells me that by the end of 2022 a snake tattoo will be added to the collection. It ssssseemssss like a ssssssuper idea.