As the Year of the Snake approaches, a pet store in Taipei is offering adventurous customers an opportunity to enjoy the company of snakes while sipping coffee, hoping to break down some of the prejudice against the animals.
Taiwan has been plastered with images of the reptiles ahead of the new lunar year, which starts on Wednesday next week and whose zodiac animal this year is the snake.
The snake has a mixed reputation in traditional Taiwanese and Chinese culture as a symbol of either good or bad.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Some of Taiwan’s indigenous people venerate snakes as guardian spirits. While the nation is home to species potentially deadly to humans, including vipers and cobras, deaths are rare given the wide availability of anti-venom.
Luo Chih-yu (羅志宇), 42, the owner of the Pythonism pet shop in Taipei’s Datong District (大同), which opened in 2017, offers potential snake owners the chance to interact with snakes over a cup of coffee.
“I provide a space for people to try and experience, finding out whether they like them without any prejudice,” he said.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Liu Ting-chih took his daughter to the shop, who looked curiously at the animals in their cages.
“Through this activity, she can learn how to take care of small animals and cherish them,” Liu said.
Sub-tropical and mountainous Taiwan is home to about 60 native snake species.
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