Our dreams are a critical explanation of what’s unraveling in our subconscious. Dreams of snakes, in particular, can be quite revealing.
The term ‘snake’ is often used to describe a treacherous person, which could apply to your dream.
Snakes often represent people we distrust or otherwise harbor concerns over. Snakes can also stand for a difficult situation in your life, suggesting that you’re not confronting problems.
Dream experts have lots to say about the role of snakes in the subconscious. Let your snake dreams play out, and pay attention to what occurs, as the narrative could unlock a secret in your waking life.
Why am I Dreaming About a Snake?
As many people are terrified of snakes, dreaming about them can be equivalent to a nightmare.
Interestingly, that’s not always the case. Rather than shaking off and trying to forget what you considered a night terror, ask yourself: “What does it mean when you always dream about snakes?”
Interpretations of Dreams About Snakes
Dream interpretation is more art than science, so your viewpoint may vary from an expert. What do snakes mean in dreams spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually?
Meaning of Colorful Snake Dreams
Snakes in dreams come in a rainbow of colors, each having a different meaning:
Black Snakes: | Black snakes represent black moods – negative emotions like jealousy, pessimism, or unfairness. |
White Snakes: | Red is the universal color of danger, and a deep red snake is a warning that you must be alert. |
Red Snakes: | Red is the universal color of danger, and a deep red snake warns you to be alert. |
Pink Snakes: | The color of the divine feminine – a pink snake in a dream- usually symbolizes passion or romance. |
Yellow Snakes: | A decision, possibly a very tough one that will define your future, is on the horizon and needs to be made soon. |
Blue Snakes: | Blue snakes are often claimed to represent feelings of guilt or worry that a secret is set to be exposed to the world. |
Gold Snakes: | Money worries are on your mind. You may be worried about missing out on a financial opportunity. |
Brown Snakes: | This snake represents a burden in your life. What the snake does, or what you do with it, will be very revealing. |
Multicolored Snakes: | Somebody has made a positive first impression, but you’re concerned there may be more to them than meets the eye. |
The color alone isn’t always enough to determine a snake’s meaning in a dream. The behavior of the snake, or your behavior toward it, also carries meaning.
Meaning of Different Snakes in Dreams
Dangerous and venomous snakes, like rattlesnakes, vipers, or cobras, represent troubling situations. You may be overcoming them, or they may be overwhelming you.
Constrictors, like anacondas, represent problems slowly threatening to consume you. You need to be vigilant about observing these issues.
Non-lethal snakes, like garter snakes, still represent problems in your life. The core difference is that these dreams suggest that the concern has passed or you have it under control.
1/ Giant Snakes
This isn’t a subtle dream, as the snake’s mass is directly proportionate to the size of your worry. Similarly, if you dream of a long snake, the problem may take longer than you’d hoped to resolve.
While it’s tempting to pinch yourself and wake up at the sight of a giant snake in a dream, let the dream play out and learn more about the issue.
2/ Handling a Snake
If you’re holding a snake in your dream, note how this makes you feel.
Are you disgusted and wondering where the snake came from? Or does the snake feel familiar, as though you have encountered it before?
This distinction is important, as the snake likely represents somebody or something you struggle to trust. If the snake feels familiar, your subconscious warns you about somebody close to you.
If not, you may be more worried about an acquaintance.
3/ People in Your Life Holding a Snake
It’s almost a direct reversal of the above.
You’re worried about how you’re coming across and interpreted by the person holding the snake. Do you feel you’re giving this person any reason to question your intentions?
4/ Snakes in Your House
Snakes in your home are another warning that something is amiss in your living situation.
Likely, this dream means that you distrust somebody in your home. Ask yourself if you need to review your relationship with a spouse, child, or roommate.
The dream could also represent changes and disruptions to your daily routine. Perhaps you’re struggling to keep up with your housework or other essential tasks.
Take a deep breath upon working and decide if you need to rethink your strategy.
5/ Snakes at Work
Snakes at work in your dream are like snakes in the house.
For example, if you find snakes in your boss’s office, you have about their honesty. Equally, a snake in or on your desk at work may signify trouble negotiating your workload.
6/ Snakes on Fire
Snakes often represent concerns about people or situations, and a snake on fire represents an overwhelming urge to do something about it.
The flaming snake suggests you’re impatiently searching for a resolution.
As fire is dangerous, this dream could warn you to be mindful of your reaction. Fire often represents burning passion but also jealousy or fury.
Don’t let your emotions get the better of you when tackling problems.
7/ Snakes Crawling on You
Few people like the idea of snakes crawling over their bodies, especially when unprepared. Concentrate on what is attracting the snake’s attention.
This dream suggests the body part may need attention or that your physical or mental is unbalanced.
8/ Dreaming of Snakes Biting Your Hand
A bite on the hand from a snake means that something in your life needs urgent attention.
A big decision is coming your way. Alternatively, maybe the need to make a choice is hanging over your head like the sword of Damocles.
9/ Snakes Attacking You
A bite on the hand is one thing, but a bona fide attack in your dream, especially from multiple snakes, is something else. This suggests that you’re overwhelmed by problems in your life.
This dream is also common among procrastinators. If you keep putting things off, you’ll find more and more snakes approaching you in your dream.
The only way to stop this is by confronting whatever is bothering you.
10/ Snakes Attacking Somebody You Love
If you dream about snakes attacking loved ones, you’re worried about their well-being. Ask yourself if you have been neglecting somebody in your life and if you want to spend more time with them.
11/ Snakes Chasing After You
The snake that chases you in this dream usually represents a person.
You may be concerned that somebody in your life is a toxic influence. The chase is your way of keeping your distance but concerned that they’ll not leave you be.
12/ Unable to Outrun a Snake
You’ll usually keep a distance if you dream of being chased by a snake.
Sometimes, this isn’t the case. If you don’t manage to outrun a snake that shows aggressive intent, you aren’t facing up to a conflict. You need to confront and handle an issue.
13/ Catching Snakes
If you chase after and catch a snake in your dream, you have acknowledged a bad habit and are prepared to manage it. You’re ready to eradicate negativity from your life and start afresh.
14/ Cutting Up Snakes
You’ve faced up to a problem in your life and are taking the time to deal with it, chopping the setback into increasingly small pieces until it becomes almost invisible.
15/ Eating Cooked Snakes
According to Freud, dreaming of eating a snake suggests you have unfulfilled aspirations or ambitions. Freud links most to sexual desire, but they could also represent an interest you haven’t nurtured.
Another explanation for this dream is that you’ve cooked your problem and are preparing to consume it. This favorable interpretation suggests you seize control of what ails you.
16/ Two Snakes Intertwined
Like the famous ouroboros symbol, two entwined snakes could suggest you seek permanence. It usually means you feel trapped and are going around in circles.
17/ Snakes in Water
A snake swimming in clear water without displaying any danger suggests serenity in your life. If the snake looks aggressive as it swims, you may not react appropriately to a threat in your path.
Snakes that lurk in dirty or unclean waters are a warning that lies or falsehoods surround you.
This dream could also suggest that you lack clarity of thought with an important decision coming.
18/ Dead Snakes
Dead snakes are a more positive dream than you may be expecting. As snakes represent problems, dead snakes suggest you overcome problems.
19/ Baby Snakes
A young reptile in your dream is warning you that you’ve been underestimating and ignoring an issue for some time, and it’s time to wake up and confront your problems.
20/ Snakes Eating
The way snakes eat makes many people uncomfortable, but the act has many possible meanings in a dream, depending on what the snake’s eating.
For example, a snake eating a mouse represents one larger problem overcoming another smaller one. Maybe you’ve focused so much on one issue that you’ve allowed another to snowball.
If the snake is eating you, you feel overwhelmed by your problems. A snake eating somebody else, though, signifies somebody has hurt your feelings.
21/ Mutated Snakes
Dreaming about snakes with mutations, like multiple or no heads, is common. Dreaming of a two-headed snake suggests facing a challenging scenario and feeling pulled in two directions.
Multiple heads, similar to a hydra, suggest many problems. Dreams of a snake with countless heads suggest your worries are out of control. This dream is common among people with generalized anxiety.
A dream about a snake with no head suggests a significant problem or obstacle you’re unaware of. Look out for issues that you’ve been ignoring.
22/ Snakes Laying Eggs
Snake eggs represent problems in your life. If you dream of a snake actively laying eggs, latent difficulties and concerns are becoming increasingly prevalent and can no longer be ignored.
23/ Adopting a Pet Snake
If you dream about taking on a snake as a pet, especially a dangerous breed like a cobra or viper, you’re overcoming life obstacles. This also signifies that you feel dominance and dominion over people.
A dream about a wild snake attacking your pet means you lack trust in somebody. For example, if a friend allows a snake to attack your dog in a dream, you have no faith in this friend.
24/ Snakes in Your Shoes or Boots
Like many snake dreams, this one revolves around choice. Finding a snake in your shoe suggests you’re worried about making the wrong decision.
If you’re weighing up a change in your career or relationship, this dream indicates that one bad move could be costly.
If the snake is hiding in the shoe, it’s a warning that you don’t feel entirely comfortable with your choices or certain aspects of your personality.
25/ Talking Snakes
The idea of talking to a snake is somewhat biblical, so it could be considered a warning that temptation is coming your way. Most dream experts have a different perspective.
A common view is that dreaming of conversing with a snake means you’re working out something in your mind. The snake represents your subconscious, and you’re talking through ideas, concerns, or worries.
Take what you learn and consider how the dream’s meaning could apply to your life and circumstances. Your subconscious may be trying to tell you something important.