I still have the same snake. Science and traditional beliefs do not usually coincide. I am doing something that's against the beliefs. I did a unit on instincts and had the kids try to make a bird's nest after researching how birds build their nests. I was told afterwards that bird's nests are taboo and that the same thing happens to you if you touch a bird's next that happens if you touch a snake.
Bones are the same way.
The way I found out about that was doing a bulletin board with an owl on it. Do Not Touch. You see, the problems is the kids don't know the traditions either. For some reasons, the parents are not teaching them the traditions. When something happens, tho, the parents react in a traditional way.