These Arms Are Snakes was an American post-hardcore band that formed in 2002 and featured former members of Botch and Kill Sadie. Before disbanding in 2009, they released three studio albums: Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home (2004), Easter (2006) and Tail Swallower and Dove (2008). Former members of These Arms Are Snakes currently play in Russian Circles, Narrows, Minus the Bear, Crypts, and Hooves.
They toured with the bands Minus the Bear, Big Business, Mastodon, Cursive, The Blood Brothers, Engine Down, Hot Water Music, Isis, Pelican, Chiodos, and Against Me!.
The band formed as a five-piece in 2002 with Steve Snere of Kill Sadie, Brian Cook of Botch, and Ryan Frederiksen of Nineironspitfire in addition to Joe Preston and Jesse Robertson. They chose the name "These Arms Are Snakes" as their band name because it was "ridiculous and [didn't] really sound like any other band name that's out there." The group announced that they had signed to Jade Tree Records in March 2003, and released their debut EP This Is Meant to Hurt You on August 19, 2003. This was the only release with a full-time keyboardist, as Jesse Robertson left the band in 2004 after having differences in opinion about the group's touring style. AllMusic rated the debut EP three stars out of five and called the lyrics "smart [and] cunning."