Tzaraas on Snakes

4) The Medrash (Shemos Rabbah 3:13, Tanchuma Metzora 2) says that the spotted patterns on snakes are tzara’as, which they received as punishment for the original serpent speaking lashon hara against Hashem by claiming (Bereishis 3:5) that He forbade Adam and Chava to eat from the Tree of Knowledge because doing so would elevate them and make them His equals. The Ichud B’Chidud (5777) notes that this is surprising when considering how valuable snakeskin articles have become, when in reality the prized designs are actually a form of tzara’as.