Answer:
A leathery snake, with a stinging bite. I'll stay coiled up, unless I must fight.
The ones who see it may go blind, Contracting the fool's madness. You have to dig to find it, Crush big stones or mine it. Wash dirt clumps in a pan and wait for it to settle, A shiny, precious metal.
A reaction to being spooked that takes its name from waterfowl
It's equally comfortable in an orchestra and a geometry textbook. What is it?
It is more feared than fear itself, And no one can escape it. It takes no sides and does not judge, it does not know to hold a grudge. It is the most clearest result, Of how life beats you by default.
You use it between your head and your toes, the more it works the thinner it grows.