Do you see it? She needs snake chaps!
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Bird
Rest in Peace
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How did the snakes get way up there? )</font>
Good question, and I don't have an answer. I remember a time when I was less than 10 years old and I put a ladder up in the garage to get up there to see what was in a big wooden box in the rafters. When I opened that box and saw two big snakes, I just jumped off the ladder. That evening, Dad knocked the box down and shot the snakes when they crawled out.
And about 3 years ago, I went through my barn to the shed on the side of the barn and saw a snake go over the wall through a very small hole from the shed into the barn. I went around to the other side of that wall, but never did find that snake. I don't know how they got up there.
Good question, and I don't have an answer. I remember a time when I was less than 10 years old and I put a ladder up in the garage to get up there to see what was in a big wooden box in the rafters. When I opened that box and saw two big snakes, I just jumped off the ladder. That evening, Dad knocked the box down and shot the snakes when they crawled out.
And about 3 years ago, I went through my barn to the shed on the side of the barn and saw a snake go over the wall through a very small hole from the shed into the barn. I went around to the other side of that wall, but never did find that snake. I don't know how they got up there.
edski
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Years back while hikeing w/ friends in upstate PA, a buddy's dog got bit on the nose by a rattler. So this guy decides to cut an "X" on the dog's nose to suck out the poison.
The poor dog is looking at him and us with a pathetic "what did I do to deserve this" look. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
The rest of us were just howling with laughter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
What a sight. And yeah, the dog is fine, but I doubt is was due to his master's vet skills.
The poor dog is looking at him and us with a pathetic "what did I do to deserve this" look. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
The rest of us were just howling with laughter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
What a sight. And yeah, the dog is fine, but I doubt is was due to his master's vet skills.
Bird
Rest in Peace
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( striking distance that is equal to 1/3 their body length )</font>
That's what I've always heard, too, and judging from the only ones I've had strike at me, that seems about right. But aren't the strikes always more horizontal than vertical; i.e., a 3' snake can strike 1' away, but not more than 5 or 6 inches high?
That's what I've always heard, too, and judging from the only ones I've had strike at me, that seems about right. But aren't the strikes always more horizontal than vertical; i.e., a 3' snake can strike 1' away, but not more than 5 or 6 inches high?
FLDave
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Hi Don,
Not to worry, the shed skins you found in your eves are most likely from a Yellow Rat Snake. Look at the shed closely and you will most likey see four black stripes running the length of the body. They spend a lot of time in trees and rafters hunting and hiding. They are nonvenomous and constrictors. Constrictors have good muscle control which allow them to be superior climbers.
Generally:
When in the field you should always look where you are walking anyways. A simple pair of cowboy boots or something similar in height is more than sufficient for most North American snakes. A snake is not going to come and get you. They either sit still (such as a Copperhead) and hope its camouflage keeps it from being spotted, or race away (such as the Coachwhip) hoping to outdistance the intruder and head for the nearest bramble pile.
Heck, I go snake hunting all the time and some days I don't see any at all. It's spring now so they are in their eat and find a mate mode. This is the time a year that they are the most active. As soon as they breed then they will only need to travel to find food and water.
A snake that you can't identify is best left alone. Anyone living in areas with a high amount of venomous snakes should basically clear out brush and debris near your house.
A great Field Guide with range maps and pictures is a Peterson Field Guide "Reptile and Amphibians". Once you know what can live in your area you will know what to look for. If you can identify different birds you can do the same with snakes. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Not to worry, the shed skins you found in your eves are most likely from a Yellow Rat Snake. Look at the shed closely and you will most likey see four black stripes running the length of the body. They spend a lot of time in trees and rafters hunting and hiding. They are nonvenomous and constrictors. Constrictors have good muscle control which allow them to be superior climbers.
Generally:
When in the field you should always look where you are walking anyways. A simple pair of cowboy boots or something similar in height is more than sufficient for most North American snakes. A snake is not going to come and get you. They either sit still (such as a Copperhead) and hope its camouflage keeps it from being spotted, or race away (such as the Coachwhip) hoping to outdistance the intruder and head for the nearest bramble pile.
Heck, I go snake hunting all the time and some days I don't see any at all. It's spring now so they are in their eat and find a mate mode. This is the time a year that they are the most active. As soon as they breed then they will only need to travel to find food and water.
A snake that you can't identify is best left alone. Anyone living in areas with a high amount of venomous snakes should basically clear out brush and debris near your house.
A great Field Guide with range maps and pictures is a Peterson Field Guide "Reptile and Amphibians". Once you know what can live in your area you will know what to look for. If you can identify different birds you can do the same with snakes. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
8NTX
Gold Member
Don - I saw an Eastern coachwhip on our place last year. He looked to be between 7 and 8 feet long. Solid black but his tail was tan in color. Did some research and found out that they are pretty shy, but if you corner one, the chaps or boots probably won't help. They tend to aim for your face when striking. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif They're not poisonous but I still wouldn't relish the thought of a snake biting my face.
Steve
Steve
Varmintmist
Platinum Member
Is a coachwhip the same thing as a blacksnake?? The pic looked similar.
Marine1
Silver Member
Bird,
Snakes can strtike vertical or horizontal. Most strikes are in the horizontal position though. Seems that any prey or intrusion is going to be at snake level though. Put a snake in a bucket or some other container and look in to closely, You might get some new nostrils.
Sucking the poison as was stated in another post is the worst thing you can do. If you get poison out you will paralyze your throat causing other problems for yourself.
Texas Monthly put out "A Field Guide To Texas Snakes" by Alan Tennant. This is an excellent book on Snake identification and information. For my Texas bretheren I would highly recommend this book. You can read the Venom Poisoning article before the Forward for proper field dressing of a bite wound and an explaination of how the venom travels through the body. Pretty good info in that book.
I used to be afraid of snakes, but the level of my fear was in direct proportion to my level of ignorance about them.
Snakes can strtike vertical or horizontal. Most strikes are in the horizontal position though. Seems that any prey or intrusion is going to be at snake level though. Put a snake in a bucket or some other container and look in to closely, You might get some new nostrils.
Sucking the poison as was stated in another post is the worst thing you can do. If you get poison out you will paralyze your throat causing other problems for yourself.
Texas Monthly put out "A Field Guide To Texas Snakes" by Alan Tennant. This is an excellent book on Snake identification and information. For my Texas bretheren I would highly recommend this book. You can read the Venom Poisoning article before the Forward for proper field dressing of a bite wound and an explaination of how the venom travels through the body. Pretty good info in that book.
I used to be afraid of snakes, but the level of my fear was in direct proportion to my level of ignorance about them.
OP
txdon
Super Star Member
<font color="blue"> ( How did the snakes get way up there? )
Good question, and I don't have an answer.
</font>
I saw a sight I will never forget a few years ago. I was at my grandmother's house and watched a snake go straight up the brick wall. He was following the mortar lines. He looked like his body had 90 degree bends, it almost looked like like something you would see in the comics, it was amazing. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Thanks for the book tip.
Good question, and I don't have an answer.
</font>
I saw a sight I will never forget a few years ago. I was at my grandmother's house and watched a snake go straight up the brick wall. He was following the mortar lines. He looked like his body had 90 degree bends, it almost looked like like something you would see in the comics, it was amazing. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Thanks for the book tip.
Partsman2
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Ohio (at least southern) has rattle snakes also. Them and copperheads are the only poisenous snakes in Ohio that I know of. That's enough trust me!
dmccarty
Super Star Member
Bird/Don,
When we where looking to buy land in the country we went to a listing for a house that was built around 1900 that was sitting on 20 or 30 acres. The land had been subdivided so that the house was on 5 acres and there was another 5 acres that had had a mobile home at one time. The empty 5 acre lot had a power pole and and old well house. The well house was pretty large, something like 3x6 and about face high. The only way "in" was to open the lid/roof of the well house.......
See where this is going yet? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Me being the curious sort I wanted to know what was in the box. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif So I opened the lid....
As the lid went open, a snake, a rather large one, at least 4-5 feet long slithered rapidly in front of my face! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif My face is only 12 to 18 inches from Mr. Slithers! Two things quickly happend. I dropped the lid and proceeded to ruin a pair of Fruit of Looms.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
After I put my heart back in my chest, I found a stick. Still curious, I used the stick to open the lid back up to see Mr. Slithers and the well house. I said Howdy to Mr. Slithers, saw whatever I wanted to see in the well house and went on my merry way.
Did not buy the land/house but that had nothing to do with Mr. Slithers and his well house. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Later,
Dan
When we where looking to buy land in the country we went to a listing for a house that was built around 1900 that was sitting on 20 or 30 acres. The land had been subdivided so that the house was on 5 acres and there was another 5 acres that had had a mobile home at one time. The empty 5 acre lot had a power pole and and old well house. The well house was pretty large, something like 3x6 and about face high. The only way "in" was to open the lid/roof of the well house.......
See where this is going yet? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Me being the curious sort I wanted to know what was in the box. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif So I opened the lid....
As the lid went open, a snake, a rather large one, at least 4-5 feet long slithered rapidly in front of my face! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif My face is only 12 to 18 inches from Mr. Slithers! Two things quickly happend. I dropped the lid and proceeded to ruin a pair of Fruit of Looms.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
After I put my heart back in my chest, I found a stick. Still curious, I used the stick to open the lid back up to see Mr. Slithers and the well house. I said Howdy to Mr. Slithers, saw whatever I wanted to see in the well house and went on my merry way.
Did not buy the land/house but that had nothing to do with Mr. Slithers and his well house. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Later,
Dan
Bird
Rest in Peace
Dan, I've caught and handled snakes (non-poisonous) up to 4' long, but if I'm too close when I first see one, I have about the same reaction you did. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
froggy
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Bird,
Go to a rattlesnake roundup and sometimes you will see a snake with tape around its body. This is to signify that the snake strikes vertically most of the time. First saw this at the Sweetwater roundup many years ago.
froggy
Go to a rattlesnake roundup and sometimes you will see a snake with tape around its body. This is to signify that the snake strikes vertically most of the time. First saw this at the Sweetwater roundup many years ago.
froggy
Bird
Rest in Peace
That's a new one to me, Froggy. I used to want to go to that Sweetwater roundup, but never did.
froggy
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Bird,
One of the snake handlers who was in the pit with them and doing a demonstration said it was a safety feature for the guys who got in the pit.
froggy
One of the snake handlers who was in the pit with them and doing a demonstration said it was a safety feature for the guys who got in the pit.
froggy
froggy
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Wait till you see a guy crawl into a sleeping bag filled with rattlers. That is really something!
Bird
Rest in Peace
Cactus, did you ever hear of Wendy Bagwell and the Sunlighters? They were a pretty good Southern Gospel singing group quite a few years ago. and him telling the story of the time they performed in a little country church in Kentucky, without knowing in advance that it was one where they "took up the serpent", is hilarious.
Hey, I just found that you can turn up the volume on your computer and go to http://sweet3fawn.homestead.com/TheRattleSnakeStory.html and hear him tell The Rattlesnake Story.
Hey, I just found that you can turn up the volume on your computer and go to http://sweet3fawn.homestead.com/TheRattleSnakeStory.html and hear him tell The Rattlesnake Story.
