Snakes are out "must be Spring"

[ChrisR]

Hi Everyone

Got up this morning, went out the back door to feed the chickens and almost trod on a 3' tiger snake that was sunning itself on the backstep (a bite from these can be fatal), with a bit of fancy footwork and an almost horizontal leap, I managed to jump over it without getting bitten. I then scared it off with a big stick. You can always tell spring is here (in Western Australia) because the snakes go on the move. The kids and us are now in snake alert mode for the summer.

Anyone else have snake problems ?

Regards

Chris

 

[TerryinMD]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

You guys are upside down!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Our snakes are going/gone to sleep for the winter.

Terry

 

[TBone]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

Like Terry said our snakes are going into hibernation for the winter.

I also wondered WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL IT?

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by TBone on 10/19/01 01:31 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Chris99320]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

It's fall in my neck of the woods (actually desert). So the rattlesnakes and bull snakes are mostly all cozy in their dens. The rattlesnakes are venemous, the bull snakes are not and they seem pretty docile. A friend of mine will pick them up. Personally I don't touch snakes. It's pretty easy to distinguish the two, a bull snake is long and slender with a head shaped like your thumb. A rattlesnake is more short and fat with a triangular shaped head. Plus the rattle on the end of it's tail is a dead give away.
We have been very fortunate and have only found one baby rattlesnake near our house. Our neighbors which are a few hundred yards away and closer to the dens kill 10 to 20 rattlesnakes every summer. Hate to kill the rattlesnakes because they do keep the rodents under control but, I have four kids ranging from 18mo to 8yrs, so I get kinda worried during snake season. This summer the 3 older kids were walking around the fence line and suddenly the two girls had climbed a gate and were screaming. Meanwhile my 3yr old son had a stick in his hand and was stalking something. Turns out it was a pretty good sized bull snake. I can just imagine the first time that boy brings a big snake into the house and shows it to his mom./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif and then /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif


Chris
Washington, the Evergreen State, except where I live!

 

[Wal]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

Chris,

About the only dangerous snakes we have here in the Ozarks of east central Missouri are Copperheads, Water moccasins, and two or three types of Rattlesnakes. Luckily, I have had very few occasions to get up close and personal with any of those "bad boys". My only serious encounter was 37 years ago when I was 12 years old. I was pushing our rowboat into the lake when I stepped on a Water Moccasin that had been under the boat. My mom and a neighbor rushed me to the hospital where I got a bunch of shots in a circle around my lower leg just above where he had bit me. Got a few shots in my arm too. I can tell you, the shots were alot worse than the bite! Anyway, to make a long story short, I lived. Of course, the snakes I'm talking about are nothing compared to your little sun worshipper. BTW, I think if had been you, I would have tried to eliminate him with "extreme prejudice" /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[PitbullMidwest]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

My brother in law HATES SNAKES. Hates them.

You could always tell when he came across one while discing the fields. It looked like his JD4020 was square dancing as he spun, twisted and gyrated trying to cut up the big bad scarey snake.

Did I mention he hates snakes?

 

[Knight9]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

Lived in Africa for 4 1/2 years growing up. My brother had a very close encounter with a 8' Black Mumba. Not a nice snake! /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I'm not a big fan either. Here in Northern Alberta I think we may have a few garter snakes although they almost don't count!!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Kevin

 

[Bird]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

Chris, I wouldn't have even known what a tiger snake was if I hadn't seen a story about them on TV (Discovery Channel or National Geographic Channel) not long ago - sounded like really bad critters. I know we have a few water moccasins, but of course, they stay down near the creek, I've been told we have quite a few copperheads in the area, and even an occasional rattlesnake (though I haven't seen any of either since I've lived here), and in the past 7 years I've only seen 3 snakes on my property and they were all harmless varieties.

It does seem to me that a lot of people in my part of the country think there are only two varieties of snakes; a water moccasin if it's in or near the water and a copperhead if it's away from water./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[Harv]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

It's not snake season for us right now, but when it is, all of my immediate neighbors up at the tractor property give us ample warning about the rattlesnakes in the area. I have yet to see one, but then, I'm only up there a few days each month.

Being a city (suburb) boy most of my life, I know nothing of these critters, but I am becoming less and less inclined to let my children (9 and 4) wander anywhere I haven't completely cleared of grass and brush. I have cautioned them about sticking their hands, or any body parts for that matter, in any hole, crevice or other nook where they can't see clearly. Also warned them to be careful when stepping over logs or rocks where they can't see the ground immediately on the other side.

Just how paranoid should I be? The nearest hospital from the property is 30 to 40 minutes away.

 

[TerryinMD]

Re: Snakes are out \"must be Spring\"

Harv,

Very! About the kids and the snakes. I believe that anti-venom kits are available to the public. Just in case, for the littl'uns.

I grew up in the city but have spent plenty of time in the outdoors. When visiting a buddy in Keystone, SD (Mt Rushmore), I was about 18" from stepping on a rattlesnake. I saw it just as I was going to step on it. It was a small one about 2'. It was just curled up and sunning itself in the pine needles. Well, needless to say, Mr snake had a permanent dirt nap. We were visiting a friend of his who had little kids.

We have Copperheads in our area and have run over a couple in my yard with our riding lawnmower. Didn't want to, just happened. I have taught my kids to look were ever they walk and to go the other way when seeing a snake. Don't be afraid. Just have respect. Especially, if you don't know what kind it is. I think that this can be taught at an early age. When my wife and I happen to see anything interesting in nature, we stop, call everyone over and examine. It becomes a fun thing for the family to do. And if we don't know what it is, we immediately pull out one of our reference books or look stuff up on the web.

Hope the helps some.

Terry