I have had it up to Here with SNAKES

My son and I were out in the back yard today, and he hollered for me to come over, to kill this snake, it was a black snake. I wasn't sure if I wanted to kill a black snake or not. While I was deciding, he scurried around and slithered off right between my legs. I never even saw it till it was almost over and I saw his tail between my feet.


WELL!! let me tell you, After I beat my son (just kiddin) for falling on the ground dying laughing at me. I think I've decided to kill it. The snake and may be the son. I screamed and hollered like no other, Kids laugh at the strangest things.

Well, it slithered off and we went about our business, I never saw how big it was cause like I said I only saw the tail end of it. We were about to weed eat the back yard and went to the same area we found the snake at in the first place, and low and behold, Darren started weeding, he didn't see the snake come out, but he heard me hoopin and a hollering again. Snake was about 6 feet long , skinny though, It was huge, and dang it if he got away again. That was too much excitement for me for the day. he's still in the back yard somewhere. I hope and pray I don't come across him again. Snakes are bad in our area, I need to get some geese, I hear they eat snakes. I found 5 copperhead last year, and that's when I quit weeding the gardens. It was horrid.

How many snakes have youguys come across this year.

kathy

Only the skin of 1 in the road and then 2 teeny tiny ones slithering up the sidewalk here.

My cat when I used to leave the patio door a crack for him (we got over that idea real fast) used to bring me "presents." One day was a tiny snake. He dropped it on the floor in the livingroom where I sat watching TV. I got up and looked at it. No movement. I thought it must be dead. Went to the kitchen and got tongs and a oven mitt, picked it up. I swear I thought I saw it's toungue flick but then...no more movement? Set it outside under a bowl for the DH to see when he came home.

Lifted the bowl. No snake. He WAS alive and had crawled into the lawn mower.

I've not been very scared of snakes as the only ones I've seen are very small.

Tir--you live in the country?

Snakes and rodents--hate them both!
Debbie

I've seen my share of rodents too out by the chicken pen and barn, too much feed laying around. got cats out there I have no idea where they came from, I think they come around to hunt the mice, and I guess they can stay there as long as they leave the chickens alone LOL

While a snake may startle me when I come up on it, I do exist in harmony with a couple of black snakes who hang out in my little pond. They frustrate me by eating my gold fish. And they slink around and suddenly appear when I least it expect it, but they're more afraid of me than I am of them. I am actually fascinated to watch them slither around, the little tongue flicking out. They eat rodents, so I don't mind 'em being here. As long as they're not poisonous, I let 'em be. They have a purpose. I'd rather have snakes than mice and rats.

One winter, I thought I'd do a thorough cleaning of my house. As I climbed up to clean the ceiling fan over my bed, I jumped down and went running. Hanging out of the center of the fan, between all of the blades, was an old dried snake skin. Eeeeeew!!!! Wonder how the snake got up there? Wonder if he slithered out and fell on the bed and crawled over me as he got off the bed???? Eeeeeeeewwww!!! Now THAT's scary!! LOL

OH man, that's enough to make me not get inthe bed again LOL Holy cow!

I agree with leaving the black snakes alone, but that darned thing better not crawl between my feet again!!


kathy

4 snakes in the green house at the same time and 5 days later found another one. Could have been one of the same four because DH just put them about 40 feet from the greenhouse. Have all my plants out now. The snakes can have the GH for the summer. BTW, moth balls didn't help.

I would die if I saw one in the greenhouse, the most iv'e seen inthe greenhouse is an armadillo and I promptly chased him out. LOL he dug a huge hole under one of the bananas I had potted up out there.

Yuck. I just KNOW I will have snakes on the new property we are buying in Virginia next week. Esp. with a flowing spring and an old barn. I don't like snakes anyway so I just hope no poisonous ones nearby. County is said to have copperheads and rattlers.

DMJ,

Oh I WISH I lived in the country!!!! No, when my cat would bring all his presents was the 1 year we rented a duplex in Bryan TX and right behind us was a grassy overgrown ditch, 10 feet from our fenced backyard and beyond that was a nice expansive cemetary...so plenty of critter hideouts there.

Actually...come to think of it...when we moved to the country (2 acres) right before that I never did see a snake there? LOL. But we didn't live there long.

Settled now. Real house. Staying PUT, snakes and all. =)

Darius, I like that city you live in LOL


IN limbo, sounds Nice, LOL

I have Black snakes and corn snakes in the yard...dont kill either..dont like to be surprised by them...however...I have a small goldfish pond and I am equally, if not more, UPSET with the snakes eating my fish as I am the squirrels and my rose buds. I have one HUGE fish...to big for the pond really....this is the start of his third year alone except for the turtles. I just got so flustered I went ahed and sprinkled snake repelant...nothing more than overpowering moth balls. I was worried about the lizards...but they were not going to die...just have to move. Well the afternoon I put it out...I was out in the backyard and got a whiff of the moth balls...i was horrified..worried my turtles would not come out to bask...not to mention it just plain stunk. I got a few composted leaves...threw it over it...I couldnt smell it anymore...hoped the same for the turtles....but darned if for the first time in over two years...I have two other fish eating as much as I can feed them trying to get them over snake size.Every third night like clockwork...my fish are not being eaten. Besides the fish..I draw the line at snakes on the patio or around the pool...it worked so well I wouldnt not even mind smelling it for awhile next time if I had a really nasty snake. Just my experience...sure everyones varries

A big ol 'hearty' welcome to DG, to ya .. gardenglory!!

We use the 'moth balls' themselves. Find them to be quite a bit less expensive, and most satisfactorily effective. However, I restrict their use to under the house and under the front and back porches. Unless we find there's a bit of heavy in-flux of the crawlies coming into the immediate yard. Of course, we keep a very close watch on any of our lil peoplers when they come to visit ... The P'nut dawg knows the smell, well .. and avoids them altogether. (lol)

Sure doesn't seem to bother or 'ward off' any other vermin or critters tho'. So, that's a good thing .. all the way around.

Just wish they'd 'work' to dissuade the wasps that seem to be intent on constructing their 'nests' on and under the porches .. (hee)

- Magpye

yes...once i opend the 'repelant'...I knew moth balls would do it next time....still cant believe thats working....I went thru at least fifty fish and that many 'fits'...really was aggrivating...especially after awhile..thanks for the welcome...been pre-occupied on the hosta co-op...have no earthy idea how I got over here on snakes.

.. LOL ..

This message was edited Jun 11, 2006 11:32 PM

Well, here in south GA, cats, dogs, hogs, geese, mothballs and just about any other thing I have heard of trying doesn't work...In the last month and a half in our front yard and front porch area, I have killed 3 copperheads and 3 cottonmouths..The lastest one just yesterday..Right on my doorstep..My cats will catch small garter, garden, oak and such snakes but I've never seen them with a bad one.. I don't kill the king(he eats the bad guys) & black snakes, we have lots of them also.. I have to kill the white oak runners (raise like roaches) and corn snakes..They have a field day with my eggs and baby chicks and such..It's a way of life around here, don't make me like it tho. Keep a shovel in the kitchen, at all the gates outside and at every door we use.. Have to stay prepared..You will be hard pressed to find me walking around outside without my trusty shovel, lol..And oh do those copperheads love a flower pot.

Larkie

.. LOL ..

SEE? .. See what I mean! ..

- Magpye

Edited: to hopefully assure that my comment is related to 'how truly difficult, topsy-turvey and erratic .. things can get around here! (on DG) .. heehe

This message was edited Jun 11, 2006 10:30 PM

Wow, you folks are much braver than I to live in an area where you might have a copperhead or cottonmouth at your doorstep or in a flowerpot! I would end up quite a homebody for sure!

The frogs are so loud I can't sleep....I think I'll take your snakes they are quiter but not the poison or biting ones....I am pretty sure they eat frogs so I must not have enough....the frogs are just happy cuz of the rain....me too!

A late .. but big ol 'hearty' welcome to DG, to ya .. gcfq!

- Magpye

Thank you Magpye.... How did you know I was new?

.. gcfq ..

(shhhh, it's a 'c-kwit')
NAW .. I know you're serious .. so, I will behave and answer your inquiry ...

Just hold or hover the mouse over any 'user name' and it will give the 'Registered' date .. You can also 'click' on any 'user name' (in any forum and thread) .. and it will reveal more info about the registered member/subscriber .. along with some other tidbits about the member. Depending upon what each has desired to display publicly ...

You can 'set your own preferences' for yourself .. by going to YOUR My Info tab .. up top there.

((huggs))

- Magpye

This message was edited Jul 15, 2006 3:54 PM

Cool thanks alot I love this site. It is such fun. Went out for a little bit yucky out...The airplanes look all mystic looking coming in over orlando through the clouds. I think we will see more snakes with more rain I remember one that skittered across my back sliding door when it rained like this last year. Hope they eat some frogs so I can sleep tonight...Went to walgreens to get night time tylonol just in case....told husband they sound like him snorring lol!

Hi,
We used to have copperheads and rattlesnakes in our yard every summer. One year my eight year old son ran over a rattlesnake in the yard. I finall decided it was either me or the snakes had to go. I started reading up on them and the snake away stuff. I found that Moth balls had the same stuff as the snake away. Every spring since I have gone around our lot throwing Moth balls like a crazy woman. I have'nt seen a posion snake since I started doing this. We still have the black/chicken snake here but they stay around our doglot and if they go inside they will be headless in no time. They say the snakes can't stand the smell of the moth balls. If they are outside the ring they won't come in They all must be outside our lot because so far no copperheads or rattlers have been seen in here for years.
Winnie

I think you've probably just been lucky.. We tried that several times, but to no avail...they crossed over like nothing was there..

Larkie

I've never seen snakes here...

--but I think the spiders eat them.

I actually don't mind snakes. A spider will send me screaming and gibbering, but for some reason I don't have a phobia about snakes. I've handled pet snakes. Not mine. I used to have some friends in Chicago who had pet snakes, including a couple large boas.

good grief, the spiders eat the snakes? How gosh darn big are those spiders anyways LOL I'd be scared to death of them too

kathy

at least we are not in this woman's situation....

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/str?guid=20060714/44b716c0_3ca6_15526200607141909198384

PS: I don't care that they weren't venomous.

that's horrid, LOL

Saw number 13 yesterday. And that's not counting repeat sightings. They're all black, garter and ribbon snakes. Usually dumb babies. They would come around my shed as it's along the woods to lay in the sun. I hung a twirly flag that my parents bought my daughter one one side and found that the snakes went to the other side. I hurredly bought and hung another twirly, floppy flag on the other side and no more snakes around the shed. My neighbors laugh beause I carry a bamboo stick with me to look between plants and am always stopping and carefully looking before proceeding.

We have our share of copperheads and moccasins. A flat edge hoe is always ready and waiting when I need it! A large planting bed in our courtyard gives me fits due to soil and sun issues. It would be a perfect place for a small pond and I keep debating whether to dig it up and go for it - my only hesitation is knowing it will attract snakes. The thought of making our courtyard even more inviting to a big fat moccasin just doesn't appeal to me.

Debra

Debra, I have a small water garden and I have never seen a copperhead near it. I have seen them elsewhere on the property, as for waterr moccosins, I think a small water garden is too small to entice them. If you really want one ( and it sounds like it would be great in a courtyard) I would go for it. You can always take some deer netting and crumble it up around the base of the pond-the snakes get caught up in it.

gcfq - hee about the frogs. I remember those days. Where I grew up, we had a swampy pond in our backyard and in Spring, the frogs would be so loud that when you stood near the pond, you had to yell to someone right next to you in order for them to hear you. I actually didn't mind the frogs too much - it was the doggone birds that woke me up in the morning. One would think that birds singing would be a lovely sound - well unless the birds were redwing blackbirds, grackles, and blue jays, then not so much - especially when they start squawking before the sun even rises. I guess the people in the west have it even worse, though, because I've herad their blackbirds and jays sing even worse than the ones we had in the east.

But to answer your question - and I apologize for the long time, I'm just noticing this thread - snakes do eat frogs and toads... My Nana lived in Florida and we had several black racers (we left them, because they helped to keep the rattlesnakes away), and one evening I watched one chase a toad. The toad hopped up into a small tree, and we laughed because that snake looked and looked for that toad, reaching his head up and looking from all angles. Poor thing didn't find the toad, but it was definitely on the menu. I've also seen water snakes come up from under the mud and nab a frog before it had the chance to hop away.

It's not the water in the pond the moccasins are attracted to, it's the frogs all around the pond. I've killed 2 of them in our backyard frog hunting around standing water from prolonged rains. Speaking of eating frogs - check out the amazing photography from another forum.

WARNING - NOT FOR THE SQEEMISH - I MEAN IT

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/550438/

Debra

This message was edited Jul 17, 2006 6:02 PM

I agree that the the courtyard pond would not be a snake attractor...EXCEPT when it is very dry...then they will go to water anywhere,,,I think you might want to concentrate more on just making sure you dont plant things that snakes can hide in...and altho I LOVE them...any kind of rock, just seems to be right up their alley..I never just see them hanging out on the mulch...good luck. Maybe you can plant some lirope or your areas version of it, somewhere away from the courtyard...let them go someplace else.

Just a little aside. I have a picture of a Cottonmouth eating a Kingsnake in my back yard. Cottonmouths will eat anything they can swallow.
We at times have a lot of snakes, but this year it has rained so much they are dispersed.

trois

TROI,
Well, WHERE IS the pic?? Ya can d-mail it if you want to.

Best;
blue

Not the best picture, but here it is.

Wow, that picture is amazing