DAMN! Somebody send me some bull snakes!

[Kali]

fucking rattlesnakes! a 5 footer, 12 buttons and broken

that makes 6 or 7 for this summer already, and August is usually the worst month

there was one right on the back door step just a couple of nights ago, this was in the driveway right after one kid walked up from chores, the other kid came a minute behind and spotted it





(just around the headquarters, I don't do anything about the ones out away from the house anymore)

1. rattlesnakes?

Did they hurt you? Rattlesnakes have much more poison then black widows. EVERYONE even me hates Rattlesnakes!

[Kali]

2. no, another lucky (for us, not the snake) night

my youngest son was bitten when he was 18 months, so I have no tolerance for them around the homeplace.

I was raised to kill them ANYTIME they were seen, but I don't do that anymore. Around the house is another story. No insurance and a kid already exposed to antivenin gives me the heebie jeebies.

3. Aww!

Is he ok? He must be cute. He sounds very hurt.... I got bit by a black willow before it hurts! Me and my daughter went to Californya so she could see her grandparents and got to swim she touched the bottom of a Ten feet deep end isn't that amzing?

[Brother Buzz]

4. We don't have bull snakes but I'd send you a king snake if one appears again

I once had one dash through my cabinet shop a couple of years ago, in one door, and out the other.

They are good guys, wicked cool to look at, and we haven't had any rattlers in years.

[Kali]

5. I know there are king snakes around this area

(in fact somebody sent me a series of pix e-mail of one eating a rattler from down on the river) but I have never personally seen one in the wild here.

Might be worth buying/raising some - I think they do pretty well in captivity, don't they? I used to find bull snakes and relocate them to the barn area but I haven't really seen that many of them lately either.

We had a serious INVASION of rodents two years ago (drought related) - it was what all the locals were talking about instead of the weather - that is how bad it was. I am sure this is the natural consequence of things, but YIKES!

[Brother Buzz]

6. Breeding King snakes might be a worthy endeavor

Seems there are a ton of sites explaining how to get started. I wonder if you simply purchased a couple from the breeders and introduce them to the backside of the barn, they (the snakes) might figure out the breeding part all by themselves. ;)

[Kali]

11. ha - yes but

if I spend money on them I want to see the results!

funny - this morning I thought I found a bull snake in the middle of the road, hopped out to grab him but somebody had obviously already run over him. damn!

[Brother Buzz]

22. purchase a mini cam!

If they can make one to fit a spider, one modified for a snake can't be far behind. Make a video of the kill and post it on You-tube. ;)

[tigereye]

9. mm, ferrets or mongoose?

I am very glad there are no rattlesnakes near my door. Be safe! :hug:

[Kali]

12. mongoose!

maybe, ferrets to eat the rats and squirrels the rattlers are after, maybe but I have chickens too so mammalian predators are an issue.

Safe? My middle name!:rofl:

[laylah]

7. When I first moved into my place here

in Illinois in July 2002, my niece's boyfriend was working out in the yard. He called Crystal (niece) and I out to see something. He had a bull snake draped over the handle of a rake. That sucker had to have been no LESS than 6 feet long. Well, he dropped it, pissing the snake off and that sucker came after Crystal and I, no joke. It was like a Keystone Cops skit, she and I crawling up each others' backs trying to get into the house before it got to us! No thanks on the bull snakes :scared:

How are you, Kali :loveya:

[Kali]

13. bull snakes can be aggressive, for sure

but at least they aren't POISONOUS! One time I was handling one trying to get it to tame down and it latched on to my thumb at the same time it was winding backwards all through a lawn chair. I was all contorted trying to get it to let go but its teeth were sharp and I didn't want to just yank my thumb out.

I'm doing ok, hot and waiting for rain as always but pretty ok. Just minor crises today. Nothing big. so far.:P

[NJmaverick]

8. I don't think I could deal with rattle snakes

the idea that one of those things can be waiting any where at any time.

[Kali]

15. yeah you get very jumpy for a few days after seeing one

then next thing you know you are running around barefoot in the dark again when you hear that buzz right where you were just about to step (or just did step!)

[NJmaverick]

24. I only was in one situation with any risk of rattle snakes

it was on a hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (with camping). You can rest assured the noise I made echoed through the canyons (as I am of the understanding that rattlers will generally avoid contact).

[billyoc]

10. I stepped on a rattlesnake once.

Try not to step on them.

It's important.

[Kali]

16. uh yeah - good advice

:P

did you get bit?

[billyoc]

21. Oh, yeah.

Heard the rattle, felt the bite, thought I was dead.


(turned out to be a little 2 footer) :rofl:

[Kali]

23. did you taste metal?

that is the one venomous critter I haven't experienced (and I hope to keep it that way) but my youngest picked up a little hatchling when he was pretty much a little hatchling himself. His first ride in a helicopter plus 12 vials of antivenin!

It was August and I was home alone with him - made him come in the house because August is when the rattlers are the worst and I didn't want him out in the yard where, you know - he might get bitten. It was in the living room.:eyes:

[billyoc]

25. Living room!

:scared:

No, I didn't taste metal, but my mouth was pretty dried out, working outside in near 100 degree heat.

[mix]

14. Up here in the mountains

The rattlesnakes are small...and not always visible...at least you can see the big ones. What happened with the skunk? Did you catch it?

[Kali]

17. but they say the small ones have worse venom!

caught the skunk and called and left a message for animal control - they didn't call me back so the next morning I permanently relocated it.x( I wasn't gong to keep it over the weekend. There will be more.

[mix]

18. Coyotes and bears have been coming down more and more

into areas of the valley where people live...at my mom's up the road she has had several coyotes sniffing around the property lately. Last week, there were three in her yard around 7am. She even had one looking in the window...She has animals too, so hopefully this won't become a problem.

Be careful around those snakes!

:hi:

[Kali]

19. Not sure exactly where you are but hopefully rain will hit the hills

and the big carnivores can go back home! We get a bear through once every few years, but there just isn't enough water here plus the interstate is too disturbing for them, I think. Plenty of coyotes and the occasional lion, bobcats, coati mundis, badgers etc.

[mix]

20. I love the coyotes.

I'm in the Sangre de Cristo mountains behind Santa Fe more or less, near the head waters of the Pecos river. We got a big rain dump yesterday, hopefully more is on the way.

Nice work with the skunk.

[Kali]

26. OMFG!!!!

another one - in the barn tonight!


:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[ashling]

27. Here ya go!

sorry, it took me a little while to locate the pics - Bull snake for you. :hi:

[Kali]

28. ha - Thanks! Quick put him in the barn!

That is a nice thick-bodied snake. And the markings are darker than the ones here - especially towards the tail. Is that you? You look pleased with your catch.

Did you see my post #11 - I found one yesterday morning. Jumped out of the van to grab it but it was dying. Some ass just before I got there had run over it.

[ashling]

29. I caught that one going after

eggs in the chicken house.