snake story

[psj12]

I too have the philosphy of leaving snakes be unless they are a threat to me. I have some rather large non-poisonous types on my land in OK but also have some copperheads. I am told there are some rattlers there but have never seen one.

I was handloading a medium sized pile of rocks, my father in law had gathered and piled up about 6 mounths earlier, when I reached down and picked up a rock without looking. The rock turned out to be the head of a large copperhead. Thank God I had leather gloves on. After I stopped jumping around he was dispatched. I had to do this because I do have my grand kids and pets there. He was a hazard.

Of all the poisonious snakes you could be bitten by the copperhead is probably the least dangerous. My father in law use to have a chiuaua that reguarly caught and killed copperheads. the dog had been bitten several times. The first time he was ill for about 3 days but recovered. After that it seemed to affect him less each time. I personnaly have not heard of anyone in good health dying from a copper head.

 

[/pine]

Eastern Black 'King' snakes are often mistaken for "black" snakes as the habitat often darkens their markings (white bandings and underside)...they are one of the most beneficial snakes to have on your property as they eat poisonous snakes....every effort should be made to allow these gentle serpents to go on about their business...if there are not other more dangerous snakes and or rodents around you will likely not see them...

 

[woodlandfarms]

Good Evenin woodlandfarms,
Thats it lets put the fear of God into those cab tractor people !

You got me right on that one!!! As I sweat it out in my clunker PT under the hot sun, and I see those wealthy guys going by in their AC cabs. All I got left is to scare them

 

[Diamondback]

That's not a branch on my foot!!

Had some chores to do around the property yesterday. Cranked the tractor, set brake, FEL down. Let it idle a few minutes to warm up as I did a quick walk around and put the freshly mixed round up sprayer in the bucket. Climb aboard, back out of shed slowing, start to head to the other end of our property looking forward when...Whhaappp!

The familiar feeling of a branch slapping the top of my left foot when negotiating the woods on the far side of our property caught my attention. Then it occured to me...I'M NOT IN THE WOODS!

Glance down in time to see the back half of a 5-6 foot snake sliding over my left foot and off the side of my tractor! Took a split second (OK, maybe a tad longer) to gather my thoughts enough to try and identify it. As best I could tell, it was a black snake and no danger to me. But talk about going from calm and relaxed to OMG mode in the blink of an eye!!

Still don't know whether he fell from the my canopy or emerged from behind the steering column. I was looking forward and to the right at the time the "branch" made it's appearence.

Don't know that I will climb aboard as carefree as I did last night for quite a while....

 

[harpoonalt]

I'd have been dead by now from half your encounters. How far north do I have to move?

 

[patrick_g]

Eastern Black 'King' snakes are often mistaken for "black" snakes as the habitat often darkens their markings (white bandings and underside)...they are one of the most beneficial snakes to have on your property as they eat poisonous snakes....every effort should be made to allow these gentle serpents to go on about their business...if there are not other more dangerous snakes and or rodents around you will likely not see them...

RIGHT ON /Pine!!!

If you see a large black or king snake on your property before you go crazy and kill it consider how it got that big! It got that big by eating lots and lots of other critters that you really don't need or want on your property like rats, and poisonous snakes. Unless cornered or attacked these guys will try to get away from you and are not looking for a fight with a big animal like us.

They may not get ALL the poisonous snakes on your place but they can seriously reduce the population if you let them.

Pat

 

[jimmyj]

Snakes..... why does it always half to be snakes....... Harrison Ford.

Asps, very dangerous, you go first!

 

[spruce Deere]

Asps, very dangerous, you go first!

Yes! You are more than welcome to go first with snakes! I can deal with finding a bull faced hornets nest with the rops, hungry bears in the fall with bad attitudes, a mountain lion killing deer out of the neighbors hay barn, rabid coyotes and wolves, chicken house raiding skunks and coons and a very fierce mother badger who started a family and made a home in a grain elevator we were renting years ago. I am glad to to live were I do! Snakes are at the bottom of the gunna get ya list around here thank goodness.

 

[robertk]

Buck12, I too had an encounter with a snake in tall grass last weekend. Everything turned out OK but there was some pain involved.
My dog Halley was laying in the tall grass near the oak tree about 15 feet from the garage where I was working on the tractor. All of a sudden Halley jumps straight up 2 feet in the air.After a few minutes of searching the grass I find a coiled up rattle snake. I get a shovel and dispose the snake. By now my wife is out wondering what all the commotion is about and I tell her that Halley was probably bitten by a snake. While my wife and I are talking about what happened I notice Haley's lower jaw is swelling up. about then we decide to take her to the vet. By the time we get ready to leave and get Halley into the truck she now has a lump on her throat the size of a softball, now I'm starting to get concerned.
We get to the vet and she says we have two choices, antibiotics or antibiotics and anti venom. last month we lost Pepper, our dog of 18 years, and did not want to lose another so I opted for antibiotics and anti venom.
One week later and $1100 poorer at least all is well with Halley.

 

[herd]

robertk, your dedication to your dog is commendable, I admire you for the financial sacrifices to get him well. I once did not spend $800 on an operations to save a special dog, mini dachshund, mainly cause my wife would'nt go along with the expenditure.

I have not yet experienced a day in the last 4 years where I didn't miss that little boy and wished I had done more for him.