Snakes!

[rdam]

I grew up in suburbia, but had snakes as pets. I work as a Deputy Sheriff in Central Florida and have become the unofficial snake call responder.

Most of the snakes that are encountered are non-poisonous and beneficial to have around. They help control the rodent and insect population.

Since most of us tractor owners live in the country, it is a good idea to learn which poisonous snakes live in your area and learn to recognize them. Personally, I would kill a poisonous snake if I located one on my property. The non-poisonous ones are better left alone.

I have yet to see a snake that didn't "strike" when cornered with a broomstick. It's kind of their last resort.

 

[pruntyc]

I agree rdam, I'm not sure the little green grass snake will strike, but it is probably the only one, if it didn't. Even black snakes will, and they are very harmless.

 

[r0GuE]

A squirrel will bite you if you could catch it. Luckily, my kids aren't that fast. With snakes (aside from the fact that I hate them in a big way), I have to worry that my little ones might catch one.

I thought abut tossing that one in the woods, but I figure the reason he came in to my house is to get warm, and he would probably try it again.

 

[RiverV]

I live along a river valley, swamp and woods... Anything that creeps, crawls, walks or flies shows up around the house. Once I stepped outside in the grass, bare feet looking for my dog, felt something warm squirming under my foot, looked down...it was a snake. I was standing on the thing and it was starting to crawl around my foot. I jumped about 6 feet in the air and I think they could hear me swearing 2 miles away.

I don't like snakes but they do a lot of good so I don't kill them. After my heart got down beating to the normal rate, I got the broom and chased him back into the woods. After all the years being around them, I still get starlted when I come across a snake.

Dave...

 

[MossRoad]

Little brown ring neck snakes are very docile. They never get over a foot long. Most of them that I have found have been about 6-8 inches. Light brown with a light ring around their necks. Very good snake to teach kids with, as it is so small and un-intimidating. Most night crawlers are bigger than this snake.

 

[rh1346]

Hey Rogue, feel free to ship those snakes up to me. While a snake can give a start to the most experienced outdoorsman (me included), the bigger danger you probably be facing are the tick borne diseases: Lyme disease, Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis.

http://info.med.yale.edu/eph/eip/tick%20brochure.pdf

Integral to the reproduction and spread of disease carrying ticks are deer and rodents, and rodents are a favorite food of snakes. Lyme can knock you or your kids for a loop, and it is not always cureable. Both my dogs came down with Lyme, and I'm careful as can be after an outing. Have the wife check me over oh so carefully - some immature deer ticks are not much bigger than a pinhead. As long as snakes eat rodents, they're welcome on my farm - same goes for spiders - my great aunt used to say that if they can find enough to keep themselves alive, they're more'n welcome. Especially if they pick off a mosquito or two - don't want to take any chances with West Nile virus. Oh, and those rodents - did I mention hantavirus, spread by mouse droppings, which can be fatal?

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/

So next time you see a snake, don't be so quick to dispatch it - just another of God's creatures trying to make a living. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Slamfire]

I found a black ring necked snake under a sheet of plywood I use to crawl under equipment while working on it. It was glossy black and had a yellow ring around his neck. Wasn't more than 6" long, and scared. I wonder if he was livin' on the scorpions that normally occupy that space.

 

[rdam]

Yup, Snakes and Spiders are handy to have around.

I've got a bunch of the little lizards that run around the yard on my city lot/home. It's cheap entertainment watching them chase down insects on the window screens!