What is with the snakes this year???

[Marsha Cassada]

I killed my 3rd rattlesnake this week (my husband killed 2 others). I went out to feed and it was lying by my little barn. There is a hoe in my barn, but the snake was so large I was afraid the hoe would not do. It scared me. I ran back to the house for the gun. Luckily, the snake was still there, though half under the barn. I did shoot it, then dragged it out with a rake. 15 rattles and a button. Largest one we've seen so far in 12 years. It must have been old, as it was heavy-bodied and it's head was very large.

Last week I was sitting up in the rocks (we have a little granite mountain on our property) and saw a commotion in the grass below me. It turned out to be a red coachwhip snake that had caught a lizard. The snake was small, only about 18" long, and the lizard was about 10" long. The snake subdued the lizard, then raised it up and slithered off into the grass, carrying the lizard like a trophy.

A bullsnake got one of my chicks earlier this summer.

This is the time of year when the rattlesnakes head back to their dens. I always worry about my animals particularly now.

Because of the heat the last couple of years, we haven't had as many birds and mammals. I'm thinking the natural enemies of the snakes must be fewer.

 

[madmax]

I found a 52 inch shed snake skin...........I hope it was a corn snake. The rest of it is out of the frame.

 

[Margo_C-T]

This is the time of year that the rattlers seem the most 'irritable' to me, and therefore, the most dangerous if encountered unexpectedly. I've not seen any so far this year, but have found two long shed snakeskin's, very close together, pretty close to my house. Awhile back,before we began to get some rain(we've been in a serious drought for several years), a clearly SKINNNY bullsnake got into my barn, and was in there for several weeks, until I walked in one evening and it was out in the open, and I was able to grab its tail, carry it outside and place it in the pasture...it was still skinny, needed to be out where it could have a chance to catch something to eat!

I don't miss rattlers! Have had three animals--two minis, one large dog---snakebit since we've lived here, I AM always watchful, and cautious! I don't allow anything to graze my adjacent 5 acres of pasture until after snake 'season' due to these concerns.

 

[bevann]

I don't do critters unless they have feet and fur or hair.If any snake shows up here it better get out FAST or it is DEAD.Karl says they wont hurt me, but to my way of thinking if I mess my pants and my heart stops -that is hurting me.Lucky here in Delaware we have very few poisonous snakes-an occasional cottonmouth or water moccason (sp?)I don't envy those of you with critters and rattlers.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

This is the time of year that the rattlers seem the most 'irritable' to me, and therefore, the most dangerous if encountered unexpectedly. I've not seen any so far this year, but have found two long shed snakeskin's, very close together, pretty close to my house. Awhile back,before we began to get some rain(we've been in a serious drought for several years), a clearly SKINNNY bullsnake got into my barn, and was in there for several weeks, until I walked in one evening and it was out in the open, and I was able to grab its tail, carry it outside and place it in the pasture...it was still skinny, needed to be out where it could have a chance to catch something to eat!

I don't miss rattlers! Have had three animals--two minis, one large dog---snakebit since we've lived here, I AM always watchful, and cautious! I don't allow anything to graze my adjacent 5 acres of pasture until after snake 'season' due to these concerns.

Well, one I killed was in the corral with my horses. So no place is safe around here. We got out our plastic hose device to use in the nose in case a horse gets bitten. The vet reviewed my husband how to do it. I think he said there are are three channels in the nostril; I know the one for the plastic hose goes downward.

We've had 2 horses bitten since we've lived here. Both were young and curious; hopefully my older ones have more sense now than to chat with a snake.

Madmax, I don't know about corn snakes. Are they biters or constrictors? That is a serious skin in your photo!

 

[madmax]

Corn snakes are also called rat snakes, they are constrictors. I once found an even larger and longer shed snake skin hanging from the rafters in MY BARN! I was afraid it's owner was still in there and was on the lookout for it everywhere you bet your boots. Any kind of snake is not my thing even if they are supposed eat rats - we have a black racer that hangs around here and I come upon it suddenly and people in China hear me yelp.

 

[Helicopter]

I had a Brown Snake (deadly) in my shed earlier this year. About 4 foot long but quite slender. I nearly had kittens. I rushed off to collect a shovel to chop it's head off. Took very careful aim.....and missed it completely. It moved like lightening and disappeared, I let out a scream and ran. When I recovered I started poking around with a broom handle but couldn't find it. A little later I saw it slithering over towards the neighbours fence. I've been here 10 years now and it is only the 2nd Brown I have seen....and 2 is quite enough in my opinion.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Did not know about any poisonous snakes in Australia. A friend I spoke to recently, whose family was in Ethiopia for many years, said ALL the snakes there are poisonous. Spitting cobras that aim for one's eyes, for pete's sake! At least most of the snakes here in OK are harmless. I enjoy watching some of them, though I fear they are after my lizards and songbird eggs.

 

[Shari]

One reason I have chickens and now three Turkey's.... the Turkey's specially, will go after snakes. So far... knock on wood... while the neighbors have problems with Copperheads and Rattlesnakes... I haven't... so far.

Before I brought the Turkey's home, I did see a very big copperhead snake skin by my wee kitchen garden.

Makes me miss the wet side of the NW....

 

[Riverrose28]

Here in Maryland we have two vipers, but mostly constrictors such as the black racer, or more commonly called black snake. They do eat mice so if I see them in the barn I leave them alone. We are surrounded by forest and have lots of bunnies for them to eat as well. Last week a two foot youngster actually got into the house. Thank Goodness my helper was out side or he would have peed himself. It got in behind the wood stove in the family room. I ran out to the barn got a pitchfork and tried to catch him to get him out, but he kept coiling and striking at me, so I proped open the door and chased him out into the yard. If my JRT had of seen him he would have been killed cause I've seen him kill them before when they got into the yard. Hubby needs to plug that little hole in the concrete behind the woodstove before winter. I don't need varments getting in the house.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I looked up the Brown Snake--wow, that is a bad one! Among the top 10 killer snakes. Australia actually has a couple in the top 10. Rattlesnakes were not among that elite number.

I was bitten by a scorpion this week; it was in the garden glove. I did shake it first, but it was in the finger. Even after it stung me and I knew it was in there I could not shake it out. I put the gloves through the wash and the scorpion was in the tub after. My husband decided to shake his boots out after that, and there was a scorpion in the boot. I guess they are trying to get in now with the season change. Everyone beware!

 

[LittleRibbie]

Scorpions...good lordy..I don't do those. But we have lots of corn snakes or rat snakes...very pretty yellow..i love them and let them live here peacefully along w/the black ones and green garden type snakes. So many golf courses being built around these poor things have no other place to go. Ten years ago we used to see lots of the smaller pigmy rattlers and all 4 of my dogs were bitten ( only takes 1 bite and they never went w/in 10 feet of another )...GSD's and although painful after treatment, no long term affect except their memory of the experience. For some reason we haven't seen any on our property in about 4 years..its a good thing b/c those are the only snakes that would have a rather short life span in this yard!! Madmax...that's a good size snake....longest skin we found has been 48 inches.....I like to keep it hanging over the door for unwanted visitors!!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Another snake story: While working in my flower bed yesterday I saw a new snake. It was heavy bodied with uniform splotches of brown/olive brown. The end of its tail was neon lime green. I had no idea what it was; wish I'd had a camera with me. Looked it up later and I think it is a copperhead. O dear. What is with the snakes this year??

I've heard copperhead snakes are shy, so hopefully I will not see it again. I don't want it to get my garden lizards and the frog that lives in my little water garden.

 

[Matt73]

Marsha...Australia is home to 140 species of land snakes and 32 species of sea snakes. They harbour many of the most venomous snakes on the planet including the Taipan, the Eastern and Western Brown (which will actually chase you down), and the Death Adder :/

 

[madmax]

This was in my garage. It might have been non poisonous but it really surprised me and I went for the shovel.

I had to dispense a rattler before, mostly we have moccasins here.

 

[Minimor]

No poisonous snakes here thank goodness--I am happy we don't even have any rattlers here! We do have garter snakes but haven't seen one in years, until last weekend. I was opening the pasture gate and a large one slithered past my foot. I told Mom here's a friend of yours....she wasn't amused! She hates snakes!

 

[Debby - LB]

ugh we killed a rattler here just yesterday!! we've had copperheads in the yard many times but last year was the first year we had a rattlesnake. This one yesterday was toooo close! i need to quit going outside at night with flip flops on.

 

[chandab]

I'm glad I don't live where many of you do; we typically only see bull snakes and garter snakes. Rattlers are rarely seen north of the Missouri breaks and to my knowledge there aren't any other types of venomous snakes in Montana.