Snakes A Problem

[lennygoran]

Right at the area we have to clean the pond filter Regards, Len

[jbuck919]

How do you manage that anyway? I live far more out in the sticks than you do, and I haven't seen a snake in ten years. Wild turkeys, coyotes, bald eagles, yes, but no snakes.

Reminds me of the story of the guy who heard that the mongoose is a good "snakers\" the way cats are good "mousers." So he thought he'd order a couple, but he didn't know if the plural of mongoose was mongooses or mongeese. So he finally wrote, "Please send me a mongoose, and while you're at it, send me another."

[lennygoran]

How do you manage that anyway?

Manage? I manage nothing-they just come-snakes, turtles, great blue herons, woodchucks, etc--the critters manage it all--all I do is keep paying the mortgage bills. Regards, Len

[SONNET CLV]

Snakes? Hell ... they look more like love birds to me.

[jbuck919]

How do you manage that anyway?

Manage? I manage nothing-they just come-snakes, turtles, great blue herons, woodchucks, etc--the critters manage it all--all I do is keep paying the mortgage bills. Regards, Len

Well at least you don't have moles tearing up the yard as I did here a few years back. Um, or do you? (Maybe the snakes eat the moles.)

[John F]

You've probably already seen this:

http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/water_mo ... ison.shtml

[jbuck919]

You've probably already seen this:

http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/water_mo ... ison.shtml

Oh pooh. Len will just pick up those snakes and throw them into the woods as soon as he's done foraging mushrooms while wandering through the three-leaflet undergrowth.

[lennygoran]

Snakes? Hell ... they look more like love birds to me.

I wondered about that--were they cuddling to keep warm, were 2 males competing for as female, were they a family--father, mother and child, was it a sex orgy? Regards, Len

[lennygoran]

Well at least you don't have moles tearing up the yard as I did here a few years back. Um, or do you? (Maybe the snakes eat the moles.)

Everything takes place around the pond with them--someone who does wonderful garden work for us and who also put our pond in said that at least it should keep the mice population in check by the pond--mice can sometimes be a pain for pond owners by biting into the liner-that would be bad news for sure. Regards, Len

[lennygoran]

You've probably already seen this:

http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/water_mo ... ison.shtml

Thanks, I hadn't seen this comparison but was told by some people it's a water snake--reading the comparison and looking at the photos on the site it seems they are water snakes but I sure am not certain about that. Too bad they're right by the water filter which has to be checked and cleaned on a regular basis--I'm sure glad it's Sue's chore and not mine! Regards, Len

[lennygoran]

Oh pooh. Len will just pick up those snakes and throw them into the woods as soon as he's done foraging mushrooms while wandering through the three-leaflet undergrowth.

Don't have to forage in the forest for them--they've grown up right in the flower beds. Regards, Len

[Tarantella]

Len, you're providing too much of a good 'home' for our serpentine friends!!

[lennygoran]

Len, you're providing too much of a good 'home' for our serpentine friends!!

We used to own an enormous poultry farm

Sue your stories on the brown snakes sound just terrible--I guess my problems are not nearly as great--I'm in a garden forum and someone said the behavior being manifested by my snakes was mating--2 males and 1 female--there'll be plenty of babies or so I'm told. Regards, Len

[Chalkperson]

These snakes are mating, you should not be watching, let alone taking intrusive photographs of such an intimate event. Give them a little privacy, they will eventually go back in the water...

[lennygoran]

These snakes are mating, you should not be watching, let alone taking intrusive photographs of such an intimate event. Give them a little privacy, they will eventually go back in the water...

Here's a video clip which shows just how terrible my plight is--I thionk this link will get you to the clip---I don't want them just back in the water-I want them off my property! Regards, Len

[Chalkperson]

Len, you're providing too much of a good 'home' for our serpentine friends!!

We used to own an enormous poultry farm - 200,000 chickens at a time in big barns (similar to your Tyson). John used to go inside these and there were always Brown snakes lurking inside (absolutely one of the world's most deadly - one bite and you're dead). He just couldn't see them!! It was very frightening at times. On many occasions he had to break their backs with a strong piece of wire or shoot them. Despite their dangerous nature I always was distressed seeing snakes slowly die from being shot. Len, they didn't know they were doing wrong!!

One day I was walking in the front paddock inspecting some newly-planted trees and I thought I saw a little lizard. As I bent down to examine it the thing jumped up at me and chased me right back up the paddock to the house. It was a 'baby' Brown snake and these are aggressive and will chase and kill. Local farmers reported seeing large cattle drop dead in an instant after being bitten on the head by a Brown snake. There was plenty of local lore about the fate of victims - human and animal - of venomous snakes in the area.

Foxes were a blight too. They would come out at night, frighten all the chickens over to one side of the open barn and when they had all been packed up with their heads protruding from the wire the foxes would run along the side taking all their heads off in the hundreds - just for the heck of it. All the same, I hated seeing those foxes caught in the deadly traps we had to set for them. Just as I hated seeing my husband having to cull the weaker chickens which failed to thrive or were terribly ill. You'd be right there, too, and many seemingly very healthy, large chickens would die instantly in front of you from heart attacks. Then there are the genetic disorders...

Animal husbandry certainly gives you a unique perspective on life.

Tyson supplies Kentucky Fried Chicken, they do not have the greatest of reputations...

[lennygoran]

Tyson supplies Kentucky Fried Chicken, they do not have the greatest of reputations...

That's the brand I usually buy and cook with--it's usually cheapest at my Shoprite although sometimes Perdue runs a nice sale. Regards, Len

[lennygoran]

These snakes are mating, you should not be watching, let alone taking intrusive photographs of such an intimate event. Give them a little privacy, they will eventually go back in the water...

Sure take their part--look at this morning's action--even a painted turtle tried to get in on the act. Regards, Len

[karlhenning]

Reminds me of the story of the guy who heard that the mongoose is a good "snakers\" the way cats are good "mousers." So he thought he'd order a couple, but he didn't know if the plural of mongoose was mongooses or mongeese. So he finally wrote, "Please send me a mongoose, and while you're at it, send me another."

Nice!

Cheers,
~Karl