# Still Dealing With Snakes



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

My girl Misty is very lucky, her two snakes bites healed. One of my neighbors did not notice her dog acting sick and it passed after being bitten many times on the leg (don't know what kind of snake). I can back from the Outerbanks Sunday (dogs were still boarded until Monday) and started cleaning out the flower bed by the air units it was full of Copper Heads (this is the area where Misty was bitten) many had orange at the tail end this means they are under 1 yr old. I broke most of my large gardening tools and will have to replace them, the last one I could not get it was in a tight spot nothing sharp enough to cut it in half and I only have a 410 shotgun and that would have taken out part of my air unit. These guys do not just leave, most will if given the chance, these guys just watch waiting to strike. He was much bigger then I thought as he was kinda covered in the dirt. I am buying two new hoes and having them sharpened. Sulfer does not work because of the rains any suggestions would be helpful as it looks like it's going to be a long hot summer! I see lots of snakes gardening and leave them be, but not near the house in the dog yard if they are pit vipers.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

You get the Warrior Medal. Yikes!


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## waybrook (Sep 13, 2009)

Snakes have been abundant here also. Mostly water mocassins (sp?) which are very agressive. We try to keep everything mowed down but Panda insists on pooping in the pine straw in the most remote areas of the yard. I go with her (and my trusty hoe) but having it sharpened is a good idea... You're right - in the south its going to be a very long, very hot summer....


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

ACK!!!

*has heart attack*


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Oh my you really smacked them to have bent your spay that much. what about a hand edger tool? or a shovel? I would rather be standing then right on the ground like that. or is it self defense and you are on the ground already. Too bad someone hasn't invented a snake cage trap. I really fear snakes yuck! double yuck!! The only thing I cut in half around here is slugs.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Thank God I live in Britain, the only snakes we have here are Vipers or Adders,and they like to lay out in hot dry sunny places so you can see them very easily,also they are pretty rare,as they usually keep themselves to themselves.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

That just send shivers up and down me. I'm from Al. and have hated snakes all my life. There's only one poisonous snake in NH (where I now live). It's the timber rattler and it's endangered so you aren't suppose to kill it. I don't ask a snake what kind it is, I just kill it.


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

I hate the cold but there are some definite advantages to living here in the great white north. no poisonous snakes or insects!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

you are making me rethink my desire to move to sunny CA. eeeks. glad your girl is recovered though.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Wow Robbie, I'd be getting an expert in to see what can be done.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

I would be moving to Alaska..lol...


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## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

I admire your determination and fortitude. I've only seen the occasional rattler on the road out here, usually already dead. If we had that many snakes around our house I don't think I could handle it. You are a brave soul in my book!


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## miller123 (Aug 13, 2011)

good thing there is no snakes in vancouver, lol. If I was you, I would grab my hoe and chop off there heads. LOL, but mabye thats just me


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## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

Yikes!!! I'm with Miller except I'd have to get someone else to do it for me as I would be RLH. :biggrin1:


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Oh Gaaaack! I guess I am a wimp. I could not live where there were those things. Never let me complain about Pacific Northwest Rains again. Haha - I no doubt will, but I won't mean it!! :biggrin1: You have my admiration, Robbie! And glad that Misty recovered!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I guess I'm a little different. My first thought was, "Waht a beautiful creature!". I know how dangerous they are and that they can't be allowed to hang around the house and yard for that reason. But it's such a shame that there isn't some way to deal with them other than killing them. (though I would steel my heart and kill them too, in the same situation!)


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## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

Ewwwwwwwww!!!! I think I'd have to hope that Beau could keep up with me (and, normally, I have trouble walking, let alone running)!! On a trip to Arizona, I flipped out driving past a dead snake! That pretty much seals my veto to retire to the South. I know -- I'm such a wuss.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Karen, I know snakes are necessary to keep balance, I have admired them from afar we have these big black snakes here, they maybe Black Ratters they are long, I saw one crossing the street the other day, they do this wave motion and it bumped up over a high curb…wow. I never bother the snakes if they are out of the dog yard, most will leave. The black Puff Adder’s are interesting to watch, first one I saw, my first thought was is there such a thing as an American Cobra, they puff their necks head comes up, making a slow motion, and they shake their tails, they are harmless. My problem is the copperheads in the dog yard are a danger (we have both eastern and southern; one grows bigger then the other).

There are a number of reasons they are so bad this year; A large area of old woods with a swamp was clear cut for development on the next block behind my wooded area only a two lane street is between us (they had a hard time with the old growth white oaks). They are capping part of the swamp (yes it is a flood zone), they will put condos there, built off the ground. I will not go in to the politics of these things, but the banks of the Cape Fear River was saved from development a few years back with the Feds got wind of it, there is a mile setback (a mile does not look long when viewed from the freeway) so no river view homes, the trees are important to shore up the river bank.

It was a hot winter with out a real freeze, lots of food sources, but they have fled to a smaller area with humans. There is also certain ignorance with neighbors, there are reasons that it is unlawful to dump esp. woody cuttings in wooded areas, the city provides pick up every Tuesday. I braved a walk in the woods to see if I am missing something, I don’t remember if I complained on the forum but my new neighbors who moved from Delaware limbed up the Leland Cypress Tress on my property (claimed he was doing me a favor as pine trees need to look like pine trees and it so much better to be able to see at night). Leland Cypress have one purpose, green privacy screening, as soon as they die (some are already showing signs) we will but up a fence, good luck backing a car out of his garage as his pad is one inch over the line, so fence will go at the edge (he also put in high intensity motion lights that go off all night shining in my windows every time even a bunny go by…the dogs bark), His house is for sale after living there less then a year. Off my rant, seems he stacked all of the wood cuttings half on my property in the woods half on his…It is full of snakes!!!! OMG, I am tried of explaining to him such as the danger of leaving dog food out. I took a picture but after I found it, I am using long lens.

We also have a Barred Owl that comes to hunt, about twice a week he is beautiful he comes when it is not yet dark sits in the tree, first time I thought he was a hawk but then I noticed his round flat face. Taken the dogs out at night is scary these days. Maybe we need to screen in a covered area in a side yard so the dogs will have a safe place for natures call at night. Seven years and it’s never been like this!


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