First snake

[LittleMissCountry]

I found the first snake in the chicken run. Actually he was tangled in the bird netting I had over the run, and on a tree branch.

It was a rat snake, so I cut down part of the netting and cut him free. I am keeping him in a tub with a screen over the top until my daughter gets home from school. She loves snakes, and this one is a good size. Then we will take it down away from the house, on the back acreage and release it.

We have had the chickens two years and this is the first snake near the coop.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Wow, he's a big one! We've had trouble with snakes getting caught in bird netting too

 

[DiYMama540]

He would have had to stay tangled until I found someone else to deal with it!! He's big!!

 

[BaaKaaawk]

So gooseberry netting laid on the ground is the ultimate snake trap- though it ends poorly for the snake, so not a good practice- but it's not surprising he got stuck in the net.

That said be SURE if you don't want him back to not put him in the "back acreage" unless you have like 1000 acres. You need to release him at least 5 miles from your house or he'll be right back for more delectable eggs!

Black Rat snakes are good overall though, so I'm glad to hear you didn't just kill him.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

So gooseberry netting laid on the ground is the ultimate snake trap- though it ends poorly for the snake, so not a good practice- but it's not surprising he got stuck in the net.

That said be SURE if you don't want him back to not put him in the "back acreage" unless you have like 1000 acres. You need to release him at least 5 miles from your house or he'll be right back for more delectable eggs!

Black Rat snakes are good overall though, so I'm glad to hear you didn't just kill him.

Good to know. We only have 6 acres, but it is fairly rough terrain (hillside, steep bluffs, etc.) Our house is at the top of the incline, so I was hoping releasing him at the bottom, near the river would keep him down there. There are lots of voles and other tasty critters down there.

I don't kill snakes unless they are venomous. They keep our mouse population down.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

He would have had to stay tangled until I found someone else to deal with it!! He's big!!

He is big. Lol. I am not scared of non-venomous snakes. I did put on some heavy gardening gloves so I wouldn't get the scent on me. Those things are stinky! He actually wad fairly calm. My neighbor's kids came over and helped hold him while I cut off the netting.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Rescuing them is very satisfying

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Snakes do startle me momentarily when I come across them unexpectedly but even venomous snakes don't really scare me because I just walk away and leave them be.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Good to know. We only have 6 acres, but it is fairly rough terrain (hillside, steep bluffs, etc.) Our house is at the top of the incline, so I was hoping releasing him at the bottom, near the river would keep him down there. There are lots of voles and other tasty critters down there.

I don't kill snakes unless they are venomous. They keep our mouse population down.

Black snakes can climb straight up a tree... no terrain will stop him from coming back- just distance. Good job saving him though!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When I put a new roof on my 116 year old brick home which has a flat roof, there was a dead snake in the crawl space between the roof rafters and ceiling joists. That is 30' above ground and sheer brick walls. Not sure what it took to get up there.