Rattlesnake!!!

[Dinos_rock]

The other day, my dog was freaking out and barking at the fence. She doesn't usually bark at all. She was barking at a metal pipe that was from an old chain link fence. I thought it was a lizard or something, so I was searching through the grass with my hands and a flashlight (don't ever do that, I wasn't thinking) but I never found anything. She has been acting like this for several days, barking at or around the fence in the same spot. Especially when anyone would go by the fence. Then tonight she was acting even crazier than ever, barking at the fence and she wouldn't stop. My sister was inside the house and came out to see what was wrong. She heard the rattling and there was a young rattlesnake a little over a foot long, right where my dog has been barking for the past few days. Me and my parents were on the other side of the fence and we were coming home, but we heard the rattling and my sister screamed to us not to come. My dad grabbed a shovel (that was thankfully nearby) and he chopped off its head and it squirmed for over a half an hour. I was scared that my dog was bitten, but she wasn't. She's fine.

To any snake lovers- please don't hate me, but I'd rather have a snake dead than my baby sister. So everyone- watch where you step and be careful!

 

[lknight]

What a good dog! It amazes me sometimes how devoted they are to their people! We used to live in Nevada, and my old dog did the same sort of thing, and kept my then 5 year old brother and his friend away from a HUGE rattlesnake! I have plenty of respect for them and the role they play in nature, but I really can’t stand the thought of them around the house and in the yard! YUCK!

 

[d.k]

* OH!! YIKES!!! And if it were 'a baby' like that, it's probably NOT the only one, so do be very careful where you are, too!!!

 

[ruby]

My great old dog Henry (RIP) stood between my daughters bare legs and a copperhead in the henhouse! It was like he was pushing her away from the snake. Copperhead don't give that great rattle noise either, that's why sooooo many people get bit by them. Thanks Henry!

 

[chicamama]

whew...that was close.

Be careful. We've got them here too. Try to stay on trails and out of high dry grass, wood piles, etc...

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Good thing no one got bit!

Young rattlers are more poisonous than older ones because when bitten, they can't control how much they put into you.

What a good dog!

 

[joebryant]

Buy your dog a big bag of treats and send me the bill.

 

[texasgirl]

Once, our dog was barking barking barking at a snake skin

We were really proud of her but as soon as we got close, she snatched it up and ate it before we could throw it over the fence

Dumb dog.

 

[ginasmarans]

Wow! What a good dog and a close call. Yes,let's all be very,very careful. Good job. Do you need help getting your heart out of your stomach,Lol?

 

[gessieviolet]

This past Sunday I attended a meeting with over 8,000 people present. During the lunch intermission my cell phone (which was suppose to be turned off) rang. One of my daughters was informing me that my 42 year old son was in a local hospital after having been bitten by a snake!!! It seems he had been cutting his grass and discovered a snake about a foot long that he decided he was going to keep in an aquarium IN THE HOUSE !!! His wife put her foot down and said "GET THAT THING OUT OF HERE!!" He obediently took the snake outside and set it free; then seems he decided he wanted to document the thing, so he took it back in the house and proceeded to setup video, tapes, etc. As he was stretching it along the measuring tape the snake managed to slip through his fingers and was able to recoil into a strike position, getting him between the thumb and pad of his right hand. Says he was not aware of the bite until he saw the blood coming from the fang marks on his hand.


I got to admit that when I first talked to his wife my comment was: "Well. I've always heard that God protects children and fools and he is no child" He was downplaying the incident at this point.

I realized the next day that things could have been a lot worse; the doctors informed him that he could have ended up in very serious condition, not very likely deadly, but possibly loosing a hand or limb had he toxins caused other reactions. Turns out to be a moccasin and he had to be administered 2 doses of anti-venom.

He has handled snakes all his life, over my protest...always with the reasoning "I'm careful" Now that he knows it can hurt I think he will leave the snakes to other students of nature. I sympathize--but I can't resist saying "I told you so---idiot!" I know, I"m a terrible DAD!!