➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[jwyles]

Three eggs today. The normal brown is either from my OE that my broody hatched last year (yeah I'm disappointed- from MPC F2 oe hatching eggs btw) or my BR. Their eggs look exactly alike. But it looks like everyone's cycle is just slowing in our heat.

ETA: look how weird my foot looks in this pic!

 

[jwyles]

I hate it so much lol. I used to take late night walks in the woods without any lights.. until the first time I got a spider down my shirt. UGH.
Nowadays I just make my (big) little brother or husband walk in front of me. Problem solved.

Smart girl! And brave! I've never been brave enough to go into the woods alone at night!

 

[Tesumph]

Smart girl! And brave! I've never been brave enough to go into the woods alone at night!

Not that brave, or alone! I had my dogs with me haha. It was my job to feed the horses at night and our barn was back in the woods. It was much quieter than inside our house and my favorite time of the day.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Well there’s several subspecies of rattlesnakes and a couple of coral snakes, but those are the “big 4” species.
Most snakes won’t go out of their way to attack people, although some are more aggressive than others. But yes, coral snakes are particularly shy and many people around here have never seen one or don’t know what they are. They actually have the second strongest venom of any snake (first is the black mamba), but they are not pit vipers (unlike most venomous snakes) so they have very small fangs and a poor venom delivery method. This, combined with how shy they are, makes them virtually harmless, unless you’re going out of your way to manhandle wildlife.
Banana spiders are as safe as coral snakes are.. as long as you leave em alone.
I don’t know everything, I just like to learn and I love snakes lol.

I can’t do anything with the dogs right now in the heat. Even if they wanted to go out (they don’t), the concrete is too hot on their paws. Summer is much more restrictive than winter is for us.

Ah that makes sense. I think our eastern rattlers are different than the western ones right?

That makes sense!! And there’s some that rattle to imitate a rattler but are harmless right?

And oh wow!! That is so fascinating!! Sounds like something I once saw about daddy longlegs actually being super dangerous but they have super short fangs so are harmless??

Okay wait so are banana spiders technically toxic? But I would definitely be running away.

That’s awesome!! I love to learn too. though usually my research is more in dogs and horses haha but my brother and I always used to watch all those educational nature shows they had on and shark week and go around reciting facts

I didn’t used to think I like snakes but oddly I actually do like some and used to want a corn snake, still do someday, but I just hate the scary ones or seeing them cross in front of me or anything lol like in nature. would love a corn snake or two though. But my family HATES snakes. Rats and mice too so no to those too.

Ahh that makes sense. Forgot about the concrete haha are there hiking areas there or is it too hot in those too? I guess it’s probably too hot to safely do much of anything even without concrete? It’s like 100s right? I knew someone in Florida that could only exercise their dogs in morning or evening before it got hot and even then couldnt do carting or sledding or anything until like fall/winter. Too hot and humid. Is it similar to there? Like October?

Idk. I hate the cold and snow but I love my summers. I think I would be miserable not being able to do anything all like summer lol

OH! And I also forgot to ask in my last post! You have a horse too!? Does everyone in Texas have horses!?

Also also! Sorry for my major rambling at the beginning of my last post.

And all the emojis.

View attachment 1879816 This looks like what we had in the coop here.

If you've ever been ATV or top down jeep riding through the woods at night (you have to be standing up in the back to achieve the full affect with the jeep) and been smacked in the face with a huge spider web, then you know that's next level creepy! Been there and done that. Laughed it off and kept going. Makes me gag when I think about it now.

OMG that is so gross!!! LOL

 

[ShrekDawg]

I hate it so much lol. I used to take late night walks in the woods without any lights.. until the first time I got a spider down my shirt. UGH.
Nowadays I just make my (big) little brother or husband walk in front of me. Problem solved.

OMG that sounds so gross and so scary all at the same time!!!

And OMG. Good plan.

Smart girl! And brave! I've never been brave enough to go into the woods alone at night!

X2!!! Lol I’m barely even brave enough to walk out to the chicken coop at night. And that’s only like 50 feet from the deck it backs up to the woods though.

Not that brave, or alone! I had my dogs with me haha. It was my job to feed the horses at night and our barn was back in the woods. It was much quieter than inside our house and my favorite time of the day.

That sounds amazing!! But I still would have been terrified I think haha although if I had a dog or two I think I would have been better haha but only if it was like a big enough dog and protective enough to protect me lol or least smart enough and alert enough to be paying attention and warn me lol

 

[jwyles]

Not that brave, or alone! I had my dogs with me haha. It was my job to feed the horses at night and our barn was back in the woods. It was much quieter than inside our house and my favorite time of the day.

Your own woods! That must have been nice!

Hey, so on a completely unrelated conversation that I was just reading on FB, I just learned... had no idea btw.. that hognose snakes are actually venomous. Only slightly, and their fangs are in the backs of their mouths. Did you know that? I really didn't. Have never heard it before. Just found it interesting and thought I'd share since it seemed to be one of tonight's topics!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Your own woods! That must have been nice!

Hey, so on a completely unrelated conversation that I was just reading on FB, I just learned... had no idea btw.. that hognose snakes are actually venomous. Only slightly, and their fangs are in the backs of their mouths. Did you know that? I really didn't. Have never heard it before. Just found it interesting and thought I'd share since it seemed to be one of tonight's topics!

Wow that is really interesting! Thanks!

 

[Tesumph]

Ah that makes sense. I think our eastern rattlers are different than the western ones right?

That makes sense!! And there’s some that rattle to imitate a rattler but are harmless right?

And oh wow!! That is so fascinating!! Sounds like something I once saw about daddy longlegs actually being super dangerous but they have super short fangs so are harmless??

Okay wait so are banana spiders technically toxic? But I would definitely be running away.

That’s awesome!! I love to learn too. though usually my research is more in dogs and horses haha but my brother and I always used to watch all those educational nature shows they had on and shark week and go around reciting facts

I didn’t used to think I like snakes but oddly I actually do like some and used to want a corn snake, still do someday, but I just hate the scary ones or seeing them cross in front of me or anything lol like in nature. would love a corn snake or two though. But my family HATES snakes. Rats and mice too so no to those too.

Ahh that makes sense. Forgot about the concrete haha are there hiking areas there or is it too hot in those too? I guess it’s probably too hot to safely do much of anything even without concrete? It’s like 100s right? I knew someone in Florida that could only exercise their dogs in morning or evening before it got hot and even then couldnt do carting or sledding or anything until like fall/winter. Too hot and humid. Is it similar to there? Like October?

Idk. I hate the cold and snow but I love my summers. I think I would be miserable not being able to do anything all like summer lol

OH! And I also forgot to ask in my last post! You have a horse too!? Does everyone in Texas have horses!?

Also also! Sorry for my major rambling at the beginning of my last post.

And all the emojis.



OMG that is so gross!!! LOL

Yup, different kinds of rattlers.
A lot of snakes will rattle their tail when they’re threatened, but not necessarily to imitate a rattlesnake. Usually it just makes a “buzz” on the ground.
Bullsnakes specifically imitate rattlers, though. There is a lot of imitation in the snake world, it’s fascinating to me. Certain kingsnakes are colored to look like coral snakes, hognoses can flatten their head to look like cobras or pit vipers, etc..

The daddy long leg thing is a myth. They just have weak venom lol.
Almost all spiders are venomous so yes, a banana spider is too. They’re not fatal, and unless you’re purposely antagonizing one or holding it, I don’t know why you would be bit.

Theia doesn’t like to be outside and hates the heat, so there’s no point trying to walk her. Even at the coolest part of the day it’s above 90F and very humid. Triumph is old and gets tired very quickly, so he’s fine with skipping the walks lol.

We had horses when I was younger but we sold them and haven’t looked back. They weren’t a good fit for our family and it was a time and money sink.

I’m fine with rambling.. I’m rambling too. It’s a slow Friday night.

 

[R2elk]

I want the story. What kind was it? Are you a snake keeper? I'm intrigued!

I got bit on the finger by a rattlesnake. My whole arm swelled up like a balloon and itched. No I am not a snake keeper.

 

[Tesumph]

Your own woods! That must have been nice!

Hey, so on a completely unrelated conversation that I was just reading on FB, I just learned... had no idea btw.. that hognose snakes are actually venomous. Only slightly, and their fangs are in the backs of their mouths. Did you know that? I really didn't. Have never heard it before. Just found it interesting and thought I'd share since it seemed to be one of tonight's topics!

Yea, I love the woods. Rolling pasture hills are nice and all, but I’ve always felt at home in the trees.

Yep, that’s correct! They’re venomous but it’s so mild that it’s not considered dangerous at all to humans (so not listed in the “big 4”). The rear fangs make it so that they have to “chew” on their prey to get venom into them.
My brother and SIL have a hognose. She’s a cute little sausage.

There’s a misconception that coral snakes have rear fangs as well but they don’t.. they have front fangs that can’t fold down like a pit viper’s can, so they have to be really small.
And on the topic of venom toxicity, the whole thing about coral snakes being the second most venomous snake is a little misleading. It IS true, but they deliver so much less venom than a rattlesnake (for example) that they’re much, much less dangerous. When you compare venom toxicity by drop, you find that “harmless” things like a honeybee’s venom is comparable or worse than the most dangerous snakes. Venom in general is often misunderstood.

Anyway. Sorry lol. I can talk all night about this stuff.