dang snake!

[ChickenChaps]

Went into the quail stall to clean the baby quail cage and ooo!

I run to the house and got the bbq tongs and a shovel. Grabbed him behind the head and chopped the head off with the shovel. It had a big lump in the belly. I cut it open, sure enough, he ate a baby.

Corn snake. Not poisonous.

I wonder where is his family??! I can’t believe it got through the wire. 1/2" hardware cloth. He was just sitting in there, in the box! The birds (2 weeks old today) were just walking around and over him. It was incredible the lump in the belly was big, but when I pulled the bird out you can see it was alot bigger. It was all smushed in the gut. Guess he was just going to sit there until hungry again and eat more? Wonder if he ate others? maybe he couldn’t get back out with that baby in the belly? Dang...

 

[TwoCrows]

So sorry about your quail. 1/2 inch hardware cloth is a pretty tight squeeze for that snake. Make sure there are no edges around the hardware cloth that were not attached completely that he might have scooted around it. Or any other small spaces that you may have missed. So sorry.

 

[MobyQuail]

pretty dead snake, we only see the yellow rats around here so far...

unfortunate for the snake but good job protecting your flock!

 

[ravenzero]

Can you imagine being quail in that pen?

Some MONSTER came into your home, ate one of your FRIENDS and relaxed until it was hungry enough to eat YOU!

I am glad to be human sometimes...

 

[_Randall_]

Snakes have a short life on this hill. Cottonmouth, Rattler, Copperhead, Rat Snake, Black Racer, dudin matter. If it's seen, it's dead. I like my birds. They like my birds, too.......in a different way. I've got a lot of time and money invested in my birds. They see them as a meal, while having nothing invested in them. Until they get on the endangered list, they won't repopulate around here if I can help it. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it....... Whaackk

 

[TwoCrows]

2 weeks ago I had to kill a gopher snake that was headed directly for the aviaries. I know they aren't poisonous, but they rattle like rattle snakes and that was enough for me to whack his head off. This one was about 5 feet in length and moving fast. They even coil up and strike like a rattler. Well, needless to say, he was history.

The thing I hate about dead snakes is that 10 minutes later, they can still be a movin'!!

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
HOWEVER, your birds will continue to move after that little predator is gone, and starts to stink!

 

[TwoCrows]

Quote:
HOWEVER, your birds will continue to move after that little predator is gone, and starts to stink!

I think the coons got him that night as the snake was gone in the morning. At least the coons didn't get to eat quail filled snake!

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
My policy on all snakes too, owned 80 acres a few years back that the locals called "rattle snake hill". I didnt know it till mushroom season rolled around. More mushrooms on that farm than you would believe. I later figured out that no one would walk it to find them. I was walkin down a pretty steep grade when I ran right up on, and was about to step on 2 timber rattlers. They was lay'n together by the rock I was about to step off of. My brother said he knew what I must have found, cuz I was make'n pi$$'in on myself sounds as I moon walked back up the hill. Bill

 

[gamblelover85]

I am an avid reptile lover and have owned snakes before. It's a lot more likely that he couldn't get out while full and was just waiting for his food to digest. Snakes that size will only eat a meal that large once every 1 to 2 weeks. Constrictors will go a full month before feeling hungry again. I don't blame you for killing it though as much as i love them they can also be a huge problem when it comes to small birds. If you would have let him live he would have returned in another week or so to have himself another meal. But it was a very pretty snake all in all.