Does this sound like a snake??

[lazy gardener]

I'm not afraid of snakes. Although I will say I saw a Massasauga rattle snake once in our shed. The box it was in was full of wind up toys so when I bumped the box and heard the noise I thought I had triggered a toy. I began banging on the box trying to undo what I had done. Then I stood on tiptoes(it was the top shelf) to peer into the open box and saw the coils of a snake. I didn't see the head or end of the tail but it was could 2-3 times.

Now that snake I'll admit I almost wet myself. You've never seen anyone run so fast in your life! When I plucked up the courage to go back in it was gone. We never found it.

Generally speaking though snakes don't bother me. Spiders on the other hand are my cryptonite. I react about like you guys said you do to snakes.

Your story is going to give me night mares!

 

[Zinjifrah]

Yeah we've been seeing our sebright daily but haven't been able to find the nest she's done this before but we've always managed to find her. Unfortunately every time we've tried to move her to the coop with her nest for safety she's broken. I really hope we can move her and have her hatch what we want. Lol. Of course I love my bantams but currently I don't have any bantams I want to hatch from... That is none that would be pure. I have female and male silkies but just separated them from the main flock for breeding but they'll be mixed colors because we've lost the matching hens. Still I'm hopeful. I also love oegb but need to add more stock because of the rotten mink. I lost my roos.

I have more silkies in a brooder in the porch right now but of course they're straight run. At only two weeks I can't tell gender but currently I'm thinking I may only have one pullet out of 5 based on stance and the broadness of where their combs will come in. That would be pretty cruddy odds. Of course that gives me an excuse to order more.

We actually specialize so to speak in English Orpingtons which are amazing birds. That is most of our flock is English Orpingtons. Expensive most of the time I've been blessed with friends that raise them. I also have a few other breeds including Buckeyes, cream legbars, Dominiques, silkies, EE, etc. The list could go on and on.

I'm not afraid of snakes. Although I will say I saw a Massasauga rattle snake once in our shed. The box it was in was full of wind up toys so when I bumped the box and heard the noise I thought I had triggered a toy. I began banging on the box trying to undo what I had done. Then I stood on tiptoes(it was the top shelf) to peer into the open box and saw the coils of a snake. I didn't see the head or end of the tail but it was could 2-3 times.

Now that snake I'll admit I almost wet myself. You've never seen anyone run so fast in your life! When I plucked up the courage to go back in it was gone. We never found it.

Generally speaking though snakes don't bother me. Spiders on the other hand are my cryptonite. I react about like you guys said you do to snakes.

Yeah... I like snakes, love to watch them - so graceful! But spiders are a major no for me. Most arachnids, really, though I can take slow-moving scorpions (they're rare). Part of that stems from the fact that unlike snakes, ALL spiders are venomous to some degree, and I am, for whatever reason, extremely sensitive to spider venom. Even the 'non-dangerous' spiders, such as Wolf Spiders, make me extremely sick for weeks if I get one bite. I react very badly to Fire Ant bites, as well. It's one of the reasons I don't own any venomous snakes - not even rear-fanged snakes, such as Hognose, which are generally regarded as harmless. I just have to get my fix of how absurdly cute Hogs are by watching videos of them! Got to love the 'American Cobra' (They flatten their necks out as part of their defensive display) that plays dead - complete to mouth gaping open and tongue hanging out.

 

[chickendreams24]

I've never been to Wisconsin... the only thing I even know about it is that you guys have good cheese. Lol! I used to work with a guy from Wisconsin and I loved his accent... which im sure he loved ours too he used to work in a cheese factory there. He would go home and bring some back occasionally.

"it's a horrible way to spend your summer "

Wisconsin is definitely worth the trip for the cheese and the natural beauty! The rolling hills in the southern part, the Dells, the huge hills and river scenery. Great fishing. Great people. Seems like whenever someone from out of town hears I'm from Wisconsin they tell me the Wisconsin has the nicest people they've ever met. LOL

What state are you in?

I can't touch worms either without cringing. We have the best cheese here for sure. I love cheese.

I didn't know you were in Wisconsin! Yay a neighbor! Lol what part of the state I'm southern WI. Some great cheese factories down here!

I can't go a day without having some cheese. Hubby says it's an "American thing." We put cheese on everything. I don't think cheese is quite as popular or necessary in some other countries!

Cheese is practically an American pastime especially in Wisconsin LOL there are so many amazing cheeses to try. Hundreds of kinds. Many cheese factories in Wisconsin have a day where visitors can come and watch cheese curds be made and try fresh ones!

Oh ye

Oh yes. He loves them... I'm like what I's that a rock?? He's like no, it' a tick! Very proud of himself.

Slugs? ?! Ughhhhh... gross!!
We don't see a lot of those around here.

Oh gosh I hate ticks! I really don't know of a more worthless species on the planet. Slugs are awful too but not as bad as ticks, except when they're eating my garden. Last year was a bad slightly year.

Come to Wisconsin. We have cheese factories where hundreds of different cheeses are sold and made. Colby cheese was created in Colby Wisconsin. I could swim in the vats they make cheese curds in. Such wonderful cheese here. I have a cheese problem.

Another wisconsinite with a cheese problem. Hello I'm A. and I have a cheese addiction. LOL DH2B and I get into it because he grew up eating Velveeta and I tell him all the time that's not real cheese and he should have more Wisconsin pride. LOL. Since I've tried it it's okay but it's still not cheese to me.

Heh! I'd be happy to have snakes coming around... but I'm not afraid of them. Every snake deserves respect, but unlike spiders, not all snakes are venomous. They're marvelous rodent control, though. Unfortunately, the big bull snakes that should be here eliminating my pocket gopher problem won't come near, because of the horses - they're very sensitive to vibrations in the ground.

But then, I also have fifteen pet snakes that I use for educational demonstrations, to help STOP people from killing all the harmless, beneficial snakes in this area. Even the rattlers here would much prefer to just be left alone - that's why they have a rattle. To warn danger away, so they don't have to bite it to defend themselves.

Yeah I don't mind having snakes around they're great for the environment and Lord knows anything that will help our gopher problem is fine by me.

I absolutely love colby cheese. I used to buy it by the 14# wheel. When I was nursing my first born, my lunch every single day was a toasted colby and tomato sandwich. (Well... make that 2 sandwiches! One for me, and one for the baby!) I'd think I'd died and gone to cheese heaven if I had access to all that cheese. Perhaps we'll have to come visit you. Then, you can visit us, and we'll show you what real lobstah tastes like!!!

Where are you at? Please oh please can I come for lobster too? I'll bring cheese!

I believe that! Just last week someone in oklahoma (I'm from there, my parents live there and sent the news story) was killed because they saw a rattler on the road and were trying (and actually succeeded) to put it in their toolbox on their truck. But it bit him twice in the process and he died. Horrible...

Oh that's so sad but yes survival of the fittest. What was that guy thinking? Some people I tell you.

Personally I've been handling wild snakes for years although usually my mother(who's been catching snakes since she was knee high to a grass hopper) has been the one that did the initial catch. I admit I'm a bit nervous grabbing the bigger ones although they're not venemous types I don't fancy being bitten.

Now the year I saw what I identified as the rare Massasauga or swamp rattler our "neighbor" drained and tiled his Creek bottom field thinking he could work it. He tore up all the natural habitat and totally screwed it up. I believe that is what pushed the rattler out onto our land.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wisconsin is definitely worth the trip for the cheese and the natural beauty! The rolling hills in the southern part, the Dells, the huge hills and river scenery. Great fishing. Great people. Seems like whenever someone from out of town hears I'm from Wisconsin they tell me the Wisconsin has the nicest people they've ever met. LOL

What state are you in?



I didn't know you were in Wisconsin! Yay a neighbor! Lol what part of the state I'm southern WI. Some great cheese factories down here!



Cheese is practically an American pastime especially in Wisconsin LOL there are so many amazing cheeses to try. Hundreds of kinds. Many cheese factories in Wisconsin have a day where visitors can come and watch cheese curds be made and try fresh ones!



Oh gosh I hate ticks! I really don't know of a more worthless species on the planet. Slugs are awful too but not as bad as ticks, except when they're eating my garden. Last year was a bad slightly year.



Another wisconsinite with a cheese problem. Hello I'm A. and I have a cheese addiction. LOL DH2B and I get into it because he grew up eating Velveeta and I tell him all the time that's not real cheese and he should have more Wisconsin pride. LOL. Since I've tried it it's okay but it's still not cheese to me.



Yeah I don't mind having snakes around they're great for the environment and Lord knows anything that will help our gopher problem is fine by me.



Where are you at? Please oh please can I come for lobster too? I'll bring cheese!



Oh that's so sad but yes survival of the fittest. What was that guy thinking? Some people I tell you.

Personally I've been handling wild snakes for years although usually my mother(who's been catching snakes since she was knee high to a grass hopper) has been the one that did the initial catch. I admit I'm a bit nervous grabbing the bigger ones although they're not venemous types I don't fancy being bitten.

Now the year I saw what I identified as the rare Massasauga or swamp rattler our "neighbor" drained and tiled his Creek bottom field thinking he could work it. He tore up all the natural habitat and totally screwed it up. I believe that is what pushed the rattler out onto our land.

I'm right in the middle of the state near Wisconsin Rapids. I'm 5 miles away from the best cheese factory ever in Rudolph. I could eat their cheese curds every day.

I grew up eating Velveeta too. Must be a Wisconsin thing too? I will eat anything dairy, or pseudo dairy. Best grilled cheese ever was made with Velveeta.

We have a big Lyme disease problem here, do you too down there? It's becoming the state's official disease.

 

[chickendreams24]

Yeah we've been seeing our sebright daily but haven't been able to find the nest she's done this before but we've always managed to find her. Unfortunately every time we've tried to move her to the coop with her nest for safety she's broken. I really hope we can move her and have her hatch what we want. Lol. Of course I love my bantams but currently I don't have any bantams I want to hatch from... That is none that would be pure. I have female and male silkies but just separated them from the main flock for breeding but they'll be mixed colors because we've lost the matching hens. Still I'm hopeful. I also love oegb but need to add more stock because of the rotten mink. I lost my roos.

I have more silkies in a brooder in the porch right now but of course they're straight run. At only two weeks I can't tell gender but currently I'm thinking I may only have one pullet out of 5 based on stance and the broadness of where their combs will come in. That would be pretty cruddy odds. Of course that gives me an excuse to order more.

We actually specialize so to speak in English Orpingtons which are amazing birds. That is most of our flock is English Orpingtons. Expensive most of the time I've been blessed with friends that raise them. I also have a few other breeds including Buckeyes, cream legbars, Dominiques, silkies, EE, etc. The list could go on and on.

I'm not afraid of snakes. Although I will say I saw a Massasauga rattle snake once in our shed. The box it was in was full of wind up toys so when I bumped the box and heard the noise I thought I had triggered a toy. I began banging on the box trying to undo what I had done. Then I stood on tiptoes(it was the top shelf) to peer into the open box and saw the coils of a snake. I didn't see the head or end of the tail but it was could 2-3 times.

Now that snake I'll admit I almost wet myself. You've never seen anyone run so fast in your life! When I plucked up the courage to go back in it was gone. We never found it.

Generally speaking though snakes don't bother me. Spiders on the other hand are my cryptonite. I react about like you guys said you do to snakes.

Your story is going to give me night mares!

Yeah lol it just about gave me nightmares. I was in that shed in flip flops! Unfortunately raccoons had chewed into the shed and had taken the lid off that box among destroying other things that's why I was in there cleaning up. I wanted to let the DNR know I saw it but I had no proof and my own family didn't believe me that it had actually been a rattle snake. Only I had seen it although a now ex boyfriend of mine had been in the shed with me. He heard it but didn't see it.

Yeah... I like snakes, love to watch them - so graceful! But spiders are a major no for me. Most arachnids, really, though I can take slow-moving scorpions (they're rare). Part of that stems from the fact that unlike snakes, ALL spiders are venomous to some degree, and I am, for whatever reason, extremely sensitive to spider venom. Even the 'non-dangerous' spiders, such as Wolf Spiders, make me extremely sick for weeks if I get one bite. I react very badly to Fire Ant bites, as well. It's one of the reasons I don't own any venomous snakes - not even rear-fanged snakes, such as Hognose, which are generally regarded as harmless. I just have to get my fix of how absurdly cute Hogs are by watching videos of them! Got to love the 'American Cobra' (They flatten their necks out as part of their defensive display) that plays dead - complete to mouth gaping open and tongue hanging out.

Exactly snakes are very cool creatures spiders are the stuff of nightmares.... LoL no seriously I've woken up with a wolf spider in my bed talk about terrifying! I have pretty crazy reactions to mosquito bites and we'll lots of things I have very sensitive skin but I'm not sure if I have a sensitivity to spider bites. Scorpions are better than spiders as far as I'm concerned though I wouldn't hold one because of the stinger. Oh I hate fire ants. In our old house the push mower always died in the same spot in the yard(right on top of a fire ant colony). Yes in Wisconsin, anyone who says they don't exist here is nuts!

We also had European garden spiders in that yard! Ew ew ew ew ew ew!!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!!! That's the stuff of nightmares. By the time we moved out we had gone from only finding two European garden spiders to over 20 all over the bushes out front! No thanks! Those things were nuts they would watch you and you could see them watch you. When trimming the trees they looked like they were stalking and going to attack you. Sometimes even walking forward. Idk they're supposedly harmless. When we first found them they were also not supposed to be in in the U.S. let alone Wisconsin.

I'm right in the middle of the state near Wisconsin Rapids. I'm 5 miles away from the best cheese factory ever in Rudolph. I could eat their cheese curds every day.

I grew up eating Velveeta too. Must be a Wisconsin thing too? I will eat anything dairy, or pseudo dairy. Best grilled cheese ever was made with Velveeta.

We have a big Lyme disease problem here, do you too down there? It's becoming the state's official disease.

Yes, unfortunately. Not as much in certain places but in the more rural areas definitely. My Grandma lives down here too on a farm with about 12+ acres of woods and ticks are a problem there. I've been trying to convince Grandma and my mom who cares for her to turn a flock of guineas loose. My Grandma had a sheltie that got Lyme's. Unfortunately it went untreated and undiagnosed for months and effected her brain. It completely changed her personality.

After I get DH2B and moved in with him we had a few ticks. Then we got chickens and saw almost no ticks.

If there are high numbers of ticks they can get on a dog even with preventative. Anyway the first year we had chickens my sheltie got one tick. Just one. It gave her Lyme's disease. It was not a deer tick I'm positive. It looked like a plain old wood/dog tick. My vet told me that it had to bea deer tick. She only had one tick and it gave her the bullseye marking like people usually get. It's uncommon for a dog to get the rings. I took the tick off immediately it wasn't on long I could tell. It was long enough. She exhibited symptoms shortly after.

Note: I didn't know bullseye markings around the bite was a sign of Lyme's disease because there were only two small rings around it I thought it was just irritated. It wasn't. When she started exhibiting signs of pain and lameness within a couple days I googled and I knew before I took her to the vet. We caught it so quickly that the test barely showed positive. I was grateful for that. It didn't change her personality. She was treated and has had to be treated maybe 1-3 more times since then. She now gets the vaccine to keep it from flaring up but nothing can change that one little tick.

I will also give you that Velveeta makes good grilled cheese but it's still not "cheese". LOL

Idk what Wisconsin is going to do about the tick situation. Perhaps a massive guinea release would work. Idk. They're possibly the most useless creature on the planet. They don't break down waste or keep any other animal number in check it doesn't seem like there is much that eats them. Ugh ticks.

They're saying this year is going to be a bad year. We've already seen one this year at our house(just on a concrete wall DH2B leaned on) we have approximately 100 chickens and 4 guineas. How was that thing here!?

The other one out at my Grandma's where it may or may not have been picked up in the middle of the yard while we pruned a tiny maple tree..


Last year all year here we only saw one tick in the garden which the chickens were locked out of. We'll see if we see more this year.

Random factoid: we have never seen a tick on our Great Dane and she runs around all over. Idk if her coat is just too short and coarse or what. Idk if this is something that common for Danes or not.

 

[lazy gardener]

My dog also tested positive for lyme. I put her on antibiotic for a short time, but she couldn't handle it. So, I stopped treatment. She has been asymptomatic. Further reading tells me that dogs frequently test positive for Lyme, even though they don't have it. Depending on what vet you talk to, you can treat for a positive test, or not treat unless they become symptomatic. Lyme is prevalent here in Maine. Ticks are rampant now, but I've not seen one yet this season. Less than 5 last season, while neighbor across the street had them all over the place.

 

[Shanna-stephens]

Wisconsin is definitely worth the trip for the cheese and the natural beauty! The rolling hills in the southern part, the Dells, the huge hills and river scenery. Great fishing. Great people. Seems like whenever someone from out of town hears I'm from Wisconsin they tell me the Wisconsin has the nicest people they've ever met. LOL

What state are you in?

I am I'm Northwest Arkansas about an hour from Fayetteville... I was born and raised in oklahoma... married an Arkie.











Oh gosh I hate ticks! I really don't know of a more worthless species on the planet. Slugs are awful too but not as bad as ticks, except when they're eating my garden. Last year was a bad slightly year.

This may be the worst year I can remember with ticks. They are everywhere here. The old timers swear the ground didnt get cold enough to kill them out this winter. Ive Never noticed any correlation so I dont know if that's true




Yeah I don't mind having snakes around they're great for the environment and Lord knows anything that will help our gopher problem is fine by me.

We don't have a lot of gophers that I am aware of, but we have tons of moles! I have a cat that kills them ver
Often and just leaves them in the yard. Guess they Taste nasty?? She also kills full grown red squirrels and leaves them on my porch throughout the sunner



Oh that's so sad but yes survival of the fittest. What was that guy thinking? Some people I tell you.

Personally I've been handling wild snakes for years although usually my mother(who's been catching snakes since she was knee high to a grass hopper) has been the one that did the initial catch. I admit I'm a bit nervous grabbing the bigger ones although they're not venemous types I don't fancy being bitten.

Now the year I saw what I identified as the rare Massasauga or swamp rattler our "neighbor" drained and tiled his Creek bottom field thinking he could work it. He tore up all the natural habitat and totally screwed it up. I believe that is what pushed the rattler out onto our land.

You have got to be kidding!! That is so freaky! I have actually never seen a rattler outside of an exhibit... abut 20 miles away they have a lot of them. I think timber rattlers Is what Ive heard they are.

 

[Shanna-stephens]

You have got to be kidding!! That is so freaky! I have actually never seen a rattler outside of an exhibit... abut 20 miles away they have a lot of them. I think timber rattlers Is what Ive heard they are.

Okay... I didn't reply to that right. Hmmm. My answers are in the quote box. Not sure what I did wrong...

 

[Shanna-stephens]

Yeah we've been seeing our sebright daily but haven't been able to find the nest she's done this before but we've always managed to find her. Unfortunately every time we've tried to move her to the coop with her nest for safety she's broken. I really hope we can move her and have her hatch what we want. Lol. Of course I love my bantams but currently I don't have any bantams I want to hatch from... That is none that would be pure. I have female and male silkies but just separated them from the main flock for breeding but they'll be mixed colors because we've lost the matching hens. Still I'm hopeful. I also love oegb but need to add more stock because of the rotten mink. I lost my roos.

I have more silkies in a brooder in the porch right now but of course they're straight run. At only two weeks I can't tell gender but currently I'm thinking I may only have one pullet out of 5 based on stance and the broadness of where their combs will come in. That would be pretty cruddy odds. Of course that gives me an excuse to order more.

We actually specialize so to speak in English Orpingtons which are amazing birds. That is most of our flock is English Orpingtons. Expensive most of the time I've been blessed with friends that raise them. I also have a few other breeds including Buckeyes, cream legbars, Dominiques, silkies, EE, etc. The list could go on and on.

I'm not afraid of snakes. Although I will say I saw a Massasauga rattle snake once in our shed. The box it was in was full of wind up toys so when I bumped the box and heard the noise I thought I had triggered a toy. I began banging on the box trying to undo what I had done. Then I stood on tiptoes(it was the top shelf) to peer into the open box and saw the coils of a snake. I didn't see the head or end of the tail but it was could 2-3 times.

Now that snake I'll admit I almost wet myself. You've never seen anyone run so fast in your life! When I plucked up the courage to go back in it was gone. We never found it.

Generally speaking though snakes don't bother me. Spiders on the other hand are my cryptonite. I react about like you guys said you do to snakes.

It sounds like you have a beautiful flock... so what is the difference (still ignorant to the chicken breeds) in an English and regular orpington? My husband's parents ran commercial chicken houses for years and just shut them down recently. We couldnt own any poultry until they closed down. So, although we'e been around chickens a lot, we haven' been around "non commercial" except for About the last year.

 

[Shanna-stephens]

Yeah... I like snakes, love to watch them - so graceful! But spiders are a major no for me. Most arachnids, really, though I can take slow-moving scorpions (they're rare). Part of that stems from the fact that unlike snakes, ALL spiders are venomous to some degree, and I am, for whatever reason, extremely sensitive to spider venom. Even the 'non-dangerous' spiders, such as Wolf Spiders, make me extremely sick for weeks if I get one bite. I react very badly to Fire Ant bites, as well. It's one of the reasons I don't own any venomous snakes - not even rear-fanged snakes, such as Hognose, which are generally regarded as harmless. I just have to get my fix of how absurdly cute Hogs are by watching videos of them! Got to love the 'American Cobra' (They flatten their necks out as part of their defensive display) that plays dead - complete to mouth gaping open and tongue hanging out.

I have to agree that they are so cute. I saw one when my husband was working in oklahoma a couple years ago. It was slithering down the road where i was walking. I couldn't believe how cute It was. It was pretty small. Maybe 1- 1.5 ft or so. I tried to get a picture but it was too fast. Not that I would have gotten too close. still a snake. Haha