Does this sound like a snake??

[Zinjifrah]

Agree... off subject but water moccasins (sp??) Freak me out. Is it true that they swim totally on top of the water as opposed to non venomous swimming with just their head above? We have several of those in the area...

Water moccasins can swim on the surface by keeping their lungs inflated, as can most species of snake, but they can also swim under the surface. Seeing a snake on the surface doesn't necessarily mean it's a water moccasin - and seeing one under the surface doesn't mean it's not one. Best to just avoid any snake that you can't readily identify. A small piece of trivia; The majority of venomous snake bites in the US every year... are the result of people who are physically handling a snake that they are fully aware is venomous. The number of venomous bites that happen from chance encounters is actually fairly low. It's usually someone who either keeps venomous snakes as pets - I do not - or someone who saw a venomous snake, recognized it as such, and decided it was a good idea to catch it or try to move it. Simple rule: If you don't know, don't touch.

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[Shanna-stephens]

Water moccasins can swim on the surface by keeping their lungs inflated, as can most species of snake, but they can also swim under the surface. Seeing a snake on the surface doesn't necessarily mean it's a water moccasin - and seeing one under the surface doesn't mean it's not one. Best to just avoid any snake that you can't readily identify. A small piece of trivia; The majority of venomous snake bites in the US every year... are the result of people who are physically handling a snake that they are fully aware is venomous. The number of venomous bites that happen from chance encounters is actually fairly low. It's usually someone who either keeps venomous snakes as pets - I do not - or someone who saw a venomous snake, recognized it as such, and decided it was a good idea to catch it or try to move it. Simple rule: If you don't know, don't touch.

I believe that! Just last week someone in oklahoma (I'm from there, my parents live there and sent the news story) was killed becsuse 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...

 

[Zinjifrah]

I believe that! Just last week someone in oklahoma (I'm from there, my parents live there and sent the news story) was killed becsuse 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...

I think that's called 'survival of the fittest', with 'fittest' meaning 'those possessing common sense'.

 

[Shanna-stephens]

I think that's called 'survival of the fittest', with 'fittest' meaning 'those possessing common sense'.

Bahahaha that is exactly what my husband said.

 

[Shanna-stephens]

Can I see a pic of this cross? It sounds so cute

 

[Zinjifrah]

I'm really hoping my Silkie turns out female. I'm sure two of my Sebrights are... the other two are probably male, and one of them has scissor beak, so no breeding for him. I know I've got at least one little roo among my Seramas, possibly two. I want to see Silkie x Serama and Sebright X Serama - I've seen pictures of the latter, and it was worth trying for!

 

[Shanna-stephens]

I'm really hoping my Silkie turns out female. I'm sure two of my Sebrights are... the other two are probably male, and one of them has scissor beak, so no breeding for him. I know I've got at least one little roo among my Seramas, possibly two. I want to see Silkie x Serama and Sebright X Serama - I've seen pictures of the latter, and it was worth trying for!

I bet sebright/serama would be pretty! I would love to see pics when you cross them! I've never had Seramas but they are pretty little things.

 

[Zinjifrah]

I bet sebright/serama would be pretty! I would love to see pics when you cross them! I've never had Seramas but they are pretty little things.

It'll be a while - my Sebrights are only six weeks old, and my Seramas only four weeks. But eventually!

 

[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.