Killed Corn Snake**GRAPHIC**

[dlfridie]

Ok, I read the rules for Predators and Pests, and have corrected the title of the thread by adding "GRAPHIC".
That was my mistake, and I'm sorry.
I don't think I violated any other rules.

My intention was not to offend anyone nor to try to force anyone to deal with snakes the way I do.

In the original post, I briefly stated what happened.
I never asked anyone to advise me on how to handle any type of snake.
It's fine to share how you would handle the situation, but to try and impose your methods on me is wrong.
My backyard space is rather small and I intend to control pests in that space.

When I enter a post in someone's thread, it's to learn about different topics and share experiences.
This is supposd to be enjoyable.
After this post, I'll have nothing more to discuss on the matter.


little_grey_bantam,
You do go on and on, but your argument holds no water.
You are just rambling and ranting.
Cats/dogs & snakes...apples and oranges!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I agree that it's essential we all learn to know the types of wildlife that lives in our neighborhoods, and plant life too, to know what's a threat & what is harmless, towards both ourselves, our pets & our livestock.

Here in South Florida I've seen a lot of these red corn snakes in our yard. There have been a few who have caught & killed baby chicks. But only 2-3 in all the years we've been here, so they're not really a big threat. I have since protected my chicks by bringing them indoors at night, when these snakes feed, & haven't lost another. These snakes have caught & killed chicks, but then found them too big to swallow, that's how I could tell it had been a victim of a snake. It would be left on the ground with a wet head & neck.

I also have found these red corn snakes to be extremely easy to catch with my bare hands, and they have not bitten me. You could use garden gloves to really insure against a bite, which isn't really painful. We now keep a few as pets, and the rest are taken to a nearby nature center and released (with the center's knowledge & permission). There really are a lot of folks breeding these snakes for the pet trade, they're fun to experiment with creating new colors & patterns. There isn't much of a market for wild-caught red corns, but sometimes I'll find kids in the local 4-H or homeschool group who want them for pets. They really are easy to keep & handle, even for beginners.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Hey I kill big spiders every chance I can get. I don't care if they are harmless or not. I don't take the chance.... unless they are protected it's no different killing a snake in your yard.

However snakes don't bother me... I think they are cool... but it is what it is.

My neighbor is about 82 and mows her lawn with a riding mower and she runs them over with the mower. Kinda gross but funny to watch her chase a harmless snake around the yard. If any snake makes it in my yard or fields they become quick snakes or I mean snacks to my chickens. They don't stand a chance, but I actually saved a couple since I don't mind them.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

The OP can do what they want, but would enjoy the benefits of snakes if they stopped chopping them. We never kill snakes, we encourage them. Between them and the owls, I have few rodent problems. We don't harm the rattlers, either. I shoo them/move them, it's easy and not much more challenging than moving a non-venomous one. I don't fear any snake, not even the poisonous ones. They are more afraid of you than you are of them. Even a snake that acts agressive is just afraid.

 

[TNRIRRoo]

This is just me, ymmv.

I probably would have let it live until it bothered my chickens. Would have just told the wife and kids to watch out for the new mouse trap.

Understand perfectly the phobia on snakes.

 

[tazcat70]

I can relate to the act first then think. I am from the city, when I lived in Texas for about a year we lived on the outskirts of a small town. One day my dogs were creating a ruckus and I go out to see what was going on. I had a snake (most likely corn or rat, but I don't really know) eating a baby bird in a bush. I FREAKED! I ran in the house with the heebie jeebies, and called my in-laws. I don't think I specifically said come and kill it, but think young guy with a gun. I was about 21. Now, it "probably" wouldn't happen. For one I am much older and I don't freak out so quickly, and 2, I still remember that snake eating it's lunch, not bothering anyone else.

OP-I understand why you did what you did. I am sorry that you are getting grief over it.

 

[mquale]

In college, I kept reptiles and one of my favorites was an amelanistic corn snake, Electra. She was beautiful. Yes, the snake killed here was a corn snake and harmless. They may bite if they are threatened but most snakes will slither away if it senses people. But as so many people have said here, they are good for the yards and keep the rodent population down. In fact, I found a garter snake much bigger than the snake killed here at my parents' home. I picked it up (it didn't bite), put it in a shoe box and the kids and I brought it home. We put it in our backyard. Why? Because we saw a few mice running around and I did not want that population to grow. Since then, we have not seen any mice. I am not worried about the chickens because they can usually fend for themselves (unless they are chicks). If chickens can kill a live mouse/rat and scare off cats and dogs with their pecking, I don't think the snake would be interested in them (just the eggs or chicks if we had any, but their coop is secure to all vermin, knock on wood). Our kids now say we have 4 chickens, 2 dogs and 1 snake in the backyard. I don't see the usefulness of mice and rats but I do see the usefulness of snakes!

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Fortunately, the thread has a very descriptive title and warns that it's graphic. That way people that might be terribly offended can avoid opening it. There are people that keep rats and mice as pets and probably hate that some wild ones get killed by poison or traps. There are people that let family pets, such as dogs and cat, roam and hate that they get shot when bothering chickens or other animals. There are probably insect fans that hate that harmless boxelder bugs get squashed. People that are sensitive to the plight of certain animals being exterminated as pests or predators can read the title and save themselves some grief. It was on her property. She gets to decide if it was a pest or not. It's not a protected species. Even if the bite isn't deadly, the OP didn't want to go through it. It's her situation, her choices and her decision.

 

[Doormantnt]

WOW, did this get out of hand.
as stated earlier, a snake, ANY snake is a predator. and can be addressed by any means up to the legal and moral standpoint of the offended.

just food for thought....would this thread be different if there was a post of a dead 'coon, or the story of the snake in the nest box???

I agree with the RIGHT to handle it however the OP saw fit, with out receiving flax from a "snake lover".....

Dogs, Cats, and snakes are 3 completely different problems, with possible different outcomes depending on proximity, (in my opinion)

I have and will continue to handle predators with the same swift action that I always have. There will be NO relocation, and it is amazing how animals transform from your pet, to a predator when it crosses my property line.

So dlfridie, I see nothing wrong about your post (had GRAPHIC added after I first saw it), and you did what you saw fit. So congrats. To the best of my knowledge, you are the one living there, and none of the other posters, so it is your disgression.

TNT

 

[dntd]

It`s one thing to write about your mistakes, another to post them. If you feel it`s a pest then why take a picture, no one would want to see a mouse in a snap trap. It`s a `hey look at the awsome job I did killing a snake!` Grow up , it`s a snake ,obvously as a owner of pets who live outside you should be aware of any real dangers, do you have rattlers, poison ivy, vegitation which could kill your livestock or pets. In no way would a snake this size hurt anything(the head shape normally tells you if it`s dangerous), it`s fear of the unknown that caused you to kill it, just like people who own chickens and others find chickens dirty and gross. Education in the key.( unlike rodent, if you release snakes they won`t come back and the people living near by won`t have an issue with it)