Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[wcbpolish]

I just looked it up, and it's a subspecies of garter snake. If you pick it up, it will likely shoot out that wonderful smelling goo too.
Tell it to eat those mice!
Mary

Ribbons are more aggressive than the eastern garter that I generally see. Our garters put stink all over you as well. I catch them to show any kids that visit

Over spring break I drove to a relative's farm in South Dakota. Got a dog and a flat tire. I know, seems like a long ways to go for a flat tire, but whatever...

 

[chickflick]

RaZ, are you planning on putting gravel under your floor? Helps control the mice. Krisrose and I did that to our coop when we built them. She had a turkey coop built and didn't do it. Had a big mouse problem. Had to replace the floor because they ate through the floor.
Huh, I don't remember the garter snakes shooting out stinky stuff when I played with them as a child. Could be I just didn't care or notice... or forgot.
Good to see how happy you are now, RaZ. Been a long time coming...

 

[aart]

I think most snakes and other reptiles (and animals) release a musk when threatened.

 

[wcbpolish]

Huh, I don't remember the garter snakes shooting out stinky stuff when I played with them as a child. Could be I just didn't care or notice... or forgot.

This is the house my wife grew up in and she does not recall the stinky stuff from when she was a kid. She and I wonder if one population (species?) has replaced another in the area, hence the change in the population.

 

[Folly's place]

I spent summers in NW Wisconsin, and those garter snakes could really put out the smell! Not in the skunk class, but still...
The other snakes I've handled didn't do that; I thought it's only a garter snake thing, at least in the Midwest.
Mary

 

[rachelsflock]

Aw man, chip monks. We had chip monks once. They tried to live under the coop. First I thought they were rats, but then I saw them. Then they got bold and started trying to raid the feeders. Then the bored, penned for the winter muscovies saw them one day and with the chickens' help all they began executing and consuming them. We don't have chipmonks any more. I'm not sure how to feel about this, but we certainly don't have any left. My darling muscovies really take a toll on the wildlife, but they do a good job keeping the annoying stuff down. I wouldn't mind if they ate groundhogs too, which are now out of hiberntation here, so spring can't be far away, right?

 

[RaZ]

Yesterday certainly had that spring feel to it. Today it is spitting snow and rain. On occasion it's practically a white-out.
On the plus side, I saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers in the front trees. A wild turkey flock in the back woods. Not to mention the symphony of bird songs from all around me.
Until I get the cat ready to be outside I'll just have to deal with the chippies myself. I have .22 ways to do so.

 

[snowflake]

Glad you are so happy Raz,after all GC put you through, it's about time things started going your way.

love the snakes, daughter and grand daughter still love picking them up, don't recall stinky smell from very many, but maybe our snakes are used to being picked up and set back down.
I have not seen any this yr yet, so glad they are waking up.

Our gray strip male is a good mouser, we had a problem in the basement. He would try to teach the younger cats,but I think he usually caught them and brought them to the younger. Haven't seen a mouse since we had the new door installed. I was pretty sure that was how they were getting in. ONCE in a while you have a lucky guess.

Nice weather here, sun is shining. may get out and rake the run. spread some lime. always seems to help with the spring stink build up.

 

[SillyChicken]

I agree with snowflake, you deserve a little peace and quite. I could never live in a city/suburb area... I would go absolutely insane, or hurt someone........ neither would be good.

Hopefully the warming trend will continue and finally push the cold and snow out of here! I think we are due more snow Monday..luckily it doesn't stick around long!

This little weather vane was on a junk metal stand that was given to me... so I cut it off the stand and mounted to a post in my front yard. I like getting a glimpse out the window for wind conditions and it looks a heck of a lot better on the post!

 

[aart]

This little weather vane was on a junk metal stand that was given to me

I was just wishing for something like that...very cool!