MILK SNAKES! AHHHH maybe graphic

[Wolf-Kim]

Adam(DH) had a close call with a baby Copperhead just a few weeks ago. We were sitting on our brick steps watching something across the road and Adam asks "Is that a real snake?!?" Turned the light on(It was night) and sure enough there was a foot long Copperhead not a foot away from Adam on the same step he was sitting.

Of course we beheaded the critter, as it was on our front steps and too close for comfort. He was a beautiful thing though.

-Kim

 

[Emzyyy]

We have all types of snakes on our property but we never have problems w/ them getting our Bantems. We have problems w/ the neighbor's cats so I just keep a airsoft gun ready to scare them away especially in the morning. I don't kill the snakes in fact I didn't know what species a King snake was at the moment so I took it down to my favorite exotic pet store "TAILS AND SCAILS" and had it looked at to see. Well I didn't want to leave the snake in the car after the pet store while we went in Wal-Mart because it was hot that day. So I just wrapped it around my wrist and walked right in wal-mart. It was around 2 ft long. No one noticed. Black snake w/ yellow spots, until we went in the carpet store quickly a woman noticed and screamed her lungs out and ran across the store almost hyperventilating at the sight of it. I don't get it there not scary? I didn't even know what type the snake was when I found it and just picked it right up. People are very strange sometimes.

 

[antiquebuff]

I must say that in my opinion a good snake is a dead snake!
Its strictly and individuals preference. We could argue the point all day. When I find one any where around my coops or yard I do locate it.. From there to buried in the ground!

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
If you've had "all sorts of stuff come into the coop", then it IS going to keep on happening -- because your coop is obviously not very secure. As long as you have an insecure coop, "all sorts of stuff" is going to keep right on getting into it.

The way to keep things out of your coop is to have a SECURE coop -- not to shoot everything you see.

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
ticks,
I think you got your questions answered before this thread took off on a tangent.

Just in case.
A small milk snake probably would not harm a 3 week old duckling. A large milk snake might be able to but ducklings get big pretty fast.

Milk snakes are not venomous.

The only way to truely get rid of them is to exterminate them. If you don't if you get rid of one another will take its place. I wouldn't reccomend extermination and hope you don't consider it. I think it is better to do what you can to snake proof your fowl's living arrangements.

 

[ticks]

Thanks dacjohns, I only killed a little one because they don't stay small for long. we do have 4-5 ft. snakes on our property.
egh, that's what the snake looked like, only smaller.

 

[dacjohns]

Wow, this thread like other threads about snakes.


So many people have been taught from an early age to fear and hate snakes. Maybe for some it is even innate.

Some fears can be conquered through education. Much misinformation can be corrected through education. I think it is safe to assume that everyone on the BYC forums has access to the internet. Now there is alot of false stuff on the internet but there is also a wealth of information.

We like to jump in and help but sometimes we jump the gun. Someone from New Hampshire can post a picture of a snake and call it a milk snake, then someone else jumps in and says no it isn't it's a corn snake (I don't know that it happened, just an example). It would be nice if the location was taken into account when trying to identify critters. Corn snakes don't occur in New Hampshire. We might have people in Florida worrying about fishers because someone thought the damage to a chicken sounded like it was caused by a fisher. Fishers don't occur in Florida.

Trying to place a predator in a location where it doesn't occur just confuses the person asking for help.

I don't condone killing a snake because it is a snake but I understand people act from fear. Knowledge can help you. Use the internet to learn more about snakes and other critters.

luvmychickendkids, you said it right.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I bloody hate garter snakes, but my mum ALWAYS relocates them, she just picks them up and they go happily away with her... She must be like the snake queen or something LOL

There was one the other week in the stairwell down to the "cave," and one making its way into the soon-to-be chicken coop, but that I think was mostly curiosity, and the fact that the door was wide open and two large people were walking toward it!

 

[michigan chick]

I just moved to the country. I have been in Michigan since 98. We bought about 4 acre of land that includes woodlands as well as part of a protected wetland/marsh/pond area. I went on the internet at the first sign of a snake. I grew up in Kansas and was a Parks and Rec. volunteer at 8. I went threw several wildlife certification classes. Including game hunting and survival training. I felt out of place not knowing what was out there here in Michigan.

(edited by staff)

 

[Sparrow]

I think it's really sad that so many topics about snakes end up in arguements. I completely agree that education is key in helping to reduce fear related to things(and creatures) that we don't understand. It would be fantastic if there were charts depicting venomous/non-venomous snakes in all areas of the U.S.

The fact of the matter is, no matter where you are in U.S., only a very small percentage of the snakes you will enounter will pose a danger to you. Harmless snakes like Ratsnakes, Corn Snakes, Milk Snakes, Fox Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ringneck Snakes and a whole bunch of others are quite plentiful compared to venomous snakes. Now, I'm not saying people should go out and randomly grab any snake they see...you may encounter a potentially dangerous one. I'm saying that you should make a little effort to become familiar with the species common in your area so you KNOW what you are seeing when you come across one. It's easy to recognize species once you see them.

I understand not wanting your kids to be in danger...but to be frank, your chickens/dogs/cats can hurt your kids MUCH worse than most non-venomous snakes can. It sounds crazy but it's entirely true. I have scars on my arms/hands from my ducks' claws, my brother's dog bite, and pet cat bites. I have NO scars anywhere from snake bite, and I have been bitten by snakes as long as I am. Your children are exposed to these other animals daily, but snakes are considered a threat to be eliminated. If they are taught not to fear, but to respect snakes and not go close to ANY of them that they might see, you will have a much more harmonious relationship with the natural world that you live in.