Mr. Not so welcomed friend Kill or not?

[mel51]

I would agree that that would solve the problem for one that can shot a gun. I would however be more likely to shot one of my hens. I have tried to shot a 22 and a 38 can not hit the can. Some of us would be more dangerous with a gun in our hands lol.

 

[Bigdaddy101]

Obviously Jack2002003 has never been to Texas. It is not so much that we "let" our boys run around bare footed, as much as they just end up that way often times. As you can see in my avatar photo, I found this one day in my coop. Hey thought the baby chick cheeping sounded cool in his mouth. I am just relieved he did not stick the other end in his mouth. I live on about 3 acres, so a great deal of our time is spent outside. That boy in that picture could swim when he was 3 years old. I believe it is better to allow children to experience and teach as you go rather than just keep them away from things. As far as insects and scorpions (not a big deal in southeast Texas) are nothing compared to a poisonous snake bite.

 

[TheTropix]

Believe me, my kids know. I'm just doing my job as a parent to make sure their environment is as safe as possible. And I let my husband retain all the knowledge when it comes to the different snake species. That's his job since he was a python owner in college.

But the point remains that if someone - perhaps a rookie to country/farm/chicken living - isn't well versed on exactly what breed of snake is crawling around their nest boxes, they really shouldn't be advised to reach down and grab it, or even get close enough to trap it, just for the sake of sparing the snake so it can live on and eat more mice... But, like yourself, I'm just stating my own humble opinion.

Oh - the danger of a post mortem snake bite is pretty much alleviated once their head has been blown completely off by a shotgun shell...

I didn't suggest ANYONE just reach in and grab a snake. I did't say anything about grabbing a snake at all. If I know a snake isn't poisonous, I'll reach in and grab it. Will I get bit? maybe BUT, I am familiar with ID'ing them since I was a kid... back in the black and white days, LOL. If I'm not sure I will pin its' head and check. There is a way to tell, so you can definitely do this post-mortem... even after a direct hit with a shotgun!!! ROFL (yep.. that's effective)
If anyone is so inclined, try this WITH A DEAD, HEADLESS SNAKE (unless you have one in hand ) Look at the scales on its belly. A single row all the way from its "neck" to it's bottom (butt, not the tip of its tail). Once you pass it's bottom (a bigger rounder "scale" within a few inches of the tip of its tail), do the scales continue to be single all the way to the tip or do they split into 2 rows of scales from it's fanny to the tip of it's tail? ONE row is poisonous... TWO rows is non poisonous. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE - IN THE USA- IS THE CORAL SNAKE. But you can use the "Red on Yellow will kill a fella" "Red on Black, won't hurt Jack"

 

[Zootopia]

I'm going to side with my fellows Texans and vote to kill it. Just like we killed one nearly identical to it last summer after I stuck my head in the coop and came face to face with that 6 ft bad boy, nearly making me keel over with a heart attack...

I dang sure know that one less snake isn't going to be detrimental to nature and tip the scales such that the world becomes overrun by rodents.

Any predator that comes around in hunt of a chicken dinner gets shot. That includes opossums, raccoons, skunks, and the poor little stray dog that came around our house 2 days ago. And lest you all think we're heartless gun fanatics down here, I'll just have you know that I personally cried buckets of tears over that stupid stray dog. But we tried to relocate, he came back, and it had to be done. Why the heck would I want to relocate a snake that would just be a pest for someone else to have to deal with?

As for mice and rats and other snakes, I'll leave it up to the granddaddy red tailed hawk that lives in our pasture to take care of those. He's old and huge and walks behind our tractor when we bush hog and grabs whatever jumps out. Has never once bothered our chickens, ducks, or baby geese. Now HE is a MAjESTIC creature. I just don't get using the term majestic to describe a rat snake...

Please do not loop all Texans into some kind of "Kill it" category! We keep a lidded bucket and a snake stick so we can remove even small rattle snakes. The larger ones are not safe for us to maneuver. We have only seem 2 snakes in the last 2 yrs thanks I'm sure to now having free ranging (and sometimes annoying) Guineas. The guineas had both snakes surrounded. Lol. One year we had 7 rattle snakes, we had to kill a couple cause they were in the kennel and too hard to remove. The larger non venomous snakes do get relocated too, to protect the chickens and eggs. The smaller ones are welcome, like all the beautiful hawks.
Yes, I guess you could say I'm kinda a "Tree Hugger" we put buckets of water out in the back corners of our place when the neighbors tank went dry. It kept the coyotes from coming down to the barn to drink out of the horse trough.

 

[TheTropix]

I would agree that that would solve the problem for one that can shot a gun. I would however be more likely to shot one of my hens. I have tried to shot a 22 and a 38 can not hit the can. Some of us would be more dangerous with a gun in our hands lol.

ROFL Mel!!! I like shooting guns, too. But my neck won't tolerate a shotgun, lol. Hubby can shoot that. I have my .22 and .380 and love both of them. Not killin shootin', just cans, pinecones high up in the trees.... OMG I could imagine shooting off a gun in a chicken coop!! Wouldn't get an egg for 6 months! LOL

 

[wlhtx]

Why are you allowing your 'very young children' to run around outside with 'bare feet' if you know you have dangerous snakes around your area?!  Even without the snakes they will be in danger from insects stings and scorpions.  I would think the ponds are a more likely danger to you children than the snakes. 

Are you kidding me? By "very young" I mean 3 and 5. Did you never run around your yard barefoot as a child?

Yes, we built our home directly on our own personal pond, and yes we live in an area where there are water moccasins and copperheads. But why would I raise my children to be too afraid to run around barefoot (as all good country children should do) when we can do our job as parents and (1) educate them to be careful and (2) control our environment to the best of our abilities by eradicating any misfortunate snake that does come around?! And we literally patrol our pond Every. Single. Day.

Your philosophy is right in line with "Why do let your kids ride in the car on the highway when you know that they could be in a wreck and die?"

I'm frankly more concerned that they'll step in goose poop than on a bee or a scorpion...

SMH...

 

[TheTropix]

"I just don't get using the term majestic to describe a rat snake..."

Nobody said a snake is majestic

 

[mel51]

I live in an old farm house on 11 acres with a pond Smithfield kentucky. I've been here for 25 years and have had occasion to run into a few snakes now and then, twice in the house. I have always made a point to know the enemy. But I am fearful of all of them even when I know it is harmless Gardner snake. One came out of a floral arraignment hanging on the bathroom wall, one raped itself around an electric clock in the kitchen. I got the snake hook and tongs to try to control my fear by feeling like I can take control. I was so embarrassed when the snake around the clock got loose in my kitchen because i could not get it. I kept screaming at my granddaughter to get it,get it,get it. I almost went to a hotel for the night. instead i went on line and a kind person told my what to do. I set out glue boards and plastic bags and caught it that night. I was not proud of my self he died on that board for no reason but my fear. If I had control over my fear I could have picked him up with a pair of tongs and badged him. So I went on online and ordered some tongs and a hook.Wish me luck I will do better next time.

 

[mel51]

You could say they got they got their eggs scrambled out of them lol

 

[TheTropix]

Mel,
God love your heart! That's cute and sad. I'm sure you will be just fine, and after you've done it and you see nothing bad happened, it'll get easier. I hope you never have to deal with it again, but if you do, you'll be just fine. I'm going to state the obvious, if you don't know it's a NON poisonous snake, leave it alone. Get someone else over to deal with it... animal control, or Sheriff if you're rural.
Mel, if someone you trust!! can catch a little garter or grass snake and hold it, where there is no way IT can touch YOU, do you think you could bring YOURSELF to touch, or even pet IT? Maybe at first just watch someone hold one for a little while and see how things go, until it doesn't creep you out to look at it... then.. maybe, just maybe...... I'm not asking you to play with snakes, just maybe de-sensitize yourself a little at a time with a little docile one. Just food for thought. ; )