OMG I am shaking. Please advise.

[eggchel]

hikerchick..... please be careful. If it rattled, you should assume that it is a rattlesnake until proven otherwise.


Im sorry about your missing millies.

 

[hikerchick]

OK- the mille fleurs were not roosting in their usual spot last night - they were nowhere to be found. But now they are out there. I can't imagine where they spent the night. They ARE teenagers, after all....but at least they are safe for now.

We don't have a gun but I have a shovel, a dagger, and a sword out there now. This is a large building with a loft - he could be anywhere inside the wall. I will keep looking and proceed with caution.

 

[hikerchick]

Quote:
That is an excellent point.

 

[toredano]

Just be careful. Regardless if its poisonous or not.. why take the chance?


And the old wifestale of no others moving in..
We have plenty of snakes here.And they do overlap their territory.We seen more than one after we killed the others. And we been living here for about 7 years now.
Matter of fact we have now gotten rid of 4 rattlers ( 2 in the driveway in so many days) ratsnakes,cornsnakes and other ones we couldnt really identify.

 

[Warfrost]

DO NOT kill it with anything that doesn't have reach! I would suggest a hoe or a rake. It may be some "exotic" illegal snake that someone had in their home as a pet- it may have escaped, or been set loose- or it could very well be local snake. Your best bet is to kill it- even non-poisonous snakes will eat chicks and/or eggs. Good luck and be safe!

 

[Lady Nilstria]

Quote:
I have a perfectly sound explanation for that.

Snakes passing through. You'll still see plenty of snakes if you kill the rattler of a 1-2 acre territory, but that doesn't stop other rattlers or snakes from hunting there or passing through to go somewhere else. If a rattler with an adjacent territory has a lack of food, it'll go someplace else to hunt, but it will not permenately reside in the dead rattler's territory.

Now, all of this only applies if the territory is inhabited by something dangerous, such as goats, donkeys, and whathaveyou. A nearby snake may still come to hunt in an inhabited territory (such as for chickens) but it'll go back to its own place when it's done. Snakes passing through will mostly likely also hunt on their travels but they'll continue to go elsewhere.

We found a copperhead on our porch, but it was actively leaving. Our neighbors had a huge rattler by their house, killed it, and haven't seen another one since (they have livestock). I think having livestock is a major deterent for snakes, even the ones that are just passing through. For people who don't have livestock, they'll probably still continue to see snakes on a regular basis, ones that are hunting, or passing through. I have goats, horses, llamas, and chickens. The goats are with the chickens at all times. I have never had a snake around my chickens, because of the goats.

I take offense to you calling it an old wives tale. Talk to the AG extension people. They'll tell you that it's true.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

That reminds me of the Rattlesnake Rodeo we have every year here for as long as I can remember. People raise and go out on rattler roundups and there are thousands upon thousands of rattlers gathered up for this event. My uncle is one of these folks. Every one he finds goes in the rattler pen.

Emzyy is right, there are many snakes that will mimick rattle snakes, cobras, and such. If we find poisonous snakes here in the yard we kill them and skin 'em. If they aren't venemous then we let them go down the road because many of them such as kingsnakes will eat the venemous ones. But they will eat your chickies and eggs if given the chance.......do what you feel is best for your situation.

 

[hikerchick]

Lady Nilstra I have my chickens in a structure/pen with 6 goats. I thought the goats would provide protection as well. My goats were right there when I saw the snake.

 

[Lady Nilstria]

Quote:
Are they pygmies?

 

[toredano]

You take offense ? wow..

Gimme a break.
I guess all the snakes that are here must just be passing thru..

Tell that to the 3 or so that are living in the in woodpile at the barn.Guess they didnt get the memo..


Now back to the issue at hand...

I would just rather be on the safe side with kids and life stock around.