Rat Snakes

[racuda]

That is a pretty snake. We have yellow and grey rat snakes here, but the black one does not make it this far south as a rule. They were probably after your chicks. They can kill grown chickens, but usually don't because they can not distend their jaws enough to swallow the whole thing, which they must do to digest it. It must have been hungry to attempt a grown chicken. I am glad they did not make it through the net to your chicks.

The one that killed grown chickens was twice as big as this snake. I caught it and put it in a five gallon bucket and re-located it to a nature center. It filled half the bucket. This happened 30 years ago and cameras were not as ubiquitous as they are now so, alas, I have no pictures.

 

[SheilaV]

My fondness/tolerance for snakes goes back some years when I lived in an old house infested with rats ... litterally INFESTED. I could hear them running from one side of the house to the other in the attic during the night. It was like a basketball game was going on, sans the cheerleaders. I was doing wildlife rescue at the time and was afraid to put out poison lest I poison something else in the process. I woke up one day at some noise to see a large snake traveling across the top of a large piece of furniture, making his way towards my bathroom. I could see it was a rat snake, and I was intrigued. The bathroom had 2 doors, the 2nd leading to a utility room where the water heater was and access to the attic. I went into the bath and opened that 2nd door for him. I went about my business and after a few hours I checked on him. He had made his way around my bathroom's perimeter, knocking towels and stuff off the shelves, and disappeared into the utility room. Was not long before the basketball game in my attic was gone. I've been grateful ever sense. Besides, nature abhors a vacuum, so if I removed ALL the snakes from my property, it would not be long before I had others, so I see little recourse but to learn to live with them and give them credit for the good they do. As for poisonous snakes ... well so far, I've not had to deal with that moral question. We'll see, I'm sure, some day.

 

[vanthes2007]

What part of North Texas are you from? I live in Fannin County near Red River. I just killed a 6' rat snake. What can I do to keep them out of hen house?

 

[ChicKat]

What part of North Texas are you from? I live in Fannin County near Red River. I just killed a 6' rat snake. What can I do to keep them out of hen house?

Have you tried the nylon "bird netting"?

 

[abmaddox1981]

You can put gravel down like a pathway around your coop/run. Snakes do not like slithering on the gravel. So far this year we have relocated 4 rat snakes. I don't mind them on the property, but don't want them in my coop. We also have copper heads, which we do kill and then feed to the chickens once the head is gone. They see to like it and since I have 3 kids on top of the 50 odd chickens and the 2 dozen rabbits, I will not tolerate a venomous snake, but the non venomous? They can just slither their happy butts (tails, whatever) elsewhere. And for those of you who can't tell the difference, look at it's head. A poisinous snake will have a more pointed nose and you will be able to see the venom sacks where the neck and head come together.

 

[SheilaV]

I live just outside of Ft Worth. I have carted off 3 snakes now ... another one just this evening. I have been working feverishly setting up a snake-tight pen outisde for my remaining chick, but I fear taht by the time it is ready, they wont need it. But when I replace the ones I lost, I'll have a better plac for them. I have them in a portable pen outside that is covered with hardware cloth but the lattice top was not good. So I covered it with some shade cloth I had left over, and have the chicks set up outside in this smaller pen. Tomorrow, I plan to inish the last of the larger pen in a new chicken house for them all. I was feeling pretty smug over the last couple of weeks. I had not seen any of the snakes since I lost half of them. I knew there were 2 more I had not caught, and assumed more. I went out this evening, to collect the eggs and give out my evening treats and was shocked to eee a large snake in their favorite nest box. He had one egg in him and a 2nd waiting for the next course. I was undecided about what I should do .. carry him off or just accept that I do and will always have snakes. I was tired and my truck was still carrying a load of lumber so I decided to give it another day. I am using half of a pet carrier inside of a large wooden box set on legs that was used by the mailbox for packages. It is open in the front, and the hens love it. I retrieved the one remaining egg, and pulled the crate half out. That's when I discovered ANOTHER snake was in the larger box, behind this crate half. It, too, was lumpy with an egg. That'st it. I took a fish net to get him out, drop him into a plastic box and haul him up the road... that's the 3rd one, with one in the wings. BUT I HAVE NO RATS! And, I have few eggs. I fear my chicks are still small enough to be vulnerable, so I am all the more determined to protect them. We have a lot of road runners in our neighborhood, but I fear these snakes are too big for them. Maybe a pig ... they're supposed to be good for snakes (but not for my neighbors!)

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[MelissaTXRn]

I live about 30miles NW of ft worth. I am hoping I don't have to deal with this issue. I'm sure it's coming My shotgun and I are ready.

 

[Highcotton]

Quote:
Welcome to BYC, I am from Byron south of you. I grew up on a farm. My Dad hated rats and mice. We didn't touch anything other than venomous snakes. There is a large Rat Snake that has lived in the crawl space under my house for many years with my blessings.

 

[nova022]

I have been battling rat snakes all summer. At first I just relocated them to the woods across the street, but that does not seem to work for long so now I drive the down the road. I dont mind them eating an occasional egg in exchange for rodent control, but now that I have chicks I don't want to take the chance that the snake can get to them.

 

[Triple Willow]

I have been battling rat snakes all summer. At first I just relocated them to the woods across the street, but that does not seem to work for long so now I drive the down the road. I dont mind them eating an occasional egg in exchange for rodent control, but now that I have chicks I don't want to take the chance that the snake can get to them.

You have to take them further away, try about 3-4 miles. Otherwise they will come right back. I don't know how they do it but they do! Great pictures.