Snake identification and removal

[sundance]

sorry, a snake is a snake,is a snake, to me that means RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I really really don't think cottonmouths get as far west as Charlotte. And that's a pretty 'inclusive' map that I suspect is based on all existing records, even outliers -- when I was in Durham back in the late 1980s-early 1990's, cottonmouths did not get to Durham and not really even to Raleigh. They're mostly coastwards of the fall line.


Pat, having been chased by too many cottonmouths and man are they ever cranky snakes

 

[Parson's Wife]

I have a question:

We have been seeing grey snakes around here...my first thought, was....cottonmouths...looked on a website...and it seems to fit the picture.

I do not like snakes. They give me chills. I do know they eat the rats and mice...we are surrounded by fields...and plenty of mice and rats for them to feed on.
The other day my husband was mowing and saw a "fat" grey snake move into taller grass toward the swamp....did I mention that? There is a stagnate body of water directly beside us, about 100 feet from the side of the house....generally Motel 6 for mosquitoes.
I'm pretty sure they are cottonmouths.
How do i rid my area of them? Or at least make them want to go somewhere else? I have small children, who would not mean to step on them, or get close, but easily could.
I do not see us 'co-habitating', any ideas?

 

[Parson's Wife]

Oh yes, thought I would add the link I looked at on snakes

http://www.snakesofarkansas.com/

There are plenty of photos...I'm thinking...maybe too many...?

 

[Promiselandfarm]

Eye shapes and color can also give you a clue . The "good snakes" have a kind round eye, the "bad snakes" have an almost cat eye with the pupil being angular instead of rounded and heads are more sharp pointed. We seem to have snakes that have interbred or someone did it for them as they do not look anything as they should. So knowing how to look at the head shape and eyes does help one know. I also had a friend tell me that if you get bit by a poisinous snake it will almost instantly bleed as a non-poisionous will be more a like a scratch.
The prettiest snake I have personally seen up close and personal was a ring neck which was pale blue and a bright coral color on it's belly. They are not supposed to be in my area according to the map I looked at but this Mom had a nest so I know their are more.

 

[Cara]

It doesn't seem like good advice to me to recommend anyone who is not familiar with snakes tries to handle them, even more so if they cannot identify the different varieties. Any snake should be treated as if it were venomous, they're nothing to play around with.

 

[shaky]

Cara, that's why I keep saying to be completely familiar with photos before you do anything else.
Truth is, about 85% of snakes are harmless. However, in any given area, that percentage could be very different.
Given that, I have yet to hear of a venomous U.S. snake eating eggs. Very few would eat chickens, either.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

All my friends know they can call me anytime...day or night...for snake ID help. I just prefer they do it BEFORE they kill the poor thing.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
That is doubtless true in the SW but there are many many other areas of the country where you would have a lot of trouble finding anything venomous if I paid you $5,000 and gave you two solid weeks to look...

So it depends where you live.


Pat

 

[countryatheart]

I live in South, Texas, and we have cottonmouths, rattlesnakes, copperheads, and coral snakes in my area. I would never attempt to handle a snake with my bare hands! We don't kill every snake we see either. The snakes are very active this time of the year too!