SNAKE, SNAKE, BIG SNAKE (PICS)

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger

Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger

Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger

Mushroom! Mushroom!

LMAO YUP that's what I hear!

 

[lleighmay]

Just a black rat snake- not poisonous and absolutely harmless to you and your family. Some of mine are pushing 8 ft. but that's because I always bring them home when I find them in the road or other hazardous conditions and turn them loose in my sheds adn I always leave them alone when I find them. Even my dogs are indifferent to them at this point as they just (apparently) assume that any creature that is here is supposed to be here/family member. Black snakes will eat chicks and eggs (especially eggs) if they can get in but hardware cloth or 1" chicken wire will stop them. Babies that hatch are less than 12" long (about the size of a pencil) and are much more in danger of being eaten by a hen than they will be to the chicks/eggs for several years. A good sized black snake can eat over 100 mice/season and they shouldn't be killed. They can climb to great heights with no apparent means of support (have seen them on my parents' gutters 1 1/2 stories up) so pay attention to the top of your runs too. If you feel the need to relocate one just pick it up gently by the tail (think crocodile hunter) and put it in a knotted pillow case, then drive it to whatever location you choose to release it. Too many times people try to snatch them up behind the head as though they were a cobra which only irritates them. Even if it acts like a rattlesnake and strikes at you it can't hurt you, though any bites should be disinfected if they occur. Their main goal is to stay away from you, just as most people choose to stay away from them. It really upsets me how many people kill snakes just b/c they're snakes when they do an infinitely great rodent control service for us every year.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I'm missing out then. What's all this "badger"?

-Kim

 

[Small Town Girl]

I have to admit, I am NOT a snake fan, but having a biology teacher for a mom, I understand their importance. That big boy is going to eat all the rats and mice that are attracted to the chicken's food (and eggs.) I vote for just leaving him alone for the time being. If you catch him poaching the chicks, then I'd hand him an eviction notice. And a pillow case.

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
OK I'm missing out. Please Please Please explain. Please.


Hangin Wit My Peeps said the same thing. What are you talking about?

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

I googled badger badger mushroom and came up with this I am still wiping diet coke with lime off my monitor.

Enjoy.

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
I don't want to kill it. I thought it was beautiful but I only have my 4 week olds behind chicken wire. I will need to use the 1/4-inch hardware cloth. I have some but I will need to dig down in the pen and how far up will I need to put it?

I watched the crocodile hunter, loved him. I just didn't want to pick him up with my 7 year old son there. I was worried he would start picking up snakes and we have copper heads around here.

 

[chick4chicks]

Ginger, Please keep that darn thing at your house. If i found that at my house he wouldn't have to relocate, I WOULD. LOL. They do eat eggs so when the girls start laying be real careful. I am with Steve on this one, LOL.

to mr. snakey LOL

e

 

[lleighmay]

You won't need to dig in the wire for snakes, though if you're going to put it up anyway you might as well for other more enterprising predators. If you have the 1" chicken wire you should be fine. I can't really give you a height for how far up the hardware cloth should go since black snakes are very adept climbers. I use the 1" cw with 2x4" dog wire over it to keep out coons, coyotes, and other critters I'm much more worried about and haven't had a problem so far. My son (possibly, ok probably, ruined by his mama) has been picking up snakes most of his life (one of the other moms once cursed me and suggested I just get him a D@@@ hamster since they couldn't compete) and he recently got a discount on some dental work for removing a black snake from his dentist's front sidewalk

 

[greyfields]

Quote:

Yup, that's it!