Snakes are a crawling

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I saw my first black rat snake for the year yesterday. I was feeding the White Holland turkeys and I saw it over on the other side of the house. Right on time to, we have been having quite a few mice under the house in the "maturnity pen" so I took it over there and put it to work!. I'm guessing in about 3 or 4 day mouse problem solved.

Steve

 

[ranchhand]

Hi Steve! Are they just getting active there? We've already lost count of the yellow rat snakes and black racers here this year. Haven't seen a mouse or rat in many years now!

But DH did find a canebrake rattlesnake in the garden- he is now in snake heaven.

I don't mind the good ones, but the bad boys have to go!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Same thing here, anything that crawls with fangs has to go.

It was so funny last year we had mice everywhere in the feed barn. One day I saw just the tail of a snake crawling behind the feed sacks, there was no way I was moving all the feed just to chase the snake out. I just told Sharon there was a snake in there and to keep her eyes peeled if she went in. It was so funny she would bang on the wall, talk loud "i'm coming in snake" but within just a few days the mice were gone.

Steve

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
LOL, I do that ALL the time! I basically have a running monologue of go away bad things, don't need no stinkin' snakes in here, etc. And late at night, when I sit on the porch for a smoke? I make sure I talk, cough, clear my throat and whatever loudly, in the direction of the chicken pens. I turn all the noises into growls.

DH seems to think it's funny.....

 

[TwistedSerpent]

The first few weeks of spring when it really starts to get warm they are all starting to warm up themselves and get back into their business after relaxing all winter, they usually hang around for a few days soaking up the rays before taking off. In the case of some species like garter snakes they have actual dens where hundreds winter together, so if you happen to live by one of those you're in for a lot of snakes as they come out (but dont worry garters are completely harmless and generally way too small to be a danger to any birds, they eat fish and frogs and earthworms).

You will also see the same thing happening during the last warm days of fall, when the temps spike after a few days of cold they will be fairly active getting the last meals and sun before winter.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I want to know what happened to all of my blacksnakes. I usually have 7 or 8 different ones that hang around, but none this year. I've lived on this property for 23yrs. and have only seen 5 Copperheads up till now. Unfortunately 4 of them have been within the last week. All of them have been about 2' long. The neighbors cat was bitten by one about a week ago, but it's getting better. I've always heard the black ones will keep the others away, so I guess it's time to go on a black snake round-up and bring some home.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
I saw pictures of that, I think it was up in Canada some place.

Steve

 

[boxermom]

I prefer cats.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

Me too!

 

[RM44]

You guys are so lucky! The only "big" snakes I see around here are copperheads. Last week my daughter was crying out in the yard "Mom!!!! Mom!!! Help!!!", and I ran out to see my big fat cat with a 2 foot long garter snake, but that's really not big enough to get mice and rats. Plus clearly that snake was not clever enough to evade the cat. We rescued the poor thing. He was so sweet he didn't even strike. I love that about the garter snakes and the brown snakes. Fun to pick up and never strike. He seemed no worse for the wear, and we turned him loose in the garden and put the cat inside for the day, but who knows? This poor cat has been bitten in the face twice by copperheads, so appearently he has a thing for snakes. I wish I had a good ole 4-6' long rat snake or corn snake to handle the rats and other pests. Enjoy those black snakes!