snakes

[rbaker0345]

Yeah, they say that mothballs work for dillos too, I did gardening in Florida for 5 years and watched those adorable little buggers shove the mothballs aside in order to dig a hole under someones lanai. Go nature!

I think the only thing that mothballs actually work for are moths (and people).

 

[daltons]

The plastic netting sold in farm supply stores as"deer netting" or "bird netting"is excellent for preventing snakes from invading the coop. Crumple it loosely and drape it around the perimeter. Snakes will try to crawl through it, but get tangled in the mesh. They can't crawl backward, so they are stuck until you release them in the manner you see fit.

 

[rbaker0345]

Yeah but this snake actually got strangled in it and died, that's why I went with either 1/4" hardware cloth or chicken wire.

 

[ButchGood]

There is always an alternative to killing and violence. You just have to find your inner Buddha.

I'm the quintessential old Hippie peace freak in a small country neighborhood. You will see a older couple in tie-dye saving caterpillars and planting enough dill for us and the scissortail butterflies. We live by the mantra "do no harm" except for the things that do me and mine harm. So.... I have a Rattler in the garden, he's dead. I have a Texas Rat snake with one of my turkey poults heads down it's throat, dead. Black widows....you gatta be kidding me. I have a 3 year old granddaughter running around digging into everything. That spider and its offspring, dead. I will not relocate these critters to become someone else's problem. I catch anyone releasing said critters around my property we will have a problem. It may look like a great piece of land to release something like that...but it's not. I'm not demonizing your lifestyle, but please don't bring those critters to my home.

 

[rbaker0345]

I didn't say I was bringing them to anyones home, I said I was bringing them to their home. Or, there are places to bring them who will relocate them to places where nobody lives (I don't know about Texas, but there are still places like that on this earth).

Besides, my hippiness trumps your hippiness. I'm a deadhead and I'm from Woodstock NY.

I'm not going to change your mind, but I do believe there is a way to live and let live.

P.S. only 10% of the population will actually have an adverse reaction to black widow bites. I was bitten last year and I got a blister that I put some ichthamol onto and it went away. I still respect these creatures ability to put a hurtin' on me. I still shake my boots out before I put them on. I'm not an idiot, I just choose to live my life with as little carnage as possible.

If you'll excuse me, I have a snapping turtle to trap and relocate because he killed one of my muscovies yesterday.

 

[luluann]

I have not seen any snakes (knock on wood) but we have rattle snakes here and copper heads, plus others. I can not tell you the difference in them either. But I do not like snakes. I use to own one, wss trying to get over my fears, then it tried to bite me. It is gone now. I do not do spiders! I kill all I see. Unless its outside away from me.

I do plan on researching snakes so I can learn the difference. But if its poisonous it will be killed. I have kids and I'm not risking it.

 

[lolo2]

 

[SSAcres]

A new visitor this week, actually one of two. Bullsnakes this time. I still think they're cool as long as they leave my chicks alone and our eggs.

In the yard



In the middle of the road. I went to move him/her and it was already gone. Didn't want it to get hit. I'm a sap that way. While walking to find it we came across a juvenile ready to get on the road, but I deterred that one.
This one is about 3 1/2' long and a good 1 1/2 to 2" in diameter. Very pretty pattern on these guys.
We have a lot of mice out here and don't mind the rodent eaters at all.

 

[cgmccary]

A new visitor this week, actually one of two. Bullsnakes this time. I still think they're cool as long as they leave my chicks alone and our eggs.

In the yard



In the middle of the road. I went to move him/her and it was already gone. Didn't want it to get hit. I'm a sap that way. While walking to find it we came across a juvenile ready to get on the road, but I deterred that one.
This one is about 3 1/2' long and a good 1 1/2 to 2" in diameter. Very pretty pattern on these guys.
We have a lot of mice out here and don't mind the rodent eaters at all.

I love Bullsnakes. A six foot specimen found dead was found to contain 36 mice. They are voracious rat & mice eaters. Wish we had them here in the Southeast.

 

[Triple Willow]

The girls and I were out today in the yard. I picked up a flagstone and there was a baby snake. A garter snake about 8 inches long.
Got in hooked around a stick and went over to the girls to give it to them, and they all backed off. Eyed it and had nothing to do with the snake. In my imagination they pulled up their pink hoop skirts and ran for their lives screaming.

I have been told chickens eat mice and snakes, except here.
baby snake still alive here.

Hi mg15. I am anxious to try this with my young flock. lol I don't know but I have a feeling they will eat it. They are pretty vicious! lol I have lots and lots of snakes here at my place but for some reason I have not seen one of them yet, and that is very unusual! I wonder if you can train chickens to kill snakes. I wonder if you kill one now and then and toss it in the run for them to eat if they will start killing and eating them on their own.