Strange Tracks in Pen *Logical Conclusion on Page 46*

[Sir Birdaholic]

Space between wider marks? May be a turtle. Look for faint footprints on either side.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i just went out and checked again. Of course, now there are chicken prints all over.

But i didn't see any prints when i looked closely this morning. i just strung an electrical cord out there and mounted my baby monitor camera in that coop, pointed at the ground. Not the clearest picture on the monitor inside. But it tends to be clearer in the dark with that system anyways. i'm going to be glued to that monitor tonight.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh, and as i was out there, i was thinking. i should probably smooth that area over tonight and then perhaps fluff down some flour on the ground, to get a clearer picture of the tracks in the morning.

 

[gmendoza]

Yeppers,Tis a sidewinder.Best thing to do..cut off its head and eat him.

 

[seabreeze]

Enchanted, it *sounds* like a sidewinder (species of rattlesnake that travels by bunching, launching, landing and bunching again, not a continuous track) but they are not up in the Fair Oaks region, mostly confined to the southwest and southern deserts of CA. I would definitely be on the watch because if it is a misplaced sidewinder, they are poisonous, will eat chickens and best time to catch one is in the cool of the morning if you can locate its den or hiding places. You can catch/kill it in the heat of the day but this is very dangerous and requires lightening reflexes, sufficiently long weapon to keep you out of the strike zone and no qualms about killing.

 

[gmendoza]

Quote:
True with this. Get a long pole and tie a red neckerchief on the end. then if you see the snake,jab the end with the re neckerchief at snakes head.It will bite and wont be able to let go because its fangs will get caught in the cloth.Then dispose of it safely.Worked for me catching them in my youth in arizona.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

ACK!

i'm not going out there with a red scarf on a stick! i sure hope ya'll are wrong on this. Wouldn't a snake be out during the day, too? Or could it be sleeping under that other coop/playhouse?

Now i'm really worried!

 

[seabreeze]

Enchanted, this species of rattlesnake is NOT usual at all for Fair Oaks (no. CA) so unless its GPS failed or its been desert hot up there and they somehow found their way into your coops/yards, you would need to do a visual ID on it. Sidewinders have a horned head. Not huge (you can see lots of pics on Google) but distinct horn like protrustions.

IF it happens to be a sidewinder, best to call out a professional reptile person, usually found under *exotics*. Or, contact the closest zoo and ask for recommendations for handling dangerous snakes. But first ID the species.

As to rattlesnakes, I've got quite a few *rattler tails* to my belt but only because they were in the walkways where my dogs and toddler son at the time, traversed. I leave them alone if they are away from my animals and house but woe to them if they are not. I killed one over 6 feet long without its head when my then toddler son came running to me and said there was a huge snake in the walkway headed towards my dogs' kennel. I went up there and it was slowly wending its way along the footpath and while it was in motion, I dropped a 2x12 board end on its neck, pinned it, my son brought me my shovel and I decapitated it.

If its warm out and moving too fast, get a hose with cold water and soak it down, it will slow down and stop in its tracks, unable to move (being a cold blooded reptile). Once you've incapacitated with cold water, you can use a shovel to take off the head or I like to use limb loppers and its no danger when I get that close (loppers are about 3 feet long) and I work from behind the snake, loppers wide open and SNIP...off with its head.

Take very good care to NOT touch the head, venom is still potent and viable even 24 hours after its head has been separated from its body. Pick the head up with a shovel and drop it into a bucket, fill with water and just let it sit for a couple of days.

 

[annep]

and the saga continues..I am having so much run reading this..Cant wait to find out if it really is a snake!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh my, i appreciate all the guidance, i really do. But if i have anything other than a handicapped rat dragging himself through that pen at night, i'm in way over my head.

i got a rat trap at Lowes this afternoon and will set it up next to the aviary and under the blanket which covers it, which is where i have seen the marks travel. Of course, if it is a snake, only part of the snake will fit in there.

Guess i will find out tonight. Fingers crossed i catch a rat using a walker.