The Old Folks Home

[Cynthia12]

Isn't there a saying, "A snake in the nest is worth two in the grass?"

Why yes, yes there is..only you missed one word. A DEAR snake in the nest is worth two in the grass.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Baby monitor update. It works like a champ. I can hear every minor peep. Before this, I couldn't even hear the rooster crow in the morning even if they were only 100' away.

 

[ozexpat]

Baby monitor update. It works like a champ. I can hear every minor peep. Before this, I couldn't even hear the rooster crow in the morning even if they were only 100' away.

Only a crazy chicken man will install a baby monitor in a coop.

99% of people don't want to hear chickens lol

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You've got that right.

I speak chicken so while I'm at the computer I can hear their conversations and know what they're discussing.

"Where's that treat delivery man? He's late again."

I think a mutiny is afoot.

 

[Bunnylady]

Quote: Ummmm - this is a snake. This is our "monsoon season," and it ain't like I turned him loose in the middle of a parking lot.

I also didn't turn him loose in a place where I could hear chickens.

If the number of snakes I see in my yard are anything to go by, they have overlapping territories. A 5-footer shouldn't have too much competition - most of our local species don't get that big, and I've only seen one or two Rat Snakes that were bigger. I think he'd have a much better chance than, say, a bird.

I'd have preferred not to have had to do it; as I said, there was work for him to do here. It seems that if you have feed and shelter, you have rats, even if you keep the feed secured and try to make sure that the birds get their feed eaten well before dark. We had a cat that was a pretty good ratter, but we think a coyote got her (couldn't trust her around baby chicks, either, but it was easier to keep her away from them).

@ChickenCanoe , the hen was a Serama, which is a very small breed. A 5 foot long rat snake could easily wrap a bird that size up enough to squeeze it to death, though there's no way it could eat it. I knew a guy that said he occasionally lost doves that way - the feathers on the head would be wet and rumpled, showing that the snake had tried to eat the bird, but it couldn't get past the broad shoulders.

Sour? Bunny? Are we lost?

Why, Wisher, you aren't accusing us of attempting a hi-jack, are you?

 

[subhanalah]

It's a shame you have so many invasive species of snakes that people have released, especially the everglades.

Admirable restraint. Maybe you should have found a way to tag it so you would know if it was the same one.

I don't think that snakes have as much trouble as mammalian predators at finding sustenance or competing for territory. They can go a long time without food (perhaps up to a year) and a few days without water. They are quite adept at finding water sources as well.
I think it will be fine. If it doesn't come back that is.

They've done studies on relocated reptilians (well, snakes specifically, crocodillians can navigate back to where they came pretty much anywhere you locate them to) don't do well when relocated more than a certain distance from their home turf. But at the moment I can't remember the numbers. Over 1 mile? 5 miles?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It is true that snakes have dens they frequent and will have to discover new ones. In the process of doing so, they may get run over crossing roads but that could happen in their home territory.

 

[ozexpat]

My heart goes out to the families of those traveling on the Malaysian Airlines plan shot down over the Ukraine today.

Also to the Airline that has been involed in both airline crashes this year.

 

[Wisher1000]

Sour? Bunny? Are we lost?

Why, Wisher, you aren't accusing us of attempting a hi-jack, are you?

Oh Heavens, no, just a little de ja vu for me. I was wondering if, in my stage of advanced age, I had led my friends on a wild goose chase and we had all wandered in here. Actually, I love having y'all in TOFH. I have thought for years that most citizens of the kingdom belong in a home.......

 

[subhanalah]

My heart goes out to the families of those traveling on the Malaysian Airlines plan shot down over the Ukraine today.

Also to the Airline that has been involed in both airline crashes this year.

oh my gosh, what is going on out there? I get the sense things are boiling and none of us are even aware of it?