This is a REALLY GROSS question, but need an honest answer!!

[CMV]

Cook it to kill any nasties lingering in or on it, and feed it to the birds. They'll appreciate the extra protein. Anything left over toss into the compost. I cannot see killing animals for no reason. At least he will serve some purpose with his death.

Good luck.

 

[cfdf]

All I have to say about that is......................EEEEEEWWWWWW!

 

[cfdf]

Quote:
Dont pay anyone any mind here fact of the matter is some of us are not animal activists and some are. Some have said that you should rehome snakes if you catch them I rehome them for sure expecially rattle snakes this guy was So lucky he got rehomed right to my freezer.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/somanytears_album/IMG00112-20100713-0938.jpg

Possums come in my yard I release the dogs on them same with coons skunks and coyotes. Before I rehomed a bobcat I saved. I caught a barn owl sleeping in the barn Quickly covered up the only window in the barn and threw the bobcat in the hay loft. I have no idea what ever came of the owl But precious came out of the barn untouched. http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/somanytears_album/bobcat2.jpg
Far as I know theres no laws against a wild feral cat killing any birds of prey, raptors, Point is don't mind others who have different beliefs then you do. Its you who has to live your life and protect whats yours anyway you see fit. until recently If it moved I shot it. If it didn't cluck quack or honk I shot it. To each his own.

ICK!!!! Snakes scare me...especially rattlers....and ditto on the "don't mind others who have different beliefs'...I felt like I was beating my head up against a wall every time I said something on here.....got dished everytime....now I just shake it off and move on.

 

[TanithT]

Quote:
It has nothing to do with animal activism. I hungrily kill and eat every raccoon and opossum that gets in my reach, because they are NOT endangered or rare, NOT top level predators important to their local ecosystems, and are a totally sustainable harvest. In California I hunted the overpopulated deer mercilessly and in Florida I helped trap (and butcher and eat) many, many feral hogs out of wildlife preserve areas. Killing some kinds of animals is good for the bigger picture, and it means your kids and grandkids will continue to be able to enjoy nature and wildlife and hunting.

NOT killing some kinds of animals is also good for the bigger picture, and it means exactly the same thing.

If you do things that are biologically and ecologically stupid, like kill top level predators or keystone species out of an ecosystem, or fail to kill overpopulated species, you make a mess in Mother Nature. Sometimes the consequences are long term and sometimes they will come back and hit you in the butt in the short term. Either way, it's smart to think harder and look at the bigger picture before deciding what animals to hunt or trap or harvest and what animals are best to relocate or leave alone.

In terms of venomous snakes specifically, if you know anyone who has breast cancer, has had a bypass operation, type 2 diabetes or any of the degenerative neurological disorders, you have venom to thank for research and medicines that extend their lives. When you kill a venomous snake, you aren't just removing a top level predator of rodents from your local ecosystem - and that's bad enough, considering the diseases rodents carry - you may well be killing your grandmother's best hope for more quality years with her family. Biological prospecting in snake venom is an incredibly rich and fruitful field in human medicine, and new things are being discovered all the time in different animals. Turning that animal over to venom research can save human lives.

Being educated enough to know and care about these things does not make you an animal rights activist.

 

[cfdf]

Quote:
It has nothing to do with animal activism. I hungrily kill and eat every raccoon and opossum that gets in my reach, because they are NOT endangered or rare, NOT top level predators important to their local ecosystems, and are a totally sustainable harvest. In California I hunted the overpopulated deer mercilessly and in Florida I helped trap (and butcher and eat) many, many feral hogs out of wildlife preserve areas. Killing some kinds of animals is good for the bigger picture, and it means your kids and grandkids will continue to be able to enjoy nature and wildlife and hunting.

NOT killing some kinds of animals is also good for the bigger picture, and it means exactly the same thing.

If you do things that are biologically and ecologically stupid, like kill top level predators or keystone species out of an ecosystem, or fail to kill overpopulated species, you make a mess in Mother Nature. Sometimes the consequences are long term and sometimes they will come back and hit you in the butt in the short term. Either way, it's smart to think harder and look at the bigger picture before deciding what animals to hunt or trap or harvest and what animals are best to relocate or leave alone.

In terms of venomous snakes specifically, if you know anyone who has breast cancer, has had a bypass operation, type 2 diabetes or any of the degenerative neurological disorders, you have venom to thank for research and medicines that extend their lives. When you kill a venomous snake, you aren't just removing a top level predator of rodents from your local ecosystem - and that's bad enough, considering the diseases rodents carry - you may well be killing your grandmother's best hope for more quality years with her family. Biological prospecting in snake venom is an incredibly rich and fruitful field in human medicine, and new things are being discovered all the time in different animals. Turning that animal over to venom research can save human lives.

Being educated enough to know and care about these things does not make you an animal rights activist.

Is that kind of like........their are kids in africa starving...now eat your dinner....how is eating all your dinner going to keep the people in Africa from starving....most people don't have research centers near their houses....we do have chickens, dogs, cats, and most of all family that we want to keep safe. Do you think that snake will think twice about stiking at us if we should accidentally step on it? Will it think about all the good things people do? NO, it will just instictively do what snakes do...strike first....I for one will kill a rattlesnake...and for anyone out there that doesn't know...a rattlesnake can still strike you after it is dead...even deheaded...be careful when desposing of them.

 

[TanithT]

Quote:
No. I'm not saying it's easy to do the research or to find interested herpetologists near your house, or that there are any simple answers that are going to work for everyone.

I am saying that as a matter of basic science and ecology, if you kill off top level predators in your local ecosystem, you're going to see consequences that aren't all going to be good ones. Some of those consequences may hit you right where you live, eg, an increase in the rodent population and more illness and injury risk for your livestock and family than the snake would have caused. Other consequences may not impact you immediately or directly, but may cause problems later down the road, or for other people.

I'm not making an emotional appeal but a cold logic one. If you make a mess in the ecosystem, it can cause problems for you and your children after you. If you waste biological resources, then doctors and scientists don't have those resources to make your life better. It doesn't matter what the snake thinks or feels. It does matter if you do some thinking and checking around locally to see what your smartest options are, in your own self-interest.

 

[stanglover2001]

Quote:
Dont pay anyone any mind here fact of the matter is some of us are not animal activists and some are. Some have said that you should rehome snakes if you catch them I rehome them for sure expecially rattle snakes this guy was So lucky he got rehomed right to my freezer.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/somanytears_album/IMG00112-20100713-0938.jpg

Possums come in my yard I release the dogs on them same with coons skunks and coyotes. Before I rehomed a bobcat I saved. I caught a barn owl sleeping in the barn Quickly covered up the only window in the barn and threw the bobcat in the hay loft. I have no idea what ever came of the owl But precious came out of the barn untouched. http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/somanytears_album/bobcat2.jpg
Far as I know theres no laws against a wild feral cat killing any birds of prey, raptors, Point is don't mind others who have different beliefs then you do. Its you who has to live your life and protect whats yours anyway you see fit. until recently If it moved I shot it. If it didn't cluck quack or honk I shot it. To each his own.

Pretty cool, I've been lucky and havn't ran across a snake. I try to leave them be so then they'd eat those darn field rats!!! But don't think I wouldn't kill one, I know if it could kill me I kill it first. I like your bobcat, so purdy!! BTW I don't care if people don't like my actions, it's not like they're going to come out here and stop me. And my chickens enjoyed they're free dinner!

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Quote:
It has nothing to do with animal activism. I hungrily kill and eat every raccoon and opossum that gets in my reach, because they are NOT endangered or rare, NOT top level predators important to their local ecosystems, and are a totally sustainable harvest. In California I hunted the overpopulated deer mercilessly and in Florida I helped trap (and butcher and eat) many, many feral hogs out of wildlife preserve areas. Killing some kinds of animals is good for the bigger picture, and it means your kids and grandkids will continue to be able to enjoy nature and wildlife and hunting.

NOT killing some kinds of animals is also good for the bigger picture, and it means exactly the same thing.

If you do things that are biologically and ecologically stupid, like kill top level predators or keystone species out of an ecosystem, or fail to kill overpopulated species, you make a mess in Mother Nature. Sometimes the consequences are long term and sometimes they will come back and hit you in the butt in the short term. Either way, it's smart to think harder and look at the bigger picture before deciding what animals to hunt or trap or harvest and what animals are best to relocate or leave alone.

In terms of venomous snakes specifically, if you know anyone who has breast cancer, has had a bypass operation, type 2 diabetes or any of the degenerative neurological disorders, you have venom to thank for research and medicines that extend their lives. When you kill a venomous snake, you aren't just removing a top level predator of rodents from your local ecosystem - and that's bad enough, considering the diseases rodents carry - you may well be killing your grandmother's best hope for more quality years with her family. Biological prospecting in snake venom is an incredibly rich and fruitful field in human medicine, and new things are being discovered all the time in different animals. Turning that animal over to venom research can save human lives.

Being educated enough to know and care about these things does not make you an animal rights activist.

To be perfectly honest I have all these birds to protect but before those I have this

And I just killed 4 cotton mouths this rain season in my yard. One was in my garden almost to the chicken coop where the chicks are. I was picking squash with my little girl. I dont personally care about what venom snakes can or cant do. All i know is if it comes on my yard then someone lost there shot at research If it endangers my family in any way shape or form It has no place here. at least I feed my kills back to my dogs after cooking them so its somewhat recycled. I didn't say anyone was or wasnt an activist. I said "some of us are not animal activists and some are." shoe fits wear it. I am not here to agrue or dispute anyones beliefs. But the world does not share the same beliefs we all have different opinions about certian things in life.

 

[cfdf]

AMEN TO THAT! Family safety is a first priority.

 

[matthewschickens]

Quote:
I would to..