Sad, but true

Jason_WI wrote:What's that green stuff on the ground behind you? I remember seeing that stuff last october here but now its scarse. Still a pile of white stuff in the front yard.

Lol, it's Spring in the South. Flowers,trees budding and I am sneezing all day. Almost 85 degrees in Little Rock AR today.

Yep...all part of the "Cycle" !

That's too bad about the bird's nest. They're all over the place at this time of year. Don't worry, there really are enough of them, Mr. Snake just didn't have to work as hard for that day's meal. We're watching several pairs raising their families in our yard this Spring.

One way to pacify a snake is to place it in a cooler with some ice.

(Actually King snakes are harmless)

SD

SuperDave wrote:One way to pacify a snake is to place it in a cooler with some ice.

(Actually King snakes are harmless)

SD

Harmless yes as in non-poisonous. They all bite though. I have been bitten by plenty of snakes. I was a very curious child.

Ron:

Keeping King snakes "cool" does wonders for their personalities.

SD

cribbs74 wrote:

SuperDave wrote:One way to pacify a snake is to place it in a cooler with some ice.

(Actually King snakes are harmless)

SD

Harmless yes as in non-poisonous. They all bite though. I have been bitten by plenty of snakes. I was a very curious child.

Me too...my poor mom...she was not impressed at all with my experiments to demonstrate how a terrified lizard will run in place on a tile floor...but let the sucker get traction, and he's gone !!!

A full-grown Blue-Tailed Skink will ALSO put the chomp to you pretty good...

Kim wrote:A full-grown Blue-Tailed Skink will ALSO put the chomp to you pretty good...

We had lots of those around the farm, but, among us kids, they were rumored to be poisonous --- one bite and you're a goner. Probably explains why so many met their demise to BB guns, sling-shots, sticks, rocks or anything else we could lay our hands on --- all in the drive to keep the world a safer place. It was only quite later in life that I discovered that the bluetail was the only thing that was at risk.

andrew wrote:

Kim wrote:A full-grown Blue-Tailed Skink will ALSO put the chomp to you pretty good...

We had lots of those around the farm, but, among us kids, they were rumored to be poisonous --- one bite and you're a goner. Probably explains why so many met their demise to BB guns, sling-shots, sticks, rocks or anything else we could lay our hands on --- all in the drive to keep the world a safer place. It was only quite later in life that I discovered that the bluetail was the only thing that was at risk.

Yeah...glad to see them now. Anything that eats bugs is welcome on the hill. Even had one living in the shop last year:

I encourage critters as they keep things in check. I attempt to educate folks whenever possible as some folks will kill snakes just because they exist.

I get black water snakes on my pond. If they are smart 'nough to stay in the weeds, or under the pines, and out of the way of the mower when mowing I leave them alone.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/blackracer/tabid/6555/Default.aspx
I think maybe black racers, I haven't examined one closely.

I have not had any in my garage unlike the toads and bullfrogs...

I have had some worm snakes get all the way inside. The cat was NOT impressed.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/easternwormsnake/tabid/6622/Default.aspx

Phil

cribbs74 wrote:I encourage critters as they keep things in check. I attempt to educate folks whenever possible as some folks will kill snakes just because they exist.

I deal with people that way about bats. the only bats in my area of ohio are small brown bats. They eat their weight in mosquito size insects every night.

Phil

pkrankow wrote:

cribbs74 wrote:I encourage critters as they keep things in check. I attempt to educate folks whenever possible as some folks will kill snakes just because they exist.

I deal with people that way about bats. the only bats in my area of ohio are small brown bats. They eat their weight in mosquito size insects every night.

Phil

Yes!!!! I know Phil. Drives me nuts. I really need to install some Bat boxes as the mosquitos are nasty around my place due to the still creek behind my house.

When I was stationed in San Antonio I was about 2 miles from Natural Bridge Caverns. Right around dusk I could walk outside and watch thousands of bats swooping through the sky eating bugs. It was a neat sight, I was very grateful as my garden was much better off.

When I was stationed in Ohio, bats used to get caught in the hangar and I would scoop them out and let them go before they were eradicated.

Ron

When I was stationed in San Antonio I was about 2 miles from Natural Bridge Caverns. Right around dusk I could walk outside and watch thousands of bats swooping through the sky eating bugs. It was a neat sight, I was very grateful as my garden was much better off.



Ron

I loved being stationed at Ft Sam. I would not mind moving back to that area some day.

cribbs74 wrote:

pkrankow wrote:

cribbs74 wrote:I encourage critters as they keep things in check. I attempt to educate folks whenever possible as some folks will kill snakes just because they exist.

I deal with people that way about bats. the only bats in my area of ohio are small brown bats. They eat their weight in mosquito size insects every night.

Phil

Yes!!!! I know Phil. Drives me nuts. I really need to install some Bat boxes as the mosquitos are nasty around my place due to the still creek behind my house.

When I was stationed in San Antonio I was about 2 miles from Natural Bridge Caverns. Right around dusk I could walk outside and watch thousands of bats swooping through the sky eating bugs. It was a neat sight, I was very grateful as my garden was much better off.

When I was stationed in Ohio, bats used to get caught in the hangar and I would scoop them out and let them go before they were eradicated.

Ron

Bats have surprisingly good vision. Turn on some lights inside and out and most will leave quickly.

http://www.batconservation.org/

Blasted woodpeckers destroyed my bat house. I haven't repaired or replaced it since it was in the way of my flying field when I took up flying again. I plan to fix it and get it set up again.

Phil

My wife hates snakes! One day I came home from work and she had encountered one and tried to kill it. Asked me to check if she had succeeded. I found that she had hit it just behind the head with a brand new hoe so hard that she buried the head of the hoe and broke the handle. I acknowledged that she had indeed killed the (garden) snake. :-)

George

I myself try not to kill any natural creature that is not a threat to me or my family. A simple call to the local animal handling unit will get these animals safely re-located so they can live happily ever after. Remember one thing...these animals intentions are to obtain FOOD and NOT to harm us!! If your not-sure as to the species of the animal that is on your property, and you have no knowledge as to the proper handling of these beautiful creatures, PLEASE!! Just make the phone call to the local animal re-location centre and keep your pets and loved one's in the house until the proper authorities arrive and deal with the situation correctly. If your in an area where this kind of situation is frequent, find the phone number of these types services on-line by doing a little research, and keep the number on your fridge so all family members have access to the number if needed. Stay Safe...especially with snakes. A little research as to the poisonous species and their physical traits that are common to your area is a good thing to learn.

I just liberated a tree frog from our sink drain...

I have less fear of animals in the natural world than I do of "animals" in the human world.

SD

SuperDave wrote:I have less fear of animals in the natural world than I do of "animals" in the human world.

SD

You just need to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, or try to confront an animal that you think is harmless and your whole world changes really fast. I speak of this because a group of bears ripped my car trunk to shreds and lucky I was not there while they were having their box lunch party. Maybe these bears were Ford fans and just hated Chevy's!!