Misc BIG snake

[Faroe]

Big to me, anyway. Maybe four feet long, and not skinny either. Just about jumped out of my skin when I discovered what the dogs were fussing about. It didn't have a triangular shaped head, and I didn't see/hear rattles. It did later quiver the very end of its tail, however. Dark on top with irregular lighter brown *blobs* where the diamonds would be. Underbelly was shiny silvery white.

I have happilly killed baby raccoons, skunks, possums...but, for some reason I hate killing snakes. NOT that I like them, I have a serious case of the heebe jeebies right now.

The big snake was caught up in the bottom inches of the bird netting I used on the greenhouse. I took a forked stick to hold the tail, and used some scissors. I think I got all the bits of netting cut off it.

BF is seriously disgusted with me right now. He thinks all snakes should be killed. I once let an actual rattler go simply because I was so startled by it (about a foot from my foot) that it didn't occur to me to kill it. And, I was even holding a shovel at the time.

Anyway, with this evening's snake, it remained calm, and I remained more or less calm. Once it got free, it slithered away, and I thought that was the end of it. Later, I freed the dogs penned up in the house, and of course they ended up harassing the thing in the middle of the yard. Now, an obviously pissed big snake with its head up, and the fine end of its tail aquiver - Yikes. I don't *think* I misidentified it. I finally got my three disobedient dogs inside, and the big snake slithered through the fence into the neighbor's yard.

I have to wonder, maybe I was too lenient: Is this why my proven rabbit doe (consistently eight babies each litter) only had two with her last litter??
If I see it again, I'm killing it.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Are you sure it wasn't a copperhead? They are usually short 3-4 ft and "fat" looking.


ETA: I don't know what state you are in to know what snakes are common

 

[Faroe]

New Mexico.
Based on some clicking around the Net, I think it was some sort of King Snake. Very shiney scales (at the time I thought maybe it had just shed its skin), muscular body. They are constrictors.

I'm moving those particular rabbits out of that pen (it is wind damaged, and the door doesn't close properly at all. Good enough to keep chickens out, and rabbits in (I use a high step-over threshold), but easy for a snake.

 

[Delta_Force]

We are in Colorado and have TONS of Bull Snakes here on this property, I mean TONS. We had one over 4' long and as big around as a garden hose the other day that the dogs had cornered. They will act like a rattle snake by coiling and shaking their tail. They even lay on our front porch. My two dogs will grab them and throw them up in the air, and shake them. They have killed more than one. I hate snakes!

 

[Faroe]

I looked at a lot of pics - it seems to fit King Snake best. Actually a very pretty creature - assuming one can get over the fact that it is a big snake.

I saw a lot of what we called bull snakes back in IA. I had a friend there who had no problems whatsoever handling them. She actually cut one loose for me that had also got it self caught in the lower edge of some bird netting. She calmly grasped it near the head and proceeded to clip the threads of plastic. It was bigger than the snake I found last night.

 

[Siskiyoumom]

Here in northern California most folks will leave a King or Bull snake along as they are predators to rattlers.

I garden in heavy duty logger boots and long pants even in the hot weather and try to stay "aware" of what is around me and where I place my hands.

Too far from advanced medical care to have to deal with a rattler bite.

And with all the contradictory advice on first aid for the bite I would rather avoid than get bit.

Lots of folks in our watershed are having an epic year for rattler woes. Most with livestock, children, or elder folks choose to dispatch the rattler.

 

[Faroe]

What a difference a couple of months makes.

I found the whole snake subject very interesting after I started looking into it. Some here one posted a link to ViperKeeper at about the same time, and I started watching snake videos. Many videos are rather dismal, but there is enough good stuff out there (inc. ViperKeeper, HLH Reptiles, Dave Palumbo's Muscle Serpents, SnakeBytes...) to keep one occupied for a long, long time. I found a couple of excellent herper wildlife blogs too. Checked out several breeder websites, and I even ordered a book on boas, and joined a forum.

Another *King* snake showed up one evening about a week ago. Slightly smaller, and a bit lighter colored. They still startle me, but I'm not going to kill any. We have a mouse problem anyway. I solved the new-born kit problem by cutting a section of wire flooring out of the rabbit pen that is damaged. The doe dug a warren for her last kindling. She keeps the entrance blocked with dirt, so the kits are safe. And, good girl, she didn't dig all the way out.