On the news this morning, there was a report about a 10 ft. boa that was found on the Interstate. The 3 news people were cringing and talking about their feelings. The 2 men more so than the woman. Anyway, it got me to thinking about how I feel about snakes.
My aversion to snakes started with my mother. There was never a live snake within her reach. She didn't manage to teach me how to kill a snake, mainly because I wouldn't get that close to one. I remember her pulling a bull snake out of a bird house so she could kill it. Never mind that my 16 year old brother was right there. She killed it. Even when adult Janet met a rattlesnake in her way on a path, Grandma was there and killed it with a spade while Janet was still looking for a weapon.
I carry this aversion to this day. One day while I was cleaning flower beds, I looked up and there was a little 6 inch, green snake facing me from the fence, very unhappy about being disturbed. I tried to face it down and continue working but a couple of minutes later I was somewhere else. I don't know where the snake went. One day when my oldest daughter was in high school, she came in with a small ring-necked snake in her hand, wound around her wrist. I thought it was just a toy and she was trying to scare me, but when the snake stuck it's tongue out, I changed my mind. The next time she came in with a snake, a longer one, wrapped around her arm, I met her at the door and they both went back outside.
We raised four girls. The oldest one had no problem with snakes. In fact, she dissected a rattle snake in class one day only to find that it's heart was still beating. Girls no. 2 and 3 were a bit more squeamish but they have pretty well conquered it. But girl no. 4 is a different story. We used to say that we didn't need a son, we had Patti.
My last encounter with a snake was a couple of years ago, when a six foot black snake fell from the roof onto my front porch and took cover in the alcove that shelters my front door. It was running from the birds that were attacking it. It reached from the outside edge of the alcove around the wall, across the front door, to the other outside edge of the alcove. I wasn't about to push the door open and chase it away, so I called Janet and she got Cotton Johnson to come over. By the time they got here the snake had left, but I had seen it go down my ramp and knew which direction it had taken. Cotton found it and was going to turn it loose across the street. I told him that was much too close and to take it somewhere further away.
So that is how I feel about snakes. How do you feel about them?
As long as it isn't a copperhead, I'm fine with snakes. We have a good many around because of the woods and they keep the mice in check. I'll jump if I come across one unexpectedly, but I'd never kill one.
They don't bother me as long as I know where they are.
We find the small grass snakes and let Ashley play with them.. much to her daddy's horror.. ( who is crazy afraid of them)
I don't why he is either. He played with ring necks and grass snakes when he was little. None of the rest of us in the whole family is afraid of snakes. I will kill a rattlersnake or a copperhead.. but the bull and black snakes I leave be.
Wilma, I worked for the Dentons several years, and they did not want a Blacksnake or a Bullsnake bothered. They kept them in all of the outbuildings. The snakes elliminated any rats or mice. I remember when I first went to work for them I went into one of the Barns to turn on a light and in the dark I reached for the light switch and touched a big Blacksnake on the ledge by the switch, I came out of there looking for something to kill that snake with, Gladys Denton was there and told me not to bother that snake it wouldn't bother me, and it ate Rats and Mice. I encountered snakes alot in their buildings and she was right there didn't bother me, and I rarely if ever saw a Rat or Mouse in their buildings. Living in West texas for 27 years we had lots of Rattlesnakes and they were huge, many in excess of 6 feet long, being a hunter I encountered lots of big Rattlers during Dove season and I shot everyone I could. I knew and saw people that had been bitten by Rattlers and it is really bad scene. One peron I knew almost lost his leg from a Rattler bite, he told me the whole ordeal was the most painful ordeal he had every gone thru. My two sons and my daughter Dove and quail hunted with me and we all wore snake chaps/leggins. I guess in answer to your question I can take them or leave them depending on the type.
Snakes don't bother me much. I'd rather have them in my basement than mice upstairs.
I've only seen a couple of them upstairs.
One was on the front porch.
I took a couple of pictures and let it slither away.
The other one, though, James found in our pass-through cabinet.
It was long and wrapped around our mugs and dishes on two shelves.
We called our handy retired game warden and had him come remove it.
And then I washed ALL the dishes in the cupboard! :D
And the shelves! :D :D
As long as the snake isn't one of the venemous type, I like them...not enough to keep one as a pet but I do enjoy observing them and playing with the garter variety. Now, however, the 6- and 8-legged varieties of creepy crawlies are another matter...
Ok I will be the odd ball here.....I am scared to death of snakes and my feelings are a good one is a dead one....but that is just me..... ;D
Hmmm Rattlesnakes make good chili :) I love a good rattlesnake chili cookoff.
I have yet to see one around here. I hear that they are little ones. The ones i am used to are
about 6' long and about 6" - 8" diameter rattlers. Diamondbacks.
Walk up on one of them and you'll know it for sure! :D
Well, I don't want to encounter one out in the wild. But, I do have a 6' Dumeril's Boa Constrictor as a pet. I've had him since he was 1 month old... he was just the size of a pencil when I got him. He's a very docile snake, and actually very sweet. When I come home from work, he always lifts his head up towards me.... and if I don't reach down and pick him up, he slowly lowers his head and goes back into his hide box. It's hard to resist when he looks at me like that. ;-)
During the summer, I take him outside so he can explore in the yard. I will usually take a book outside and sit on the lawn while he explores. After he has explored around me for about 30 minutes, he will usually come back and lay his head in my lap while I read. Like I said, he's very sweet. :-)
Maybe I'll get a picture of him and post it, if anybody wants to see.
I don't like snakes, but I do like having some around the outbuildings to keep down the mice. If they stay where they belong, I'll leave them alone. I mowed over a big garden snake the other day and felt pretty bad about it, and I played with grass snakes when I was a kid, so I guess I don't hate them with a passion...
They are not allowed in my house no matter what; that would be a death sentence... but they must sense that because I've never had one in the house that I know of... And if they are stupid enough to get close to me anywhere else and they live through it, they'll be at least as scared as I am by the time my attacking fit is over. I think you could compare it to a Berserker rage...
When I go to the outbuildings, I talk and yell at them to go away; I stomp around and often take a stick or something and bang on the walls & floor too! It probably looks a little like a Snipe Hunt, but I really don't care as long as there's nothing to greet me when I finally go in.
By the way, I know some of my family & close friends read the forum. If any of you get any smart ideas about practical jokes on me, you should be warned. I'd do to you the same thing I'd do to a snake. You'd probably live, but you'd definately have scars... and flat tires off and on for months, because I have a hard time letting go of grudges...
Dale! I think that's great, and would love to see a picture... I'm not fond of snakes, but pets are not the same (to me). Still, no need to bring him for a visit, a photo is just fine. ;D
I would love to see a picture of your friend! :-) And, yes, I believe you about the snake being loving...I once had some fish for an extended period of time and they got to the point where they would come up to the glass and 'talk' to me when I got home from school...it was completely wierd, because I had no idea that fish were even vaguely aware.
I'm with Joanna on this. I would like to see a picture but will forego the personal visit.
Quote from: Joanna on September 21, 2008, 09:51:08 AM
You'd probably live, but you'd definately have scars... and flat tires off and on for months, because I have a hard time letting go of grudges...
Shoot, Elk county road crew has that handled well enough don't ya think!???
Love snakes, hate clowns. I am very serious. No telling how we form our phobias. They just exist, even if they don't make sense.
David
Quote from: dnalexander on September 21, 2008, 05:51:43 PM
Love snakes, hate clowns. I am very serious. No telling how we form our phobias. They just exist, even if they don't make sense.
David
Y'all know what they say... "nothing scarier than a clown."
Dale this is a famous Simpsons cartoon line.
Can't sleep, or the clowns will get me.
With their odd bodies and weird makeup I have no idea how clowns got to be a children's birthday party host. I never have liked them. I can't remember the Stephen King TV mini series show title with an evil clown as a main character in the 90's but between my love of horror movies and my hatred for clowns it was a 3 e ticket ride. I had to watch but it gave me nightmares.
David
Was it "IT"? Then there was Killer Clowns from Outer Space. No wonder some kids develop Coulrophobia!
Quote from: dnalexander on September 21, 2008, 06:56:18 PM
Dale this is a famous Simpsons cartoon line.
Can't sleep, or the clowns will get me.
With their odd bodies and weird makeup I have no idea how clowns got to be a children's birthday party host. I never have liked them. I can't remember the Stephen King TV mini series show title with an evil clown as a main character in the 90's but between my love of horror movies and my hatred for clowns it was a 3 e ticket ride. I had to watch but it gave me nightmares.
David
THe movie was IT. :D Got it on DVD i think LOL
It just may have been "IT" that I am thinking of. Now I just find clowns annoying as an adult. Interrupting me with some stupid balloon animal, fake smile, and over the top actions. Then the little kid phobia of clowns kicks in and then I just find them unbearable to be around as an adult. My best friend and my girlfriend both take knives away from me if we see a clown in a restaurant as a humorous way to acknowledge my dislike of clowns. Though they both have seriously told an over zealous clown to disappear. I don't want to over sell this but I truly hate clowns. Just a childhood phobia that I have not gotten rid of. I do deal with it now with my logical adult mind; doesn't mean I can't tell them to leave me alone.
David
I think that 'It' was written when Steven King was using cocaine. You can certainly tell the difference in the quality of his work when he was/ was not using drugs. He can do the very best in character study IMO.
SDM, your new character really needs a nose job. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I chose this character because I constantly push up my glasses! I hate to have them too tight around my ears, therefore they tend to slip. OhWell----! :-\
Ok, I don't really like snakes much. In our old house, I had a vistor inside that was big and black. I had to call my husband to come home and remove him. We did also have a problem with copperheads at our old house. Our middle child stepped right over the top of one when she was about 1 year old. My husband was with her, and I want to tell you that he was so scared. But the snake just layed their, thank goodness. We then got a rat terrier dog that, they say, helps to keep the snakes away.
Well, earlier this summer, I found not 1 but 2 snakes in my kitchen. We have a little bit of a mouse problem. I think that is why they decided to come inside. But I again, called Jeff and made him come home and take away the little critters. Jeff doesn't like snakes either, but he loves me and will take them away for me!!! We adopted a very loving cat about 2 weeks ago. She stays in our house, and do you know what, I haven't seen a mouse at all since we have gotten her. Not sure if she is killing them, or just bothering them!! She is now part of our family!!
So, I guess you could say that I dislike snakes alot!!!
Wilma, CNN News has an article this morning where a 10 foot plus Boa Constrictor was found slithering along a highway in Florida. I have read articles lately where these big snakes are on the increase in the warm swampy regions of the South. People get tired of them and take them out and turn them loose and now they are breeding and increasing.
Is CNN just now getting this on? I saw it on our Wichita ABC affiliate Saturday morning. I thought it had already been on the national networks. People getting tired of their pets is the reason we find alligators in Kansas.
How do I feel about snake? That's easy to answer "I DON'T FEEL SNAKES". If they leave me alone, I leave them alone. In the house???, sorry, but you're dead. >:( Now about clowns, when I traveled I liked to bring something back for each grandchild. One year I bought clowns sitting in a swing that you hang from the ceiling or a hook on the wall. One granddaughter never hung hers. I learned some years later that she was afraid of clowns. This grandmother felt just horrible about giving her one. That was my first knowledge that someone could have a phobia about clowns.
I hate snakes. Period. The only think I like about snakes is killing them, and even that is scary. If you hide from me, you can live. Show your slithery body and the shovel will get it (or whatever I can find).
Dog (rat terrier) and cats do a great job of keeping the mice and rats away. No need for snakes.
Crap, now my skin is crawling. Thanks.
Quote from: frawin on September 20, 2008, 10:23:14 AM
Wilma, I worked for the Dentons several years, and they did not want a Blacksnake or a Bullsnake bothered. They kept them in all of the outbuildings. The snakes elliminated any rats or mice. I remember when I first went to work for them I went into one of the Barns to turn on a light and in the dark I reached for the light switch and touched a big Blacksnake on the ledge by the switch, I came out of there looking for something to kill that snake with, Gladys Denton was there and told me not to bother that snake it wouldn't bother me, and it ate Rats and Mice. I encountered snakes alot in their buildings and she was right there didn't bother me, and I rarely if ever saw a Rat or Mouse in their buildings. Living in West texas for 27 years we had lots of Rattlesnakes and they were huge, many in excess of 6 feet long, being a hunter I encountered lots of big Rattlers during Dove season and I shot everyone I could. I knew and saw people that had been bitten by Rattlers and it is really bad scene. One peron I knew almost lost his leg from a Rattler bite, he told me the whole ordeal was the most painful ordeal he had every gone thru. My two sons and my daughter Dove and quail hunted with me and we all wore snake chaps/leggins. I guess in answer to your question I can take them or leave them depending on the type.
Soon after Dorothy and Joe moved to Howard, Mom was cleaning Grandma Gladys' kitchen and found a 6 foot long snake skin behind the refridgerator. Mom was horrified and Grandma said something like, "Oh yeah, I've seen it, it keeps the mice in check" I am very Ophidiophobic. I am lucky that with all the camping I have done with my boyscouts, the only snakes I've seen are the non-poisonous ones the boys catch and bring back to camp to torment their Scoutmaster.
Kevin
I do not like snakes. As long as they are in a cage, I can look at them, like at the zoo.
Two snake stories. When we lived in Severy, Daddy had remodeled the back porch and made an extra room. The threshold board that led out to the smaller room going outside had a knot hole in it. One day we saw a snake put it's head up through that knot hole. Then the snake disappeared. The next thing we knew, the snake had most of it's body through that knot hole and was coming into the house. I don't remember what happened with the snake. I'm sure Mother does.
Second snake story. Recently, while working at amazon.com I was picking product for orders. The area I was in had the product sitting on pallets. The product was like toys and big items. While I was getting some empty totes to put the picked product in, I saw a black snake wrapped around the pallet. I went to the mechanics room, just about 50 feet away and asked the mechanics if they were scared of snakes. Nope, they weren't, did I have a snake for them? I told them, I didn't have it, but they were certainly welcome to get it. That's what they did, caught the snake after making him angry, then turned him loose outside across the big ditch north of the plant. Not fun. I look for snakes in that area all the time.
QuoteThe next thing we knew, the snake had most of it's body through that knot hole and was coming into the house. I don't remember what happened with the snake.
Lol, reminds of the time a big snake startin comin in thru the wall of the bathroom in granma and granpa smiths old house while dad was in there. He shot it :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Snakes really never have bothered me except for copperheads. Me and Kelly used to go to the crick and catch em when we were kids. Flip over the big rocks till we found one.
Lol, bout 11 years ago or so when we still lived in Severy, I caught a big ol bullsnake in my chicken house. Joes brother was tearin down the house next to us so I went over there carryin it and hollered at him to show it to him......that's how I found out he don't like snakes :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Janet, where exactly is that Amazon shipping building?
I seem to recall hearing a story when you were the sheriff and my dad came over to help you get a snake out of a lady living the folk's home.
I wanna hear that story.
As for the snake that came through the knot hole. I don't remember it, but I do remember one that found it's way as far as inside the kitchen door. I thought it was a stick that someone had dropped there until it moved. My husband was there at the time and he removed it.
That would be a good one.
What I was really trying to say was to help Janet get a snake out of a lady's home near my folk's house. I was not there but it seems to me the snake was in a cabinet and the sheriff was standing back. :)
You better bet the sheriff was standing back. But she was willing to kill a rattlesnake if Grandma hadn't beat her to it.
I am somewhat afraid of snakes in that I don't want to touch them. My mom was not afraid of snakes and would often pick up Garder snakes so I could pet them, so I don't know where I learned it. I remember when we first moved out here, it wasn't till a little while after that I learned there was rattle snakes out here when I ran across one while we were building our house. Now those I am terribly afraid of and worry for the children all the time. We just had one in our chicken house today. Blech!! Any rattle snake we kill and the kids have gotten excellent at spotting them. (they are rather colorful and stick out) and so I don't worry about them quite as much as I use to. But if it's not a rattler or any other poisonous snake, while I don't want to touch them, I won't kill them. My son absolutely loves snakes and is constantly catching them and bringing them in the house. I had one loose in my house one day and my son was staying with grandma and I couldn't bring myself to touch it so I put a bowl over it so it couldn't get away and then called Steve to come get it and take it out of my house. LOL
Thanks to my son Charlie I (for the most part) released my fear of snakes. Dale, Charlie had a Columbian Red-tailed Boa that reacted to him much like you have described about yours. I swear that snake knew Charlie. Although I still would not want to encounter snakes in the wild I did learn that generally speaking I have nothing to fear. I don't smell like, look like, feel like their food supply. I learned to appreciate their existence and became quite fascinated with them. It's mesmerizing to watch one feed. It is quite amazing to watching one go through the shedding process and renew their colors. Snakes are not slimy. Their bellies are quite soft. They are very graceful creatures. Although, I still prefer my rambuncious slobbering 100lb Lab.
Quote from: sunflower on September 26, 2008, 08:41:25 PM
Thanks to my son Charlie I (for the most part) released my fear of snakes. Dale, Charlie had a Columbian Red-tailed Boa that reacted to him much like you have described about yours. I swear that snake knew Charlie. Although I still would not want to encounter snakes in the wild I did learn that generally speaking I have nothing to fear. I don't smell like, look like, feel like their food supply. I learned to appreciate their existence and became quite fascinated with them. It's mesmerizing to watch one feed. It is quite amazing to watching one go through the shedding process and renew their colors. Snakes are not slimy. Their bellies are quite soft. They are very graceful creatures. Although, I still prefer my rambuncious slobbering 100lb Lab.
Very good, you learned all the things that us that enjoy our snake pets, want others to learn. I learned to get past my fear of snakes when a friend of mine convinced me that there was no possible way the snake could hurt me. Of course, that is why I don't want to encounter them in the wild. Living in the deep south,the chances that I will encounter a dangerous one is better than average. Anyways... I'm glad you learned to appreciate the red-tailed Boa. I used to have a Columbian Red-tailed Boa as well. I gave her to a friend of mine once she had reached a littler over 8 feet in length. It was getting harder for me to handle her alone. Last I heard, she was a new mother. :)
OK...maybe lots of little baby constrictors running around MIGHT be pushing my comfort level.
So what does the kitty in your picture think of "the snake".. ( maybe you could post a picture of it? ) :)
He's supposed to be posting a picture of the snake but I haven't seen it yet. Where is it, Dale?
Quote from: Wilma on September 28, 2008, 07:29:24 AM
He's supposed to be posting a picture of the snake but I haven't seen it yet. Where is it, Dale?
I haven't gotten around to getting someone to take a picture of me holding him. You'd think it wouldn't be so difficult, but funny thing, most of my neighbors shy away when he's out in the yard.
Excuses, Excuses?
Yes, they claim snakes won't hurt ya, but I will hurt myself trying to get away from them. And incidently Dale, no offense, but if I were your neighbor I would not be shying away, I would be packing up and moving!!! LOL
I have no idea how to add a picture to this post, but let's see if I can give it a shot. If I mess up, my apologies:
If this works, here are a couple of pictures of my snake, Beau.
He is a beautiful snake. Can he crawl faster than I can run?
Quote from: Wilma on September 29, 2008, 03:08:28 PM
He is a beautiful snake. Can he crawl faster than I can run?
LOL... no, his natural inclination is to simply hide. He spends almost ALL of his time inside his hide box, in his tank. Dumeril's Boa Constrictors are very docile. It wouldn't even cross his mind to bite, unless you happened to try to take food away from him, which in that case, it wouldn't really be his fault. LOL
Oh, and thank you, I appreciate your compliment. I think he is very beautiful as well. :)
Uhm...not to be the voice of doom and gloom, but what do you do with him once he's too ginormous to keep? Do you donate him to a zoo?
Quote from: Catwoman on September 29, 2008, 03:16:52 PM
Uhm...not to be the voice of doom and gloom, but what do you do with him once he's too ginormous to keep? Do you donate him to a zoo?
Nope, no worries... he's full grown. I've had him for five years now. He won't grow anymore. He and I will be together until one of us is gone. ;)
Great job with the pictures Dale...and he is a cool pet.
Beautiful !
How often do you "play" with him?
Quote from: Mom70x7 on September 29, 2008, 04:23:29 PM
Beautiful !
How often do you "play" with him?
Well, if he had his choice, it would be every day when I come home from work. But, he can't be held for at least 24 hours after eating, so it's usually only 4 or 5 times a week that I will take him out. He loves to come out, but often does not want to go back in.... he makes me feel guilty if I try to put him away too soon.
That is a very good looking Boa, has he just recently shed his skin or is he that brightly colored all the time?
Quote from: Dee Gee on September 29, 2008, 05:41:03 PM
That is a very good looking Boa, has he just recently shed his skin or is he that brightly colored all the time?
Dale, that's his normal colorings. He is probably due in another week or so to shed, so he might be a bit on the dull side at the moment.
Dat dere is a purty snake dat is. I dare you to rub mouse on your fingers and then pet his head. ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Diane Amberg on September 29, 2008, 06:39:49 PM
Dat dere is a purty snake dat is. I dare you to rub mouse on your fingers and then pet his head. ;D ;D ;D
Diane, next time you pass through Georgia, stop by for a visit... I'll let you pet one or two of my rats, and then you can reach in and pet Beau. ;)
OK, I'll take you up on that. :laugh: I have a family member, Dan Lyle, who lives in Rockville Maryland, who is also an enthusiastic creature keeper. He has all manner of snakes and things in fancy habitats. He doesn't send regular Christmas cards, he sends cute drawings of his critters doing holiday things.
Quote from: Dale Smith on September 29, 2008, 04:28:08 PM
[ He loves to come out, but often does not want to go back in.... he makes me feel guilty if I try to put him away too soon.
Not being a snake lover, how can you tell if he likes being out with you? Why can't you hold them for 24 hours after eating and do your pet rats enjoy it when you take him out? :D
Quote from: jprxmkt on October 01, 2008, 07:15:24 AM
Quote from: Dale Smith on September 29, 2008, 04:28:08 PM
[ He loves to come out, but often does not want to go back in.... he makes me feel guilty if I try to put him away too soon.
Not being a snake lover, how can you tell if he likes being out with you? Why can't you hold them for 24 hours after eating and do your pet rats enjoy it when you take him out? :D
I can tell that he doesn't want to go back into his tank when he wraps himself tightly around my arm and holds on. Then, once I have him unwound and back in his tank, he does his best to come back out. If I do open the top of the tank, he will crawl out, and up my arm and go back to his position around my neck. (his favorite... other than the top of my head, but he's too big to sit up there now.)
If you hold him within 24 hours of eating, it's highly likely that his food will come back up... and it's NOT a pretty sight.
None of my other pets associate too much with each other, or rather the different kinds don't. I have four pet rats that live on the third floor of my house, in several cages. Two of those rats are hairless rats. That's quite the sight if you have not seen a hairless rat. Beau, my snake, has his tank in my office. I also have two cats that have general roam of the house, but they pay no attention to either the snake or the rats.
I hate rats.. Literally. They make my skin take off on its own.. ( I raised and love Hamsters though.. go figure ::))
but I will try to be a big girl and be brave..cause I want you to take pictures of them and post them. please. I have never seen a no hair rat.. ((shuddering)) ..but I don't want to go through life not being in the know.. ;D :D ;D :D so please?
Dale - Does he have a name?
Quote from: sunflower on October 01, 2008, 01:59:47 PM
Dale - Does he have a name?
Does who have a name? The snake? Or, the hairless rat that was mentioned also? In either case, the snake is Beau, and the hairless rat is named Harry. ;D
Bald rat or mole rat? Harry, I mean.
When I posted the "name" question I had scanned the posts and missed the info about the rat. I meant the snake, but chuckled at the name of the rat.
OK... some of you asked to see a picture of my hairless rat, "Harry"... so here goes!!!
Too punny! :laugh:
ohhhhhh..... hahahahahaha ... he is so cute.. a bit on the skinny side ..( feed him more Dale ;)) but he didn't make me shudder at all. He has the sweetest little face and cheeks.. LOL
Thanks so much for posting all the pics of your family.. :)
Must be getting to be closer winter...I haven't seen any of my garter snakes lately.
When I was growing up in Southwestern Kansas, my parents did not have a septic tank we had a sess pool (spelling wrong). Huge black snakes would get into the pool and make their way through our sewer pipe into our toilets. We ALWAYS kept the toilet seat down and a hoe beside the toilet to drag out the smelly slimy things. When we had guests use the RR, they got a big surpise if they did not turn on the light at night and LOOK before having a rest. It did not take long before Dad dug a septic tank and the problem was solved. ;D