Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

A girl!

Excellent!

Excitement on the farm yesterday! I went out to gather eggs - which have been few and far between lately - and found out why!



I caught this thing in a nest box and the fight was ON! He tried to get away, and he tried to run, and he tried to scare me (and he did!) - but in the end I WON! I had to take him next door and show the neighbors. He offered to hold him for me so I could get a pic. Neighbor is 6'4"....snake is at least that big too!

Along with eating eggs, I'm thinking he might be responsible for some chicks that have been disappearing. Stoopid snake! We tossed him into the empty pasture across the road from me. I sure hope he knows whats good for him and stays over there! I don't like to kill snakes, but I can't have him eating up all my profits either!!

That's much bigger than the snake I had to mess with! What kind is it?

We call 'em chicken snakes around here. Non poisonous but nasty tempered and will be happy to bite you if you annoy 'em enough!

I googled it. They're also known as a Texas rat snake and are fairly common. It says they're often mistaken for rattlers and other venomous snakes.

Yep - lots of people call 'em different things... and there are other non-venomous snakes that fall under that generic name umbrella. Not too many snakes around here get THAT big...and if they ARE that big, they usually aren't venomous.

Thank goodness rattlers are extremely rare around here even though timber rattlers are fairly common within a couple hours of here at my in-law's place!

I have another snake on the place that hangs out in the garden... he's a speckled king snake and they are beautiful...and bonus...copperheads are one of their favorite meal. In fact, in the last couple years I haven't seen a venomous snake on the property. That's one of the reasons I usually let the non-venomous guys hang around!

I always encourage the non-venomous snakes, they prey on all kinds of vermin as well as other snakes. But it can be exciting to run across one in your corn patch... or chicken coop!

I've read that about king snakes. Most snakes are beautiful. And while I like them for the job they do on rodents, I'll admit to not really liking snakes that much.