Canola oil saves a snake

15 years ago

This A.M. as I opened the garage door on a mission to putter in the garden, a very small garter snake headed inside. Because it was small, I grabbed a broom to guide it back the way it came (oh how very brave I was!). Not recognizing my good intentions, it quickly looked for a place to hide and unfortunately ducked into a sticky trap I have in the corner. Alas, I didn't have to worry about where it was because it was firmly stuck in the glue.

I slid a small dowel stick into the trap to carry it outside. Now I had a sticky trap with a snake inside stuck to the dowel stick.

Thank goodness for Google. The website for the sticky trap manufacturer had no info about deactivating the stickiness but a Google search turned up mineral oil or vegetable oil.

I grabbed my bottle of canola and headed back outside. In its efforts to escape, the little snake was stuck even more. I gently poured a little canola on the side of the trap and lifted the end up so the oil would slide toward the snakeÂs body. After a short time, I noticed the middle part of the body was moving freely. I added more canola and being careful not to drown the snake in the canola, I let the oil slip around the head. More and more of the snake was freed and finally the oil worked its magic and the little bugger slithered away into the bushes.

It's free once again to eat and grow much bigger so it can scare the breath out of me at some later date!

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Comments (13)

nytrinigemini
15 years ago
You are so brave....I am trying to be more open to snakes.....fortunately I do not see many in my yard....but if I do I will try to be as brave as you were....
tomncath
15 years ago
Too funny. You need to make this into a contest to see who can come up with the best punch line ;-)
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Mazer maybe meant well, because I do agree that all living things have a right to live, but I have to say that were I bmmalone, I too would be somewhat offended by Mazer's tone. We live where there are copperheads and rattlesnakes, and we do not believe in needless killing of these poisonous snakes the various times we see them when we are in the forest around our home, and have given them lots of space upon seeing them and left them in peace. But it sure is not practical and rather shortsighted to say they "deserve to remain in their environment" and to put down someone who says otherwise, when that environment becomes my back yard where pet or very young child can innocently approach this potentially dangerous snake and be harmed. Yes---we make sure in our yard that the grass is always cut short and that there are no piles of brush, etc. that would encourage any snake from having a place to hide right in the yard, but the two times in the last 15 years that we did see a copperhead (one time) and rattlesnake (another time) right in the yard very close to the house, it was not difficult to make the decision to kill them. At times, we have also seen black snakes but since the consequences of a bite from them would not put life or limb in danger we would not think of killing them. (Yes---we do know personally a man who lost his arm from the bite of a poisonous snake). It is so easy to pass judgement on others, but it sure is much different when the reality is what it is.
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atreelady
15 years ago
I LOVE that story, Juneroses. I'm so glad you could save the snake. That was quick thinking to check Google. I swear everything you ever wanted to know about anything is on the internet.
suegrew
15 years ago
Smart thinking. You should have good kharma coming your way. Whoever said all snake oil is nonsense should read your story.
Thanks for sharing,
Sue
coffeemom
15 years ago
Your story reminded me of "Forget Paris" when Debra Winger had the pigeon stuck to her head.
You are a good do-bee.
manature
15 years ago
What a great story! I love it when there's a happy ending! And I will remember that trick, in case I ever need it.

Thanks for sharing. And especially, thanks for caring enough to make every effort to help the little guy. That's the kind of thing I just LOVE to hear about!!

Marcia
gardencpa
15 years ago
Yes, and I suppose had it not worked, you could have used the canola oil to fry him up for lunch!

Just kidding, I think it was a brave and noble thing to do, especially since it was scary.

M
katkin_gw
15 years ago
Wow, that was quick thinking on your part, I am sure that snake will be greatful and not scare you, for a while at least. ;o)
rick32817
15 years ago
I applaud your actions, most people would be glad there was one less snake. I have black racers in my yard, they are soo cool. A great step to protect our native wildlife.
junkyardgirl
15 years ago
Oh, how sweet! I dug up some baby garters once, They're so pretty.

I don't know why I'm getting so sentimental about snakes all of a sudden.
corar4gw
15 years ago
As a kid in Arizona, we were forbidden to kill any snake that wasn't poisonous and an immediate threat to man or beast. As an adult, some of my neighbors don't understand my refusal to dispatch ANY snake. Like I told my grand daughter - they eat roaches and bad bugs, don't poison the soil and they're free - leave 'em alone! cora
manature
15 years ago
Way to go, Cora!

Marcia
juneroses Z9a Cntrl Fl
Original Author
15 years ago
Another garter snake was saved by the canola oil method. Anyway, I opened the garage door this morning and there was a garter snake in a sticky strap. The trap is normally tucked in a 1" deep depression in the corner of the garage. The snake (and trap) were in the middle of the garage when I found it.

This snake was a bit bigger than the first one although maybe it was the first one with a monthÂs more growth on it! If it is the original, then itÂs learned not to go to the right corner because it got caught in the trap on the left this time.

IÂm sorry the little buggers get caught but IÂm quite willing to do the canola trick to free them. IÂm not inclined to remove the traps. I do not relish the thought of opening a garage cabinet and staring into the face of a snake, even though I am much bigger. Besides, it would be expensive - I would jump back in fright, fall over the weed bucket, hit my head on the concrete, sustain a concussion, and have to make a $50 co-payment at the emergency room!

June

Canola oil saves a snake

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nytrinigemini

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Canola oil saves a snake

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juneroses Z9a Cntrl FlOriginal Author

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