Snake Stories

15 years ago

A couple of amusing incidents in the last 10 days. At my favorite tavern a snake was seen under the pool table and an off-duty bartender was quietly informed so as not to alarm the patrons. When George, the bartender, returned with a push broom and began madly sweeping it was apparent that something was amiss. His words, "SNAKE! MOCCASIN!" did nothing to promote calm, with people leaping up on the bar. When I went forward to see he had already managed to usher it out the door and my view of its departing body identified it as a common black snake. Following it, I saw it climb into a motorcycle! The biker was not happy with this info and 'carefully' started the bike figuring that the heat would drive the snake out, which it finally did. I managed to fend off the offended biker from stomping the snake and let it proceed on its way to eat vermin.

Yesterday afternoon there was a commotion in my house with people running to and fro. (I have an extended household, all mature adults.) Fearing the worst, I grabbed my rifle and rushed to the scene and was greeted by the sight of a black snake trying to swallow its lunch, another snake, in the midst of a circle of 'apes' armed with clubs, hoes, etc. When I asked why they wanted to kill it as it was killing snakes, the tension evaporated and it was allowed to finish its lunch and go on its way.

ron

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Comments (29)

manature
15 years ago
Good going, Snake Saver! Funny thing...when I was asked recently how to identify a water moccasin, my immediate response was, "They almost NEVER hang out in taverns, bars, nightclubs, pool halls, or pubs!"

Thanks for intervening on the snake's behalf, in both instances! We need more folks like you.

Marcia
KaraLynn
15 years ago
I'm glad you were able to save both of the snakes. I keep picturing what that biker must have looked like when you told him there was a snake in his motocycle! I imagine it was hilarious! lol
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Ok, so here's the next snake saga!
Q
Comments (10)
Yikes! I found out the hard way,too,to check what the birds are getting upset about. Walking to the end of the driveway where there are huge bushes on each side...I noticed the birds squawking and zooming down right under the edge of the bush.Of course I looked up and was watching the birds up high when I should've looked down at the ground. But the snake let me know real quick! I heard this fast thumping sound (the snake was beating his tail on the ground warning me!) and there was a black racer with it's jaws unhinged nice and wide, swallowing a large bird. All I could see was tail feathers, part of a wing, and the bird's 2 legs sticking out of this snake's mouth!! kudzu Ya'll be careful of the snakes! I think I saw that video on America's Funniest Home Videos! Such a HUGE snake trying to get away from the rabbit, and the rabbit sure looks smart!
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Is this the funny forum or what?
Q
Comments (18)
HI Lindy B, Well, something must be funny if I'm up at 2:30 in the morning!!! LOL I think I can sleep now, but maybe I should relay a story if I can paste it here. One story is a forward I got on a garden snake. Now if anyone that would laugh at a garden snake story would have to belong to the Garden Website. Haha. Here goes: If not, then the little green snake swallowed me up! Be sure to read to the END for my snake story! Cheers! Garden Snakes are DANGEROUS! > Author Unknown > > Green garden grass snakes can be dangerous. > > Yes, grass snakes, not rattlesnakes. A couple in > Sweetwater, Texas had a lot of potted plants, and > during a recent cold spell, the wife was bringing a > lot of them indoors to protect them from a possible > freeze. It turned out that a little green garden grass > snake was hidden in one of the plants and when it had > warmed up, it slithered out and the wife saw it go > under the sofa. She let out a very loud scream. > > The husband, who was taking a shower, ran out into the > living room naked to see what the problem was. She > told him there was a snake under the sofa. He got down > on the floor on his hands and knees to look for it. > About that time the family dog came and cold nosed him > on the rear. He thought the snake had bitten him and > he fainted. > > His wife thought he had a heart attack, so she called > an ambulance. The attendants rushed in and loaded him > on the stretcher and started carrying him out. > > About that time the snake came out from under the sofa > and one of the Emergency Medical Technicians saw it > and dropped his end of the stretcher. That's when the > man broke his leg and why he is still in the hospital. > The wife still had the problem of the snake in the > house, so she called on a neighbor man. He volunteered > to capture the snake. He armed himself with a > rolled-up newspaper and began poking under the > couch. Soon he decided it was gone and told the woman, > who sat down on the sofa in relief. > > But in relaxing, her hand dangled in between the > cushion where she felt the snake wriggling around. > She screamed and fainted, the snake rushed back under > the sofa, and the neighbor man, seeing her laying > there passed out tried to use CPR to revive her. The > neighbor's wife, who had just returned from shopping > at the grocery store, saw her husband's mouth on the > woman's mouth and slammed her husband on the back of > the head with a bag of canned goods, knocking him out > and cutting his scalp to a point where it needed > stitches. > > An ambulance was again called when it was determined > that the injury required hospitalization. > > The noise woke the woman from her dead faint and she > saw her neighbor lying on the floor with his wife > bending over him, so she assumed he had been bitten by > the snake. She went to the kitchen, brought back a > small bottle of whiskey, and began pouring it down the > man's throat. By now the police had arrived. They saw > the unconscious man, smelled the whiskey, and assumed > that a drunken fight had occurred. They were about to > arrest them all, when the two women tried to explain > how it all happened over a little green snake. The > ambulance arrived and took away the neighbor and his > sobbing wife. Just then the little snake crawled out > from under the couch. One of the policemen drew his > gun and fired at it. He missed the snake and hit the > leg of the end table that was on > one side of the sofa. The table fell over and the lamp > on it shattered and as the bulb broke, it started a > fire in the drapes. > > The other policeman tried to beat out the flames and > fell through the window into the yard on top of the > family dog, who startled, jumped up and raced out into > the street, where an oncoming car swerved to avoid it > and smashed into the parked police car and set it on > fire. Meanwhile, the burning drapes had spread to the > walls and the entire house was > blazing. Neighbors had called the fire department and > the arriving fire truck had started raising his ladder > when they were halfway down the street. The rising > ladder tore out the overhead wires and pulled out the > electricity and disconnected telephones in a > ten-square city block area. > > Time passed... > > Both men were discharged from the hospital. The house > was re-built. The police acquired a new car, and all > was right with the world. About a year later the > original couple were watching TV and the weatherman > announced a cold snap for that night. The husband > asked his wife if she thought they should bring in > their plants for the night. > (Said this to a BIL)---- I finally have read the snake story. Very funny, but oh so true. Hehe. When I was a little girl, about 3 years old I was play ironing with my mother. I had my little ironing board and she had hers. While playing I saw a snake go by down the hallway. This was in San Jose and we had brown tiled floors. I told my mother and she thought it was the telephone cord lying on the floor. In the 50's usually one phone and a long cord. I said "No." as a little girl could say, my mother must have believed me cuz she put me on a chair or stool and called the police. When asked where I thought it came from, I said, "The bathtub." The bathroom was at the other end of the hall. The room we were in faced the living room and the entrance into the hallway and the bedroom doorway where I was at and the other bedrooms that went down a long hall. Anyway, we figured the snake went down into my mother's bedroom. The policeman did his duty and gathered the snake into a brown paper bag. Away he went to put it somewhere, I assume since I was a little girl. We figured that it must have been a Gopher snake that had traveled from the prune orchard behind our backyard fence and slithered down our sideyard sidewalk and creeped into our tiled kitchen floor and continued its way down to the hallway where I saw it. I don't know why it would be in our house except for finding protection from the summer day or maybe it saw a GOPHER. Hehehe...hahaha...heh,heh,heh... Another thing is that the story earlier isn't too way off as I bring in my water plants too, and I have been known to be surprised by these little green snakes wrapped around the water lilies. They quickly wriggle out of the waterlily pot and slither up the waterfalls and out of the pond to avoid contact with my attempt to trim the water lily leaves. Heh,heh. Karalyn PS--They never do get into the house, Knock on Wood. hehe
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MY Snake Story...
Q
Comments (13)
Betsy, it has probably been more than ten years since I saw one, and I used to see them fairly often, canoeing and hiking, and even in my yard at one house. They were considered a fairly common garden snake, useful for keeping the insect population down, but they have gotten very scarce. I noticed that Don Goodman, the man behind Kanapaha, has named the last chapter in his wonderful book "Where Have All The Green Snakes Gone?" (This book is great, by the way...it's called "Summer of the Dragon," and among his tales about being a naturalist, he tells about losing his arm to a monster dragon (gator) at the gardens. You can order the book through Florida Gardening, but the best way to get it is to visit the gardens and buy it on your way out.) Green snakes get brighter and brighter as they grow, turning a gorgeous emerald color, with a bright orange tongue. I just love them! It did my heart good to see this one and know they are breeding at Kanapaha. And it did my heart good to have a morning out in nature with Tabitha. She is a very smart little girl and takes everything in. At one point, she insisted we stop so she could make a list of things we had seen to that point..."just like Granny does." Of course, you can't actually READ her list...I mean, she's not even three yet...but it sure was fun to watch her working so diligently on one. She was trying to remember the names of all the flowers, too, especially the pink ones. Gardening in general and botanical gardens and butterfly gardens are so much fun to share with children. If you haven't tried it with your own kids or grandchildren, folks, you don't know what your missing. It's a great way to bond, and how can you resist sharing it with them? I know when these blue eyes look up at me, I just melt and want to teach her about all my favorite things! I say, make gardeners out of ALL of 'em! They will live longer and happier lives if they are in touch with nature. I firmly believe that, and there is evidence to support it. Life is good when you are in a garden with your favorite little one! Marcia
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First Snake EVER!
Q
Comments (31)
Dorothy, We have huge timber rattlers like that here on our property and they scare me to death. Once somebody ran over one and killed it in the road right by our mailbox. All day long people stopped to look at the huge size of that sucker, and you could even hear them hollering comments (I was in the garden 100' away from the road) like "Dang! That's a big snake!" Finally someone stopped and picked it up. They asked if I minded if they took it. Ha! I was tired of looking at it and was glad to see it go. Last year we came back from a fire on a 110 or 112 degree day when not a creature was stirring in the head and found a big timber rattler lying in the driveway. I guess it was sunning itself, and I said to Tim "Is it not hot enough for that thing without the reflected heat from the driveway?" Due to its proximity to the house, he was going to shoot it but by the time we parked and were out of the car it had disappeared. We have an unpleasant encounter with a big timber rattler the size of the one you described at least twice a year, and sometimes 4 or 5 times a year. There is a dense woodland between our house and the nearest house to our south, and the timber rattlers always seem to come out of that area. Although we have western diamondback rattlers and copperheads in the garden fairly often, I've never seen a timber rattler there and I think it is because the holes in the fence are too small for them to squeeze through. And, for whatever reason, I most often encounter pygmy rattlers in one specific area of the woodland and rarely see them any place else. I have a long list in my brain of areas coded "do not enter" in summertime because of frequent snake encounters in those areas. The farther west you go from our house and towards the river, the heavier the snake population. The far back part of the property near the western fence line is so full of copperheads that I do not go back there for any reason whatsoever during snake season. Our next-door neighbor was bitten on or near her ankle by a copperhead a few years ago. She got immediate medical attention but had a lot of trouble with her leg for quite some time. She couldn't walk and had to be in a wheelchair for maybe a month. It does seem like the swelling lasted a long time. I know that snakes are an important part of the ecosystem and we'd be overrun with rodents were it not for the snakes, but I hate it when they are lurking in the yard or garden. We try to keep the area up around the house, garage, and gardens snake-free, but ignore the ones that roam the rest of our acreage. We have 14.4 acres and we don't shoot snakes on roughly 13 of those acres. However, despite the fact that they control rodents and are very helpful in that regard, I still don't like them and never will. Dawn
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wile_e_coyote
15 years ago
I always get mad when people see a black racer and freak out and decide they must kill it. It's a good snake, leave it be!

I once tried to save one I found in the road, his mouth was damaged so I tube fed him for a while but his mouth wasn't getting better and he was getting weaker so I had to put him down.

I used to have one I always saw in my yard (even in my garage once) but I haven't seen it for a few years, I am afraid a neighbor might have done him in. He always shed his skin by my garage door so even if I never saw him I knew he was around. In the time since he's been missing I now have mice in my house and rats outside, in part my fault due to not being able to work on my yard for so long but I think I would have one big, fat happy racer if he were still around.

I had someone bring a baby racer to my clinic for id. because he thought it bit his pet. Baby racers have a pattern which make them look a little like rattlers but I could see it did not have an elliptical pupil so I did some online research and identified it as a baby racer, learned something new since I always thought baby racers were also black. Then took him to a nice wooded area and released him. Most people would have stomped first and asked questions later, so I was glad he brought me the snake alive so he got a chance to live.
natives_and_veggies
15 years ago
My boyfriend saw two 3-foot snakes chasing each other in the back yard last weekend. But he's colorblind so a coral snake and a black snake look pretty much the same. We've agreed that I'm the one who deals with snakes, fishign them out of the pool or the cats' mouths. Can't have him killing the good ones, or messing with the bad ones. :)
katkin_gw
15 years ago
A couple of years ago, in the spring, I saw two black snakes playing in the grass. They looked like they were playing tag. First one would chase the other one and then they reversed the game. I watched them for a about 20 minutes. It was so funny to see their antics. I have a lot of black snakes around here.
Another time as I was going down the path one was crossing it and we collieded. He curled around my leg. We scared each other half to death. I hopped on one foot till I shook him off and we both headed in opposite directions. ;o)
tomncath
15 years ago
I've lived here my whole life and grew up in a hunting/fishing family, although I have no interest in hunting these days. I've seen rattlesnakes swimming in Tampa Bay, far from shore but I really had no idea that moccasins would live in a brackish environment. I live on a brackish lake that feeds to Tampa Bay and when I first moved in I didn't think anything of getting down in the water to remove the cattails because I really didn't think anything in the water could be harmful to me. Two things have happened since that time. I've learned to live in peace with the cattails since the sediment keeps my waterfront from eroding away and brings in the birds to feed on fish, AND that moccasins certainly will live in brackish water as I've seen a couple dozen in just ten years...so I'm much more cautious down there now than I used to be.
laura1
15 years ago
Last week I was at the rose garden of one of my customers and I said something to him about the armidillos digging holes around the newly planted bushes. This man says to me "I thought snakes dug those holes." I replied in a high pitched voice (jokingly) "But snakes don't have any paws to dig with" ;-)
...has anyone ever seen a snake dig a hole?!
manature
15 years ago
Nope, can't say as I have! I have seen some desert snakes that "dive" into the soft sand, burrowing down to hide. But they didn't have to DIG. I've seen them burrow into soft leaf litter, but that's not digging a hole, either. Can't imagine such a thing! Nor can I imagine THINKING such a thing. *shaking head, here*

Marcia
musicaldeity
15 years ago
Kudos to the snake saviors... I'm one myself... I'm a fan of them. I've got two as pets, both rescued from somewhat neglectful homes :( Sad how people get them and then don't take care of them or want them anymore.

We let our snakes be around our yard, actually since we moved I haven't seen any outside. Our cat won't mess with them but the dog does, so we try and keep them apart.
tannatonk23_fl_z9a
15 years ago
We have a large racer that lives in our yard and both hubby and myself have observed this snake crawl in a hole in the ground and he comes out another hole about 6 feet away. I don't know if he "dug" the hole or not but he most definitely uses it regularly.

I've also observed small (maybe 12"-18") solid terracotta colored snakes when I've moved rocks or landscape timbers. They are quite pretty and seem very docile but they burrow into the dirt rather quickly. Does anyone know what they are?

~Betsy
Martina DeLuca
15 years ago
I have an interesting snake picture. He was there when we pulled up one day. Ignore the house...it's since been painted :)

Eating a frog backwards. When we pulled up, it looked like they were one in the same because of their coloring.
countrynest
15 years ago
Last night I saw what appear snake skin laying on top of the water lily pads,in the pond. It was too dark but this morning
I notice it was my resident water snake that I show you all
awhile back. He is dead. :( We just do not know what killed him. He was whole just lying on the lily pad. Apparently there was no struggle. Any one has any idea?
Felix
manature
15 years ago
Crazy snake, aroidgardener! Doesn't he know he's supposed to do it the other way round!? Great photo!

Betsy, using holes is very common among snakes. Rattlesnakes, indigo snakes and others will den in gopher burrows, and will use other holes and hollows they find here and there. They can burrow in soft sand or leaf litter easily. But they don't actually "dig." Especially not holes the size that armadillos dig. That involves actually scooping out dirt and flinging it aside, and they just don't have the equipment to do that.

Burrowing, yes. Digging, not so much so! That's my story, an' I'm stickin' to it!

;o)
Marcia
crystabel
15 years ago
That is such a cool pic of the snake eating the frog!
We have a black racer that lives up front under our date palm and has laid eggs there. She sheds her skin right up at the front door. We've also seen her climb the trellis and lay in the creeping fig around the roof edge and peek out at us LOL.
We also get a few corn snakes in the yard. We saw one catch and eat a field mouse the other day.
My sister calls me to get little snakes out of her pool. She will stand on a chair while I try to catch a snake the size of an earthworm LOL.
billbrandi
15 years ago
Maurice is the nickname of the black racer who lives in my front garden. 'Mo has been with us for two years now and, last year, we found out 'Mo was a Michelle. There were little black snakes all over. They've gone away but 'Mo is still there. Know how we know when 'Mo is out hunting? The lizards are all up on the stucco well out reach of anything that could eat them if they were on the ground. And, we haven't had a palmetto bug in the house in a year; 'Mo keeps things pretty clean.
zoozue
15 years ago
Kudos on the snake stories, finally people who appreciate wildlife, how dull life would be without their contributions.
Kudos all.
SaintPFLA
15 years ago
I have two black racers that cruise through my yard on a regular basis. One is very large one and the other a bit smaller.

I see the younger one much more frequently. I think he considers me to be part of the scenery and is not particularly bothered by me.

I cannot tell you how MANY times I have almost stepped on this guy! He loves to hang around my back and front steps and does not rush away when he sees me. He takes his time and leaves when he is ready.

The other day, I was working on a project on the patio. The snake cruised through the patio...mere inches away from my feet. "Mornin' Bob!...happy hunting!"

He had not a care in the world and was just making his daily lizard catching rounds not phased by me at all!
lakeron
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi zoozue glad to see another Lakelander join in.
Welcome to the group.
ron
solstice98
15 years ago
Great snake stories! I'm still laughing about snakes 'digging' burrows but maybe the one with the frog is just trying to get the poor froggie to help him dig a hole! A good example of tool use by a reptile. That's sure to be a hit on Discovery or the Animal Planet!

I like snakes and have been troubled in the past year because I haven't seen my large racer or any others. Found out a couple weeks ago that I have a neighbor who actually hunts them by the edge of the pond, not waiting for one to "invade" his yard. I told him if I saw him killing a snake in my yard or anywhere else I would be after HIM with my hoe.

Kate
wanda662
15 years ago
Go get him Kate!
We had a rat (corn)snake in our BBQ Grill one time. My Hubby lifted the lid and called out to me. He wanted to know what kind of snake it was. He got a broom stick and let him go. They are such a neat snake.
gardengrl
15 years ago
I don't know Marcia...I've met a few snakes at taverns, bars, nightclubs, pool halls, and pubs in my time! :-b LOL!

Saintpfla...we have a black racer in our yard we've named "Mr. Burns"!
lakeron
Original Author
15 years ago
OK, gardengrl. those snakes are the reason I took my rifle.
babalu_aye
15 years ago
Two weekends ago I got to witness a good part of the food chain at work.

I decided to overturn the compost pile, and naturally that sent earthworms squirming and palmetto bugs scattering. All the commotion attracted the attention of some Cuban anoles that came in to feast as I continued to turn the pile.

A minute later Samson, my West Highland Terrier, started barking like crazy and I looked to see a Black Racer had come to the smorgasbord and was gulping down an anole. I had to grab Samson to keep him from the snake, letting the snake be the top of the backyard food chain that day.
manature
15 years ago
Hmmmmm, gardengrl...good points! Now that I think about it (digging way, way back into the Dark Ages of peace, love, and you know the other one)...I seem to remember running into a few of those snakes, too. Not to mention those sharks that can swim on the land..."fins to the left, fins to the right, and you're the only bait in town!" I concede. Snakes DO frequent taverns, bars, night clubs, pool halls and pubs! *nodding vigorously*

It's good to see that more and more posters are relating stories about being protective of the snakes in their gardens!

Marcia
teeka0801(7aNoVa)
15 years ago
coming into the same spot every day, it seems, close to my front door.

Whenever I got out to dump a pot of water I've collected in the kitchen on my plants right outside the front door and if it is around noon, this black snake, two feet long, comes from out behind this one pot with a bamboo muhly grass and he just slithers along the edge of the house , past my front door and into the mulched bed to the side of the house. I have no idea where he goes from there.

I don't see him any other time of day,just around noon. He can sure move fast,though. My heart always starts pounding when I see him,though, still scares me.

teeka
manature
15 years ago
Sounds like a black racer to me, Teeka. Harmless and very fast. The white chin is a good ID marker, and the very long, slim body.

Marcia
teeka0801(7aNoVa)
15 years ago
that is the snake I've been seeing.

Can't say if he's got the white on the bottom, but I'll see if I catch a glimpse of that next time.

I am definitely not over my fear of snakes,but I'm starting to warm up to this little fella.

teeka
manature
15 years ago
Just think of him as a long skinny lizard who is...ummm...leg-challenged! Maybe that will make him seem less intimidating.

And keep repeating, "black racers are our friends, black racers are our friends!" You're making progress!

Marcia
musicaldeity
15 years ago
tannatonk... could it have been a red corn snake of some sort? Different variations have slightly different coloring. But many have terra cotta shades.

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