I'm not sure if this is where I can post a related question... I live in SW Missouri and was hoeing some weeds beside my house and accidentally chopped a small snake in two. I've identified it as a Midland Brown Snake. I noticed the mortally injured snake, though only 7 or 8 inches long, had babies wriggling out of its belly. So I pulled all of them out and carefully placed them into a jar. There are about a dozen that are still alive. I've had them about 3 hours now. Any suggestions on what to feed them? They're about the size of a toothpick and I can't imagine they could feed themselves on their own. I'm wondering if earthworms cut into tiny pieces would work for them...

Now how did I miss this one when it first appeared on page one. Enjoy your vacation. Your daylilies look good. I especially like Mauna Loa but by now everyone should know I love orange daylilies. Love orange roses too!

Getting bitten by a non-venomous snake is no big deal, unless it's a really big snake, like a python, which can inflict wounds requiring suturing. Our North American snakes simply do not get that big; I've been bitten by a large Bullsnake, one of the biggest non-venomous snakes on the continent, and by the next day I could not even find the bites. Like Wayne said, if you don't jerk back, their tiny teeth barely break the skin. ALL snakes are of value, even venomous ones, since they perform valuable services in keeping rodent populations in check, and without them, we would be up the famous polluted creek without a paddle! Garter snakes love to eat tree frogs, so my guess is that this one was up a tree looking for tree frogs, and either lost its grip and fell(they are not as good at climbing as more arboreal species, like Ratsnakes)or got startled and fell out in order to get away. Copperheads, while venomous, aren't "killers", at least not of humans. I have not been able to find a single documented account of a person dying from a Copperhead bite, though it IS unpleasant, and I can testify to THIS personally! Sharon McKenzie

Thanks John! Great suggestions all of them!!! I am not sure of the boots.. Wearing shoes in Summer is a chore! I will just be more careful!! Will try to keep the walkways clear etc.. I did try straw once and the grass grew everywhere... I am still cleaning up the walkways... :-( Bad straw bales!! To be fair, it was the first and only one( the copperhead I mean) we have seen in 20 years... Mostly rat snakes... the others snakes i mentioned earlier, were in India, long time ago.. You know My neighbour's cat does come everyday, in the evening to make a round of my yard!! Looks like she is going to be a welcome visitor from now on.. Moreover, I do have hawks flying low in my yard too in the afternoon... The crows seems to go after them.. Not sure what is going on.. but I see this pretty often.. I was thinking voles and other rodents.. ( they do seem to thrive in the back in the wooded area with a small pond). Maybe they are taking care of them already.. Just hope not to have anymore"close encounters of the snake kind" Far away no problem.. Like the one in the" festival for the eno" I love that festival.. I got a few pics of the Owl...