I learned a new dance today

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

It wasn’t pretty and I don’t recommend it.

In the process of digging a cordyline Red Sister ti plant today to transplant elsewhere, I dug up a nest of baby snakes. oh my. They were so mad and striking everywhere. Fortunately they’re non-venomous southern black racers.

Hindsight tells me if I had put shoes on instead of flip flops things may have looked better to anyone viewing this dance. My flip flops flew in the air as I was trying to fend off a half dozen slithering striking babies. It also tells me if I had looked over the area I planned to dig in I would have seen many 12” shedded snakeskins which should have warned me to proceed with caution.

Not my hand, but this is what they look like. Kind cute, but they are temperamental. Harmless to us but excellent in the garden.

PS I may have nightmares tonight. 🤣

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Comments (20)

martinca_gw sunset zone 24
3 years ago
Love your title!! Yikes! Because we have rattlers in our area, I’d have out danced you big time!
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DLM2000-GW
3 years ago
Great headline and story! Glad all is well. Just between you and me, cute is not a word I associate with snakes - even little ones.
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I have an antique brass bed and we had it professionally polished and lacquered about 40 years ago. It still looks terrific. My local brass polishing shop also does metal plating. The take apart and polish and lacquer old solid brass chandeliers, polish brass fire fenders, andirons and fireplace tools, and have a big business polishing church brass crosses and huge alter candlesticks. It’s a great place - they can do anything. I’m big on keeping household hardware polished. I have solid brass door knobs in this old house, and my late husband and I took off a few each year and had them polished and lacquered. Hinges were not solid brass and had been painted over repeatedly- replaced them with high quality brass plated. All my window pulls a solid polished brass - locks are white which is what Marvin installs. In the spring, I will have them come and remove my front door lock/latch and take it and polish and lacquered well as door knocker, and brass threshold. Painter will then come and do some repair to the 71 year old door and repaint it, then brass guy will return and reinstall all the hardware. I replaced the kickplate with one from Baldwin that never tarnishes. i like my metals shining, be they silver, copper or brass. That was one of the first things I noticed on my first trip to London many decades ago - every front door had gleaming polished brass hardware. I called the antique shop owners husband to ask how his late wife polished antique brass that she sold. Vinegar - just what I used. He said one can wax it but when it next needs polish, it will be far harder to clean. She was a very prominent dealer, selling lots of things to high end NYC decorators - her mother was in the business before her. I trust she knew what was appropriate to use. Brasso has ammonia in it - harder on the metal.
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tannatonk23_fl_z9a
Original Author
3 years ago
Yeah we have rattlers too among other nasty snakes, but rarely see in our yard.

@DLM2000-GW you don’t think he has cute little eyes? haha! When he grows up he will have a permanent smiley face with a white chin.
bbstx
3 years ago
And this is why I don’t do yard work!
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bpath
3 years ago
Yeps, outside is dangerous.
Jilly
3 years ago
They are cuties! I’m picturing your snake dance. 😆

I saw a group of crows on a country road this morning ... as I got closer, I could see they were snacking on a big Copperhead (it had been run over).
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
3 years ago
Good one!

And those guys can nip, even if they're not venomous.
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tannatonk23_fl_z9a
Original Author
3 years ago
@carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b yes they can bite hard if they’re big. There’s no way I would attempt to handle an adult.
msmeow
3 years ago
OMG, there would have been no dance from me because I would have keeled over from a heart attack! Yikes!

Donna
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nutsaboutplants
3 years ago
You’re one brave soul! I would’ve totally freaked out. Slithering things give me the heebie-jeebies.
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User
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Oooooh, baby snakes! I can see why you'd do a little dance! I don't find snakes to be nasty creatures (I actually think they're quite fascinating), but I wouldn't care to unsuspectingly come upon a nest of them. Our lawn crew found a snake nest in a neighboring yard recently. I'm sure that made their work a bit more exciting.

We will be hiking in the Chihuahuan Desert soon, and I'm already thinking about snakes. Not that we plan to divert from established trails, but snakes go where they will. Too, our accommodation is very remote and I'm sure there will be an entire population of animals we aren't used to seeing out there. Might actually buy snake gaiters, just to be a bit safer.
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lizzie_grow
3 years ago
OK, my shoulders are now up to my ears...cAnnot even fathom this!!!
nancy_in_venice_ca Sunset 24 z10
3 years ago
Our variation is the spider dance that happens when running into a web not previously noted.

All said, I would prefer the spider web over snakes nipping at my toes.
gsciencechick
3 years ago
Yikes! It is copperhead season here, so I don't want to touch anything near our raised garden beds. We've had tiny brown snakes but that's really it. But you have to assume they are out there. There's also the cute anoles.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
3 years ago
I know about the nipping firsthand because I had a black racer encounter back in July.

I posted about it in FL Gardening:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5964038/bird-netting-vs-black-racer#n=7
nini804
3 years ago
No words, just many 😳😳😳😳😳😳
pudgeder
3 years ago
Yeah, I'm out. Don't need to dance anyway. I'll just stay away. LOL
Moxie
3 years ago
Awww, what a pretty baby! I do like non-venomous snakes. Clean, quiet and good for the garden. Snake's tongue feels like a feather if it's not scared and nippy.

Once when my parents visited, I took them to a large zoo. At the snake room, my father suddenly had to go to the bathroom. Afraid of snakes. My mother didn't want to go in, because "they're slimy." Me: "Only if they've been in something slimy. The skin is sort of dry and waxy." I petted the snake the docent was holding and encouraged her to do so. She was NOT happy but wasn't going to appear afraid. As she stroked the snake, she uttered words that scared the docent, taught me a lesson and made sure she didn't have to pet any more snakes.

"My! What a pretty pair of shoes you'd make!"
nini804
3 years ago
Snake's tongue feels like a feather if it's not scared and nippy.

^I can live my entire life without testing the veracity of that statement.
Annie Deighnaugh
3 years ago
Yikes and shudder!!

I learned a new dance today

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