Snake In My Backyard!

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by itsbaddangel

I think I've heard that once a snake sheds, it moves on... I think it takes a lot of them to shed and they tend to stay in one spot for a while when it's happening.

So you are saying I have a lot of them nearby or that you think they've moved on?

ew i just read that snakes shed their skin when they are growing in size. What a nightmare this is.

[Lil Sis]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

My neighbor saw it in her yard too and from what we conclude it seems like it's a Black Racer Snake, which isn't poisonous. I'm so overly cautious but not terrified. But I'm fairly certain I will lose it if I see it again. It was really big.

they are rat eaters... I don't know if that makes you feel anybetter

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by Lil Sis

they are rat eaters... I don't know if that makes you feel anybetter

Yes I feel wonderful thank you! I wish one of my crazy neighbors would hunt after it. All week my boys have been sniffing crazily all over the backyard, but we haven't seen anything. I know they sense it's near.

[lisaly]

I wish there was more than I could do than just tell you that I care.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by lisaly

I wish there was more than I could do than just tell you that I care.

I'm ok. I feel like I can keep the boys safe and protected. Cooper watches out the window 80% of the day so he'll see if there's anything unusual in the backyard. My biggest issue is that he asks to go potty several times a night in the middle of the night.

[itsbaddangel]

If it makes you feel any better, they are wayyy more scared of you and all the little canine feet! They shed and move on to hunt food. They eat once a week if they can find food.

[kjc]

It looks like a Black Racer skin. Similar to Black Rat but the tail is longer and the head looks shorter. Black Racers are beautiful, and show irridescent rainbow colors in the sunlight, and are extremely fast.

Snakes have extremely bad vision for up to a week or so before they shed. Actually have a clear scale over their eyes that turns milky white before shedding... they can see movement, but not much else, so they tend to stay put until they're done shedding. They may be more prone to strike during this time, but usually don't eat till shedding is done. And they do move on....

Harmless, non poisonous.

You could bag the skin and have a Herpetologist look at it for identification... or a local farmer could probably tell you too.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by itsbaddangel

If it makes you feel any better, they are wayyy more scared of you and all the little canine feet! They shed and move on to hunt food. They eat once a week if they can find food.

Thank you. I keep flashing back to seeing my Max punching it in the face. Literally, I feel like I was about 10 seconds away from it biting my boy. Max was hitting it and smacking it in the face. It was coiled with it's head up while Max taunted it.

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by kjc

It looks like a Black Racer skin. Similar to Black Rat but the tail is longer and the head looks shorter. Black Racers are beautiful, and show irridescent rainbow colors in the sunlight, and are extremely fast.

Snakes have extremely bad vision for up to a week or so before they shed. Actually have a clear scale over their eyes that turns milky white before shedding... they can see movement, but not much else, so they tend to stay put until they're done shedding. They may be more prone to strike during this time, but usually don't eat till shedding is done.

Harmless, non poisonous.

You could bag the skin and have a Herpetologist look at it for identification... or a local farmer could probably tell you too.

Kathy, I live so out in the boonies that nobody really cares. What would happen if it bit me or one of the boys? I understand they are not poisonous but could major damage occur to either of us? I really don't have any experience with something like this.

[Vihicks]

Do you live near water ? I had a very large water moccasin in my back yard a few years back that came up from the canal behind our home. Sounds like what yours might be. At that time I lived in Louisiana and had a miniature pekingese. It was early morning and she didn't want to go out but I made her anyway....then I saw it! I started screaming and of course my dog ran from me and I panicked too. Finally I got a hold of Abby and we got inside. The snake slowly turned and went back under the privacy fence into the canal. After that if she hesitated to go out I searched the yard!

[kjc]

Non-poisonous snakes that bite to protect themselves usually bite and let go very quickly, it is less painful than any dog or cat bite I've ever had. You may have 50 tiny holes smaller that any needles the vet uses to give vaccines with in the outline of the snake's mouth, and the wounds may bleed for a few seconds, but just soap and water to clean it up and AB ointment will heal it in about 3-4 days.

Non poisonous constrictors usually do not constrict anything that is too big for them to eat. If a small idiot snake bites and constricts around your arm, begin unwrapping it from the tail and work up to it's head. They usually won't let go till you get close to the head, then you can fling it away. Snakes don't chew, and if they eat something way too big for their size, they won't be able to move too well for a few days (makes them very vulnerable) and they could choke and die from it.

Snakes also have scent glands that are similar to anal glands in a dog, and sometimes if they are frightened or when they are first handled, they will let loose these glands and the smell ...Ewwww! But then you know the snake most likely wants to leave.

I found the basis of my snake phobia was actually the fear of death. Once I realized that smaller non-poisonous snakes cannot kill me, I was okay with them. As I continued working with them, I learned to read their body language, just like we do with our pups.

Hope this helps... gotta batten down the hatches... tornado warning here!

[roseylovestosho]

This thread gives me the heebie jeebies. Everytime I get a notification in my e-mail, I shudder

[AllDogBoots]

Originally Posted by roseylovestosho

This thread gives me the heebie jeebies. Everytime I get a notification in my e-mail, I shudder

Sorry.

Thank you Kathy.

[roseylovestosho]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

Sorry.

Thank you Kathy.

After having a 6ft snake loose in my house for 5 months. Trust me...I understand your concern/disgust/worry.

[itsbaddangel]

Originally Posted by kjc

Non-poisonous snakes that bite to protect themselves usually bite and let go very quickly, it is less painful than any dog or cat bite I've ever had. You may have 50 tiny holes smaller that any needles the vet uses to give vaccines with in the outline of the snake's mouth, and the wounds may bleed for a few seconds, but just soap and water to clean it up and AB ointment will heal it in about 3-4 days.

Non poisonous constrictors usually do not constrict anything that is too big for them to eat. If a small idiot snake bites and constricts around your arm, begin unwrapping it from the tail and work up to it's head. They usually won't let go till you get close to the head, then you can fling it away. Snakes don't chew, and if they eat something way too big for their size, they won't be able to move too well for a few days (makes them very vulnerable) and they could choke and die from it.

Snakes also have scent glands that are similar to anal glands in a dog, and sometimes if they are frightened or when they are first handled, they will let loose these glands and the smell ...Ewwww! But then you know the snake most likely wants to leave.

I found the basis of my snake phobia was actually the fear of death. Once I realized that smaller non-poisonous snakes cannot kill me, I was okay with them. As I continued working with them, I learned to read their body language, just like we do with our pups.

Hope this helps... gotta batten down the hatches... tornado warning here!

Great info! I'm filing this in a safe place in my brain! I live between 2 ponds. My neighbor has seen water mocassin's twice, I've never seen one but I've had garden snakes on my screened porch. I can just see my 2 girls thinking they scored a cool new toy. Yikes.