Snake

[marasri]

When I lived in Thailand for my first 6 years, We had krates living in the vines on the house. 15 minutes and you are dead kind a snake. They occasionally climbed in the house and the gardener who never killed anything would come and get them out. children are taught to watch out for them and we did. It didn't put a crimp in our explorations, but children are also watched out for by older children. I had a teenage "IA" named Pe Lang that watched out after me. I do not remember fear but I always remember looking for snakes and centipedes. It was our games that we played as a kid. I didn't play with the snakes, we just looked for them. My dreams are still full of the "Automatic snake look". When I came to this country (Penna.), I would look and look and it was so strange that I couldn't find any. It is amazing what a child can learn if taught right. The society there is very cognizant of their animals and the place in the environment. Rats cause more damage than the snakes. My neighbor just got back from 4 weeks in Morocco and they said the streets were full of snake charmers that you had to keep your distance of because they like to put the cobras around your neck and then they won't take it off till you pay them money. Cobras are very calm animals. Not like Timber rattlers and cottonmouths that live in Texas.. I guess that is the snake charmers practical joke on Americans. I think they need some more lawyers in Morocco to put those snake charmers inline. LOL. Good ol' snake versus snake joke.

There is one water snake that looks very much like a cotton mouth here in texas. I have Identified it more times than I have seen a cottonmouth. I have also been freaked out by a sleeping ratsnake that was curled up sleeping under my work table. I had been working around the table sanding wood for a half hour when I found it. It made me jump when I found it but then Realized what it was. I have a boy so the snake book was a favorite thing.

I also have a girlfriend (Vancouver Washington) that uses snakes to combat moles and gopher that attack her garden . She hunts them down and then tosses them down the holes... problem solved. She has a pond, so she then re hunts them and returns them to the place she found them. She is amazing. She grew up with 7 brothers. Not your normal girly girl.

[mickeys_rose]

mara I taught my older children to always watch where they are walking, as the Cottonmouths are very abundant here. I tought them to walk around the snake or let it pass then go about walking. My older daughter has no fear of outside animals either, but she was taught a early respect for them. We have little ground rattlers around here, although I personally haven't seen one where I am currently at. I believe the neighborhood cats keep them under control. I much rather have snakes around then rats, rats are very destructive to everything around them.

I will remember not to go to Morocco then....... that doesn't sound like a pleasent vacation to be scared out of ones skin by a cobra!

[marasri]

Actually, after seeing their photo's, Morocco is just the place I want to go.

[danabird]

We have moved fences around so that both our dogs can now have the run of our 5 acres and I hope that will help. It just broke my heart because the pair that was killed were 12 years old and never were any trouble at all. Then one of the others was taken off out into the pasture and eaten. I just ordered a owl that moves it's head around when motion is within 4-6 feet. Hubby will mount that and then we have also put up 2 motion dectors that have lights so maybe all these things will help, I sure hope so.

[aravenschild]

I realize that there are people on here that are terrified of snakes, and others that will kill them on sight (I have a boss that runs over harmless 10 inch long snakes with the company forklift) and ask questions later...........

But do you know how deep in mice and other rodents/pests we'd be in if it wasn't for snakes?

Heck there are snakes that eat poisinious snake (i.e. king snakes) and common garter snakes eat slugs.............

I will agree that if it is poisinious, and in a place where it can hurt someone, then by all means remove the danger, but if it is harmless why kill it? They usually get the idea they are not welcomed and move on.............

[bali]

In our newspaper , this week someones huge snake got out of the cage and crawled into the babys crib and curled up around it and strangled it.
Now the snake owner and girlfriend are facing murder charges.

[BarefootGardener]

Read about my own snake experience if you'd like. It's not very exciting now, but it was a bit nerve-wracking at the time:

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=6481239

[marasri]

Snakes belong outside and I get so angry at the exotic snake trade. Two different problems. Hawaii is having a hard time keeping it snake free. Florida too has a growing problem with escaped huge pythons.