Back Yard Critter (UPDATE)

[blume357]

Two days ago our little Fox Hound Tally Ho was having a fit on our back yard patio and it seems one of our wild critters had come out and she was not happy about it. Not sure if this is Slinky Sr. or Slinky Jr. Few years back Slinky Sr. came to visit twice and I would swear he or she was over 7ft... then last year I discovered another one in my 'fort' storage area but I thought it was only about 4ft. I did later measure this one at 6 & 1/2 ft from the second photo:

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Wish I had more Black Snakes on my property to control the mice and chipmunks.

 

[Jim Walsh]

Black rat snakes are longer than black racers and they have a bit more white underbelly. I believe you have a rat snake since it is over six feet. Three to five feet is average for a black racers.

 

[ned]

There is a company called Rattlesnake Solutions that has great YouTubes catching all types of snakes. Serious herpitoligists doing good work, AZ based. No artificial drama, catch and release. I can watch them for hours. I’m still scared of snakes but this has helped. I saved a rat snake caught in landscape netting but still scream like a little girl when I stumble on a rattlesnake.

 

[themousethatroared]

Wish I had more Black Snakes on my property to control the mice and chipmunks.

As you can tell from the other snake thread, I'm not so much a fan of them.
When the state conservation guy said he couldn't do anything about the chipmunk infestation up the street, but maybe some predators would move in to resolve the matter, I said "The thing I like about our area is we don't have to deal with snakes, and now you are telling me that is the solution."

 

[contender]

"When the state conservation guy said he couldn't do anything about the chipmunk infestation up the street, but maybe some predators would move in to resolve the matter, I said "The thing I like about our area is we don't have to deal with snakes, and now you are telling me that is the solution."

NOTHING is without a price.

Snakes do control a lot of critters that many find offensive. Yet,, many find a snake offensive.
You have to figure out which critter you find the least offensive & that you can live with.
I tell customers; "A snake doesn't carry the diseases a rodent can carry,, nor does it cause the damages a rat or mouse can do to wiring in cars or houses. Which problem do you want to deal with?"

Black racers, black rat snakes are VERY beneficial to homes & gardens. Yet,, too many people have the attitude; "All snakes should be killed!" In my opinion,, I'd much rather have the the snake(s) around than the vermin that cause more problems.

 

[Fox Mike]

Wish I had more Black Snakes on my property to control the mice and chipmunks.

I agree. I haven't seen a good sized snake anywhere around here for a few years.

 

[32shooter]

I have never seen a black snake at my house. Garter, milk and ring necks is all I see. Just last weekend we were sitting outside the garage enjoyable cold beverage when my buddy says there is a snake going into the garage. Sure enough, it was about a 10" ringneck. I chased him back out and into the weeds. We occasionally get the young ringnecks in the house. Wife doesn't like that. These two were at my mom's place. Making baby black snakes I think.

 

[Big John]

I came very close to filling a kayak with excrement. A Buddy and I launched our kayaks and paddled to the Congress Ave. bridge in Austin, Texas to watch the evening bat flight. We got there a bit early so we pulled up to one of the pylons to wait in the shade. We hadn’t been there long when he bolted saying ‘We gotta go’ and was gone. Half a dozen paddle strokes later I caught up, he’d stopped and had done a 180, and asked ‘Why?’ Directly above where we had been were two very long black snakes mating. He’d looked up and saw them dangling. About half a minute after I caught up with him they finished doing what they were doing and both dropped into the river. If we had stayed there we would have two 6+ footlong black snakes in our laps.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

I agree. I haven't seen a good sized snake anywhere around here for a few years.

Yep same here. Used to see some 6 footers but most all are around 3 feet anymore.

My buddy has a pool house they love to gather in. Can always go in there and grab a couple it seems. I would bring them back to my place and release them in hopes they would stick around.

 

[Jim Walsh]

I have never seen a black snake at my house. Garter, milk and ring necks is all I see. Just last weekend we were sitting outside the garage enjoyable cold beverage when my buddy says there is a snake going into the garage. Sure enough, it was about a 10" ringneck. I chased him back out and into the weeds. We occasionally get the young ringnecks in the house. Wife doesn't like that. These two were at my mom's place. Making baby black snakes I think.
View attachment 104370

You can tell by the faint patterning that these are black RAT snakes.

 

[fiasconva]

Blume, that's a healthy well fed specimen too.

 

[M118LR]

On a somber note, lost a Boston Terrier female and her litter to a Water Moccasin/ Cotton Mouth, yet all three of the little things made it into the house unbitten. Thank You Wench for your devotion to duty. RIP.

Perhaps Memorial Day extends beyond human sacrifice?

JMHO YMMV.

No greater love is there than laying down your life to protect another.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Snakes are dumb. You'd think they would be smart enough to wear a sign stating "I'm not poisonous." But no....

 

[peachhead]

"When the state conservation guy said he couldn't do anything about the chipmunk infestation up the street, but maybe some predators would move in to resolve the matter, I said "The thing I like about our area is we don't have to deal with snakes, and now you are telling me that is the solution."

NOTHING is without a price.

Snakes do control a lot of critters that many find offensive. Yet,, many find a snake offensive.
You have to figure out which critter you find the least offensive & that you can live with.
I tell customers; "A snake doesn't carry the diseases a rodent can carry,, nor does it cause the damages a rat or mouse can do to wiring in cars or houses. Which problem do you want to deal with?"

Black racers, black rat snakes are VERY beneficial to homes & gardens. Yet,, too many people have the attitude; "All snakes should be killed!" In my opinion,, I'd much rather have the the snake(s) around than the vermin that cause more problems.

Agreed, but unfortunately it took me way too long to come to that same conclusion.

 

[Mike J]

We have chipmunks around but they don't really cause us a problem. The formerly feral cat that took up at the house seems to be putting a hurting on them though. We also have various snakes around that we see from time to time. Kind of funny, about a month ago my mother-in-law was sitting on the porch drinking coffee & looking at her phone. A 3 foot long black snake came around the corner of the house headed straight for her with the cat attacking its tail. When the snake got to her, she threw her cup of coffee on its head, told it to get the h___ on & started yelling at my wife & son to come get the cat. They got the cat & the snake with a little encouragement from my son went on. They said the cat was bouncing off the storm door trying to get back out & get after the snake. My son had a couple of pictures, I think it was a black racer.

 

[blume357]

the one thing I have not told my wife is after the snake headed over into the bushes in the back yard I took the little fox hound and Catahoula dog for a walk and of course the fox hound was all about smelling where the snake had been before. Then as we walked past the grate that vents under the house she also got all excited about smelling... I think that might have been where the snake came from... under the house.

 

[Puck]

Chipmunks are our warning system for rattlesnakes. When we are seeing chipmunks, no rattlesnakes. When the chipmunks disappear, watch for snakes. Timber Rattlers are uncommon, usually a snake every couple of years, but one summer I relocated seven.

 

[ned]

the one thing I have not told my wife is after the snake headed over into the bushes in the back yard I took the little fox hound and Catahoula dog for a walk and of course the fox hound was all about smelling where the snake had been before. Then as we walked past the grate that vents under the house she also got all excited about smelling... I think that might have been where the snake came from... under the house.

The difference between a good marriage and a great marriage is often a few things per week left unsaid

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Timber Rattlers are uncommon, usually a snake every couple of years, but one summer I relocated seven.

I would have "relocated" them to heaven.

 

[xTopGun]

my father would have emptied his Remington 1200 on that thing ..... snakes were not his friend

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Mr. No-shoulders is not my friend.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Mostly garters on land and northern water snakes near lakes and ponds. I have never seen anything else here.

 

[Jeepnik]

Being backed up to a canyon I see them from time to time. Mostly gopher and king snakes. Occasionally a rattlesnake will wander through. But in the yard there is no food so none stay long.

 

[Mitch47]

I had just walked thru this door going outside to talk on the phone. When I turned around ...

 

[Puck]

I would have "relocated" them to heaven.

They are dangerous, but not aggressive. Catch it, put it in a bucket with a lid, let it go somewhere away from people. If it's not venomous, it is welcome to stay. Milk snakes are my favorite.

 

[Jeepnik]

Different subspecies of rattlesnake have different temperaments. Western Diamondbacks are usually mellow and you have to practically step on them. Sidewinders, Mojave Greens, and the reds are notoriously bad tempered. Plus the reds and the greens are also neurotoxic.

 

[WendyZXZ]

We are two more that love having the little vermin eaters around the house and in the yard, nonvenomous snakes are very welcome here!

 

[Puck]

Different subspecies of rattlesnake have different temperaments. Western Diamondbacks are usually mellow and you have to practically step on them. Sidewinders, Mojave Greens, and the reds are notoriously bad tempered. Plus the reds and the greens are also neurotoxic.

Yes, sorry, my post was specific to timber rattlers. You are correct about some rattlesnakes being quite aggressive and others much more relaxed.

 

[Armybrat]

These guys take care of the neighborhood vermin…..but unfortunately folks have to be careful about letting their cats & smaller dawgs roam in their own backyards, especially after dark.