Scorpions, Tarantulas, Snakes, Oh-My (Austin: house, rent, company)

[marylee54]

Originally Posted by Dazed

What do you think this guy is?







I also found this in my tree!

I'm certainly no snake expert, but this look like a snake that decided to come into my living room last summer. he didn't have a rattle, but the pattern looked suspicious. He was "side-winding" going right for my 10 year old son! I distracted the snake, told my son to run get daddy's shovel from the garage, and proceeded to make snake jelly out of the damned thing. Later I was told its probably not poisonous, but no damned snake threatens my little boy! I think our cats bring snakes in, but usually garter sankes, plain gray with a cream colored underbelly. This guy had too much pattern for me. Plus it was side winding right at me--met his match!

[marylee54]

I've also killed trauntualas with my trusty shovel, crawling right up the outside wall! I understand they look worse than they are. But also found a black widow spider in the bathtub, rather samll, less than an inch, but quite disctintive, with the classic red hour-glass on its belly. I made short work of it, too. Its my home and my kids, I defend against damned things like that!

[Texanwannabe]

Marylee, when I move down there and if I find any suspicious critters...I just want to know if you are for hire for search and destroy missions?

[TexasHorseLady]

Marylee, that looks like a rat snake. Does look like a rattler in markings, and if it feels threatened, even though it doesn't have a rattle it will "rattle" the end of its tail in leaves (or against the side of a metal chicken coop) in hopes that between the coloration and the sound whatever it feels threatened by will think it's a rattler and run away. Doesn't work so well when what it's afraid of turns out to believe it and be armed AND in a small chicken coop with it. They do go up in trees, too. Never had one in the house - mostly they're after the eggs in the coop, but they do (along with all the cats) keep the rodent problem down admirably.

[marylee54]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

Marylee, when I move down there and if I find any suspicious critters...I just want to know if you are for hire for search and destroy missions?

The only good snake is a dead snake....but me and my trusty shovel aren't for hire. I'm deathly afraid of snakes, but don't threaten my kids, then...I know no fear!

[G Grasshopper]

Marylee, I am no expert, but I believe you had a gopher snake. It is harmless. Because Texas is home to many snakes, it would be good for all of us to know what the dangerous ones look like. There is no way that the snake in the pictures has the head of a rattler, and it doesn't look at all like a sidewinder, either. My advice is to get ahold of a field guide so that you and your son can start to get familiar with the snakes in your neighborhood. Maybe that way, you can pass along to your son a healthy respect for snakes, rather than terror. They are, afterall, Texans too.

[TexasHorseLady]

Rat snake. Harmless unless you're a rat or a chicken or an egg (or something similar).

Austin Reptile Service is great for identifying various snakes (and other critters) in this area (lots of photos).

[G Grasshopper]

Thanks, TexasHorseLady. You are absolutely right about that being a rat snake. The guide I was using (Peterson's Western Reptiles and Amphibians) only has a green rat snake, which is solid green. It is always better to use a local guidebook, if you can find one.

[G Grasshopper]

P.S. to TexasHorseLady - thanks for that reference to Austin Reptile Service. I had a gread time looking at their web site!

[Megan1967]

Hello,

I am wondering how I will have to alter my behavior to keep bug free in Austin. Living in Wisconsin everything dies for half the year and they really aren't an issue. I currently rinse the dishes so-so before putting them in the dishwasher and run the washer once a week. Would this habit be a bug magnet. I guess leaving dishes for the next morning after a dinner party is not an option either. Do people eat only in the kitchen to avoid crumbs in the livingroom? Any former Northerners have any bits of advice?

Megan