Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So I read this loooong thread about snakes and finished with the conclusion that snakes are out there everywhere - hanging from trees, in your yards, in your houses sometimes - basically all over the place. I was considering visiting Charleston for a possible move and this really, really scares me! Which is sad because there are so many wonderful things I've heard about your city as well.
Seriously, nice posters out there in Charleston, would you advise me to skip your town because of this? I know they are more afraid of me than I am of them, etc., etc. but I have a real snake phobia. I appreciate your honest responses. I've gotten lots of good info off these boards and have even given good info on my town, so I appreciate any advice you can give.
Take everything with a grain of salt and consider that people with snake phobias will exaggerate snake sightings.
Fact: I have lived in this wonderful Lowcountry for almost 26 years and have seen maybe 5 snakes in all....one of which was in the road dead, hit by a car. I have lived on James Island and in the country on Johns Island and just don't see snakes. I have also lived in NC, VA, and OH and saw more snakes in those states than I have seen here. MOST snakes are not poisonous and snakes are much more afraid of us than we are (should be) of them.
No, Charleston is not overridden with slithering snakes - at least not in the reptile family (if you know what I mean). ha
Well, I am not not a resident of Charleston but we do plan on re-locating there in the fall/early winter.
But, I would say to you that snakes are absolutely everywhere you go/live, other than the Artic maybe. So, (no snakes) should not be what keeps you from moving there.
I am scared to death of deep water but I am moving there! LOL
just kiddin' with ya a little but like the previous poster said....there aren't snakes dangling from trees and curled up in the corners of every garage.
Charleston is a lovely, lovely place....if you move there I hope you enjoy ! I know we are so very looking forward to it.
we moved to charleston last fall, and i will say i have seen more snakes here then any other area i have lived in the NE or the Rockies. most of them harmless ones. but we have seen cottonmouths and copperheads to in parks. lots of rat snakes and black racers all over too. i am aware snakes are everywhere, but for some reason we seem to spot them more down here. i have seen over a dozen for sure in less then a years time. so far, i have never once felt threatened or scared. but seeing them makes me a bit uneasy too. i can say i having a far worse time adjusting to the amount of spiders and mosquitos, lol!
As one who posted in the original long thread and who has seen snakes in trees, only in the foresty areas though, I can say I have never seen a snake in downtown Charleston or downtown Summerville either. I would not let your fear keep you from visiting, but moving may be a problem since most homes are not in the two downtown areas I mentioned.
How frequently you see snakes in this area is almost entirely dependent upon your lifestyle. Do you prefer urban condo living or suburban communities? Do you enjoy spending a lot of time working in your yard and garden, or do you plan to have a lawncare service handle it? Due to the heat and humidity, many new residents to this area hire lawn crews to do the work. Is your idea of going out in the evening getting in your car in the garage and driving to a movie, or is it an evening stroll around your neighborhood's streets or bike paths? Do you expect to find yourself more frequently at the mall or exploring the region's natural resources?
The snakes are here, it's just a matter of how much time you expect to spend in their environment. You probably won't see them at the beach or the mall. If you spend much time working in your yard or exploring the environment, you should expect to encounter a few snakes. A little fear is natural and a healthy dose of respect is wise. Your best tools for dealing with snakes is education and caution.
like pawleysdude said, if you are outdoorsy, you'll see a few. however, the main outdoor attraction in charleston (for us) is the beach...and you won't be seeing any there.
i have seen many palmetto bugs, mosquitos, and lizards...but not snakes. if you're an urbanite you'll REALLY never see one...
not being mean, but i have to say this: it is far more likely that you would be injured or harmed in some way by just getting into your car to go somewhere than it is that you 'get gotten' by a snake (or a shark or a dog bite or a spider or a whatever!).......so lay those fears to rest and start walking more than driving!
Thanks for the info. It's not that I think a snake will "get me" - it's just that I'm really frightened of them for no good reason, really. Like any phobia, I guess. I know logically that they don't want to be around me. I also know seeing one would freak me out. And seeing many would probably make me afraid to come out of my house!
I live in Georgia right now and there are suppose to be snakes. I've seen two in my garden in the last 12 years and I'm an avid gardener. My friend -- another gardener -- says she always has snakes wrapper around the bottom of her shrubs -- me never. Go figure.
I have lived in Charleston for about four years in two different areas, and I've never seen a snake.
Our current neighbor claims to have killed (poor snakes) a number of snakes. Maybe that's why I've not seen any snakes, but I'd rather have a few snakes and less rodents than having our place infiltrated with the furry critters. Though I have a feeling that my dogs would scare them away.
I am not particularly fond of snakes and most certainly would jump and probably even gasp if I saw one, but I appreciate their duty in the wild. I take precautions when enjoying the outdoors, but my time in Charleston hasn't been over-run with snakes.
Best of luck. c99
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.