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Belmarin - very cool pics! That's a copperhead right?
The snake is a brown water snake and non venomous. A lot of people confuse
this snake with a water moccasin and a copperhead. This snake is non aggressive (unless cornered) and seems to be passive around humans.
There was a 6 foot water snake (we named him Sidney) that used to sunbathe on our floating dock (photo attached) and we had to gently move him with a long pole to board our boat. My neighbor, whose wife is terrified of snakes, eventually shot and killed him. My wife and I are still upset about about this happening.
I've seen three this year already. One was HUGE, about 4 feet long, sunning himself in my driveway early in the morning. Black w/ white stripes, seemed timid. He slithered off when I came outside.
We had 2 black racers mating in our yard 3 weeks ago, quite interesting. They just twisted around each other and then slithered off their seperate ways.
The smaller one had some scaring and we think that's the one our lab got a hold of a few weeks earlier.
I have some photo's but they are too large and I haven't figured out how to make them smaller.
Okay....I would love some advice. I have seen TWO snakes right by my house in the past 4 days. Yes, they are black and I know they are harmless. PLEASE don't tell me they are good to have around. I can handle them being 'around' just not in my everyday path. I am really, really afraid of them.
Does anyone know how I can get them to go away???
Probably an Eastern King Snake....very beneficial, very non-aggressive. I often just reach down and pick them up when I see them and move them to a location where some fanatic won't behead it, etc. I've never ever had one attempt to bite me and even if they did, it wouldn't be painful, even to a minor. Thanks for not killing it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sophialee
I've seen three this year already. One was HUGE, about 4 feet long, sunning himself in my driveway early in the morning. Black w/ white stripes, seemed timid. He slithered off when I came outside.
If you can't do that (or won't), there is a snake repellent on the market, Snake-A-Way, that is available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. The active ingredients are naphthalene (moth balls) and sulfur. It is only a repellent and it doesn't work 100% of the time against 100% of snakes, but you could try it. You need to figure the linear footage of the area you're trying to "protect" and buy enough to apply in a 6" or so "band" around the entire area. I don't know how big your area is, but I can assure you that you'll need at least 16 - 20 lbs or more, even for a small house. If you don't apply enough you're wasting your time and money. (It costs about $4 per pound and is available in 1 lb. and 4 lb. containers at these stores. I buy it by the 28 lb. bucket and apply a lot of it every year, but I'm in "the business" (like Lumbollo).
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayhawks91
Okay....I would love some advice. I have seen TWO snakes right by my house in the past 4 days. Yes, they are black and I know they are harmless. PLEASE don't tell me they are good to have around. I can handle them being 'around' just not in my everyday path. I am really, really afraid of them.
Does anyone know how I can get them to go away???
Last edited by SunnyKayak; 06-07-2010 at 12:28 AM..
They do bite - it is their only means of defense. But they are totally harmless and I get bitten yearly! I've been bitten by some that exceeded 7 feet in length, usually on the hand or arm, and I'd still rather be bitten by one of them than by a small dog or cat!! If you're picking them up, grasp them behind the head where they can't turn and bite.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LLN
If the snakes are all black (with white underbelly) they are "black snakes" or more properly, a black racer. DO NOT TRY TO PICK THEM UP..THEY BITE.
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