Rattlesnakes in MO

[Paw Tucker]

About pets and snakes......have a cat - most cats are faster then snakes but dogs are usually sitting ducks.

[morzzy]

Rattlesnakes definitely exist in Missouri, I saw one last sunday when I was fishing, I'm so surprised cause it's in St Louis, near creve coure lake area,
it's a big one, and has really a big tail.
it was one meter away from me when I saw it, and I was lucky, it just swim away from me.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by zeldaII

That's a good point. Armadillo's used to only be in Texas but they're here in MO now.

yea, but most of them are dead by the side of the road...

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by River Wood

Fist of all what is a chat pile?

Quit honestly I'm so nervous about the rattlesnakes that I've read about, don't know if I want to move there!

From my area in MN, there is absolutely nothing dangerous...except a tornado. A few annoying bugs but that is it.

We live in the country here and love to walk through the woods and tall weeds as does the dog...

How do people raise children out in the country with rattlesnakes?

Relax, you will probably never see one. I grew up in Southern Caif and we had a variety of rattle snakes: living there almost 40 years, I saw one and only one. That was in our garage just a few months before we left.

I know what you are going through, I hate them as well, and sometimes worry about seeing one in the yard, but I would not let it stop me from moving, walking through the woods, that might be a different story. We re-located from NM not long ago, same story, lots of snakes, it was desert. People golfed, raised kids, walked in the desert and never heard of anyone getting bitten. Many people did carry long sticks when out early just to be on the safe side.

Nita

[Versatile]

A good idea for those coming to Mo and a scared of snakes; is to go to a nature center and see them in real life. You don't have to hold them or touch them. Just aquaint yourself with what they look like.(know thy enemy).
Then have someone that is knowledgeable about snakes come to your property and let them look your place over and they can spot for you the most likely places for a snake to be. Yes they could actually be anywhere.Not likely though. You can also remove the stuff(rock pile, limb pile, etc etc) around in some instances where a snake might relax for awhile.
Have someone rodent and snake proof the exterior of your dwellings. Such as making sure any little entrance for old snakey is covered. You can also buy stuff for your lawn that repels them.
You have more worries about getting stung by Wasps than you do with having a problem with a snake. imo