I have a few questions about moving our family to Florida (Miami: home, living)

[Big House]

Originally Posted by mrcoolmrcool28

I too am from Wisconsin and am also afraid of snakes and am also hoping to move south. I posted a thread over on the Ft. Meyers board about it. Everyone reassured me I'm as likely to see a snake up here as I am in Port Charlotte.

I think you are from Port Charlotte, you just reside in Wisconsin temporarily.

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by Big House

I think you are from Port Charlotte, you just reside in Wisconsin temporarily.

Good point!! In less than a month I will be a Florida landowner.

[sunshine girl]

Ladyw/fan is right. You might want to check out the job situation first. As a new grad LPN with no experience, she is actually a bit limited as to openings. Many of the hospitals employ all RN staffs with nurse's aides, and no LPN's. That is not limited to FL, BTW. Non hospital jobs (with less pay) are usually where the LPN's are. Doctor's offices, nursing homes, and rehabs hire alot of LPN's though. Don't expect to be a shoe in just because you are in healthcare. Cuts are being felt everywhere, even in healthcare.

[ECBS]

Well I am a newbie from MI. & I find Florida beautiful & wild !

So Far I have seen in My Yard here in North Port:

• 3 weeks ago a Bobcat walked right through my front yard, paused to look at my house & then kept going across my driveway & gone.
• This past week I Yelled out to my wife as she pulled into the drive to watch out for the Big Black snake making its way across the street
• Alligator for a second only in a canal near home.
• A variety of beautiful Birds
• So many Vultures
• An armadillo in front yard
• Dolphins at Fishermans Village ofcourse
• 2 nights ago I had a black, red, & yellow striped snake on my front porch! I thought it was a coral snake. I have learned that though very similar, it was probably a Scarlet King snake.

[SRQ_Sioux]

From my experience in the landscaping around my home when the geckos run up the wall a snake is usually present , and it has never been more than 12 inches long.
We have a hawk who visits early morning on the back fence and he/she will dive in the grass after a gecko also, they do not stand a chance against it though. I live in a quiet suburb 1/2 mile from I-75.

[cs120g]

I've lived in Florida for 40 years, first in Ft.Myers for about 4 years and the rest/ currently in Tampa and have had quite a few experiences with snakes. I live in the suburbs right now, but, on a lake ...

Currently there is a black snake and family living in my outside storage shed so no one goes near it LOL ..... They are somewhat harmless but do carry other diseases if they bite.

I've come across water mocassins when swimming in lakes. Due to the amoebas in lakes, I wouldn't swim in them currently though ....

I have come across a lot of rattlesnakes when hiking in wooded areas or horseback riding and they blend in fairly well so I'd be careful of that.

I do find rattlesnake skins in my yard but have not actually seen where they are living here.

For the most part, unless you have an acidental face to face run in with a snake that neither of you expects, they do like to stay away from us as much as we like to stay away from them.

I have come across coral snakes at least 3-4 times, when on walks, when I lived in a more rural area called Odessa, 5 minutes from Tampa.

There is currently a bit of an over population of pygmy rattlesnakes and boas in Florida.

More of concern is the issue that there was a shortage of anti-venom awhile back. I don't know where that issue stands currently but if you don't like spiders and snakes (and mosquitos), I wouldn't come to Florida.

I have also, no kidding here - had friends who have discovered snakes in their showers !

I am planning on moving back to CT as soon as possible, one of the main reasons is I am so tired of all the bugs, heat & crime in Florida ! Add hurricanes and it's not a panacea ! Plus, with the warmer temps the past few years -- the pollen is now year round as well !!!

As someone else said, snakes are everywhere around the country, so if it's your dream to move to Florida .... there's always an area that might fit exactly what you are looking for !!!!

[cs120g]

As an aside, if you like the wild life, there is a lot of that too, which I love .... We have an Alligator who lives in the lake in our back yard and suns himself on the tree. We've named him Henry. I'm new to the boards but if I can figure out how, I'll include a pic of him sunning. This is in a well populated surbuban neighborhood LOL ...... he's become our pet of the neighborhood though .... none of us feed him though, of course ..... Also, have seen hawks, deer, wildcats, all types of egrets, cranes and very large birds, lots of dolphins in the waters, stingrays, alligators, etc .....

[imagardener]

Originally Posted by ECBS

W[/list]

Repeat this rhyme:
Red touch black-friend of Jack
Red touch yellow-kill a fellow

The deadly types of snakes are very rare but when in doubt stay away.

I am a snake lover and never kill any in my yard. They eat rats and other stuff so are an important part of the ecosystem. I can understand peoples fear and hatred of them, it's natural. Most snakes are fearful of humans for good reason.

Snakes are welcome in my yard although the poisonous ones will be assisted to leave for somewhere else.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by cs120g

As an aside, if you like the wild life, there is a lot of that too, which I love .... We have an Alligator who lives in the lake in our back yard and suns himself on the tree. We've named him Henry. I'm new to the boards but if I can figure out how, I'll include a pic of him sunning. This is in a well populated surbuban neighborhood LOL ...... he's become our pet of the neighborhood though .... none of us feed him though, of course ..... Also, have seen hawks, deer, wildcats, all types of egrets, cranes and very large birds, lots of dolphins in the waters, stingrays, alligators, etc .....

cs120g,
Welcome to the board. Good couple of posts to start out some discussions. I wouldn't necessarily deter people from moving to florida because of snakes. Most of the time, if you see one, and make a noice they will flee, so your fear is often very short lived.
I came home one night and found two snakes in my lanai. One was a corn snake and one was a little black ring neck snake (they do not get very big). I opend the back door, and steered them out with broom. They were more than happy to comply. Both types are completely harmless and good for keeping the bug and pest problems in check.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by sunshine girl

Ladyw/fan is right. You might want to check out the job situation first. As a new grad LPN with no experience, she is actually a bit limited as to openings. Many of the hospitals employ all RN staffs with nurse's aides, and no LPN's. That is not limited to FL, BTW. Non hospital jobs (with less pay) are usually where the LPN's are. Doctor's offices, nursing homes, and rehabs hire alot of LPN's though. Don't expect to be a shoe in just because you are in healthcare. Cuts are being felt everywhere, even in healthcare.

With a lot less pay. Because of MIL we have had our experiences with LPNs in nursing homes here. Underpaid and overworked.

Even an RN in Florida is looking at a salary cut compared to most states. And even in healthcare there are more people looking than there are jobs.

Snakes should be a on the backburner as a list of concerns.

FYI- I have only seen black snakes which are harmless in the two years we have been here.