Snakes in Sioux Falls?

[nocatee]

I can't speak about snakes in SF as I've never lived there but they can be found in Rapid. We live almost across from South Middle School for several years and there were many garters there. I also killed 2 rattlers there in the back yard. We live in Box Elder now and I haven't seen any snakes where we live.

Now with all the news about 'Constrictors' (Boas/Pythons) taking over the 'Glades and a recent encounter with a Constrictor a couple of weeks ago in Rapid, I'm beginning to wonder about rather or not the ones that are released might become a problem here too. I was in the barn when I heard Hubby let out his 'blood curdling' "SNAKE" scream, went out to find him, a friend and her 2 girls all up in the back of the pick-up and a 5 - 6 ft snake slithering across the parking lot. Didn't recognize the pattern but it was clearly non poisonious so I just chased it off toward the grass. Did some searching on line that night and it was definately not a native snake but was either a boa or python based on how I remembered the pattern (Didn't think to take a picture of it).

So do any snake expert know if they could survive the winters here by hibernating in hay barn or manure piles?

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by nocatee

I can't speak about snakes in SF as I've never lived there but they can be found in Rapid. We live almost across from South Middle School for several years and there were many garters there. I also killed 2 rattlers there in the back yard. We live in Box Elder now and I haven't seen any snakes where we live.

Now with all the news about 'Constrictors' (Boas/Pythons) taking over the 'Glades and a recent encounter with a Constrictor a couple of weeks ago in Rapid, I'm beginning to wonder about rather or not the ones that are released might become a problem here too. I was in the barn when I heard Hubby let out his 'blood curdling' "SNAKE" scream, went out to find him, a friend and her 2 girls all up in the back of the pick-up and a 5 - 6 ft snake slithering across the parking lot. Didn't recognize the pattern but it was clearly non poisonious so I just chased it off toward the grass. Did some searching on line that night and it was definately not a native snake but was either a boa or python based on how I remembered the pattern (Didn't think to take a picture of it).

So do any snake expert know if they could survive the winters here by hibernating in hay barn or manure piles?

They usually can survive the winter by curling up in your closet or under your bed. Really

[Jammie]

Yes, unfortunately those filthy things survive the winters up here. Don't quote me on this, but I believe they possibly hibernate. We did see one out in January one year, but that's rare. The creepy thing died on the sidewalk. EWWWW!

[no8fann]

For the record, snakes do hibernate. Their preferred hibernacula are under concrete slabs (patios, foundations, etc.). They will hibernate in mixed groups - in other words, the groups are made up of several different kinds of snakes, not just one species. Sometimes, if you get a warm spell in the winter, a snake will be alert enough that they will respond to the increase in temperature by attempting to come out and sun themselves to gather the increased warmth, but they will be groggy enough from hibernation that they will probably not respond quickly enough to return to the hibernacula before the temp drops again to below what they are equipped to handle, and they will freeze to death. It's not common, but it happens.

In the spring, when the temps rise enough to wake the snakes, they tend to make a mass exodus from the hibernacula, triggering people to panic and report that they have a "snake infestation." By the time they can get anyone to respond, the snakes are usually gone because they are transient, not resident. Once they wake up, they will get themselves to a location where they can warm up enough, and unless you have a massive local rodent population, they are going to be off somewhere else looking for something to fill their stomach after months of not eating. They don't usually stick around one place in general, or they would be much easier for people to find (think Crocodile Hunter, or any of the other myriad snake-seekers --- they have to *look* for the snakes, because they don't stay in the same place all the time!).

[BusySocialWorker]

this gives me the creeps!!! I don't mind the snakes at reptile gardens, but out in the real world - no thank you... from the journal today RE: Pierre:

Rapid City Journal | News » Top | Bull snake blackout: Snake blamed for Pierre power outage

[debey]

poor snake. He must have died??

[rjl78]

He did die.

Years ago at the ranch, there was a water issue, the issue was there was no water. Head to the well pit. open the over and the smell would knock you over (middle of summer) well it happened was a snake crawled into the electrical box and met his fatal fate.

[Jammie]

Oh gosh, I think someone mentioned the incident in Pierre already, but yesterday it was in our local paper. It's the one about the 3 foot bull hisser getting into the substation and wrapping itself around stuff and causing a blackout. EWWWW, just picturing what it looked like when they found that thing in there.

[rjl78]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Oh gosh, I think someone mentioned the incident in Pierre already, but yesterday it was in our local paper. It's the one about the 3 foot bull hisser getting into the substation and wrapping itself around stuff and causing a blackout. EWWWW, just picturing what it looked like when they found that thing in there.

Yes and it was in my neighborhood. Well actually its close to breaks of the river, and some of the country is know for the creepy crawly critters.