Snake in the house wall (Austin, Hutto: neighborhood, buy, vs)

[joedtx]

Originally Posted by MsAnnThrope

Usually leave them alone, they don't like you any more than you like them and will only strike when threatened. If there is a serious problem we have snake catchers who are usually flat out all Spring.

My ex took me camping one on memorable trip and set the tent right on top of a nest of browns...campers in Aus always take a shovel so they can whack them on the head (no guns here). By the 2nd day there were a dozen dead snakes hanging on the tree (locals always drape them over trees, bridges, gawd knows why) and I was done. We left.

He grew up in the bush and his dad told him things like that only bit you on Sundays...he and his brothers used to play with Scorpions. No one ever got bit.

I grew up in the country (arid rocky brush laden backcountry) so I completely understand, by the way we also hang out our snakes if they have to be put down (ie poisonous) and our tradition (coming from a long line of ranchers) is to hang out the snake not for show but in the tradition for respect of the land and nature we do not kill for sport and everything is given back for the benefit of others, usually a hawk, eagle or other bird of prey will make a meal of the snake. I've seen owls scoop them up and rip them into bits for their young. Growing up as children we were told red and yellow kill a fellow, because there is a smilar snake called the milk snake which is not poisonous it mimics the coral as a defense.

The others we watched for were Copperheads, Cottonmouths, and Timber Rattlers or Cane Rattlers all lethal especially they cottonmouths they are ill tempered and love land and water so you had to swim with caution.

Here are two snakes we have in common Coral Snake

Texas Coral Snake

Austrailian Coral Snake

[RomeandJill]

Originally Posted by joedtx

I grew up in the country (arid rocky brush laden backcountry) so I completely understand, by the way we also hang out our snakes if they have to be put down (ie poisonous) and our tradition (coming from a long line of ranchers) is to hang out the snake not for show but in the tradition for respect of the land and nature we do not kill for sport and everything is given back for the benefit of others, usually a hawk, eagle or other bird of prey will make a meal of the snake. I've seen owls scoop them up and rip them into bits for their young. Growing up as children we were told red and yellow kill a fellow, because there is a smilar snake called the milk snake which is not poisonous it mimics the coral as a defense.

The others we watched for were Copperheads, Cottonmouths, and Timber Rattlers or Cane Rattlers all lethal especially they cottonmouths they are ill tempered and love land and water so you had to swim with caution.

Here are two snakes we have in common Coral Snake

Texas Coral Snake

Austrailian Coral Snake

I have been losing sleep for months over our move to Austin in regards to finally getting a chance for some hands on hill country herp'n !! ("herp'n" is the act of actively seeking our reptiles and amphibians)

I guess I will say "our" now since we too will be Long horns in 30 days
, but our Texas coral snake is actually in the same family as cobras, kraits, browns, blacks, and even death adders. All of which except the cobra are Aussie natives and all of which could make for a very bad day.

[mickey65]

Speaking of snakes. This one was seen at the Sears call-center in Round Rock. Apparently it slithered from the grass and up this tree. One of my co-workers snapped this pic of it. Security called Animal Control. Is this a rat snake?



It looked pretty big - judging from the picture! That's a pretty big tree he was slithering up!

[SickOfCalifornia]

Originally Posted by RomeandJill

I guess I will say "our" now since we too will be Long horns in 30 days
, but our Texas coral snake is actually in the same family as cobras, kraits, browns, blacks, and even death adders. All of which except the cobra are Aussie natives and all of which could make for a very bad day.

The coral snake is relatively harmless. Which is not to say it isn't poisonous - it is VERY poisonous... but these snakes have a mouth roughly the size of a pencil eraser. To get bit by one, you would have to be handling one. In fact, the only documented cases of coral snake bites in Texas all were by people who were handling the snakes -- and not for a short period of time, either. To get bit by one of these snakes, you really need to be negligent.

[SickOfCalifornia]

Originally Posted by mickey65

Speaking of snakes. This one was seen at the Sears call-center in Round Rock. Apparently it slithered from the grass and up this tree. One of my co-workers snapped this pic of it. Security called Animal Control. Is this a rat snake?

Yes, that is a rat snake. Rattlesnakes cannot climb trees. Rat snakes can climb just about anything, including the side of a brick wall (which is how they sometimes get in people's attics).

[mickey65]

Originally Posted by SickOfCalifornia

Yes, that is a rat snake. Rattlesnakes cannot climb trees. Rat snakes can climb just about anything, including the side of a brick wall (which is how they sometimes get in people's attics).

I figured that's what it was. I told my co-worker (who was freaking out - along with everyone else) that they are harmless and only eat rodents. I hope Animal Control didn't get him. This picture was taken last night at work. He was a pretty big snake. We have a lot of rabbits hopping around the property. I can suspect it's been eating good - especially when you don't see too many "bunnies" out and about! Just adult rabbits!

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by SickOfCalifornia

Yes, that is a rat snake. Rattlesnakes cannot climb trees. Rat snakes can climb just about anything, including the side of a brick wall (which is how they sometimes get in people's attics).

We had one climb 16 feet up the side of my house to get into a bird's nest (and eat the baby birds) that is outside my front door in the 2-story entryway.

[mickey65]

Just found out today that there is apparently a nest of those rat snakes here on the property somewhere. A tree fell over on the parking lot, and that may have stirred them up. Yikes....

[RomeandJill]

Originally Posted by SickOfCalifornia

The coral snake is relatively harmless. Which is not to say it isn't poisonous - it is VERY poisonous... but these snakes have a mouth roughly the size of a pencil eraser. To get bit by one, you would have to be handling one. In fact, the only documented cases of coral snake bites in Texas all were by people who were handling the snakes -- and not for a short period of time, either. To get bit by one of these snakes, you really need to be negligent.

This is true. Coral snakes are not an aggressive snake. They don't assume the typical coiled defensive posture so associated with american pit vipers such as rattlesnakes and moccasins.
They are not equipped that way. Where rattlesnakes have two very large front fangs which fold back against the roof of their mouths when not in use, coral snakes fangs are fixed and very short by comparison.
There are cases of envenomation by coral snakes upon being stepped on and as you mentioned a result of being handled. There is even a case of a young girl who brought one home and played with it for an extended period of time and was NEVER bitten.....

[RomeandJill]

Originally Posted by mickey65

Just found out today that there is apparently a nest of those rat snakes here on the property somewhere. A tree fell over on the parking lot, and that may have stirred them up. Yikes....

Snakes don't congregate or live in "nests" nor are they gregarious except in the late fall; which is the only time one is likely to see a gathering of these snakes (rat snakes and rattlesnakes) as they prepare for hibernation at a den site.
Even then, by this time of the year they have all dispersed into the country side to live solitary lives.