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Question: If you're walking, and come into fairly close contact (5-10') with one of these snakes, what do you do? How do you handle the situation - meaning, if the snake is aggressive?
To cut down on snakes, DO NOT put up bird feeders or put up bird houses
I found that out the hard way. This was my bird feeder on the 3rd floor apt I had several years ago in south Charlotte. This black snake climbed straight up the wall, 3 floors up!!
we have an acre lot -alomost half is woodland so lots of nice places for snakes close to water.
First year we saw several (3-4)small brown snakes usually in the spring when we were re-raking leaf piles.
We now have a cat and if she sees a snake she'll investigate ie try and dab it with her foot.I think the only one we saw last year may have been a copperhead so she was removed promptly from the area,much to her disgust.
I will say that out neighbors across the street have seen copperheads on the rip rap, but we never have and we always make sure we swim away from the shore-apparently snakes can drop from the trees into the lake.
Never seen a black snake. We are avid gardeners and I always makes sure I look where I'm walking or touching and make a lot of noise when walking in the woodland etc.
I find the ants, ticks and mosquitos and the squirrels and racoons more of an annoyance than snakes.
Cat will catch the squirrels if she can (4 so far) and they no longer come onto the deck-just sit in the tees and squawk at her
My husband has had poison ivy rash a few times- we think from picking up the cat as it was on the inside of his forearms and chest and he hadn't been gardening.
Question: If you're walking, and come into fairly close contact (5-10') with one of these snakes, what do you do? How do you handle the situation - meaning, if the snake is aggressive?
Most snakes are aggressive only when threatened. So...don't threaten it. Walk away. Snakes aren't going to chase you.
As I said earlier, snakes want nothing to do with you. I had 3 snakes over ten years, and can tell you firsthand that they have no interest in people. Even the escaped one that ended up in my roommates toilet, which of course his girlfriend found at 3 in the morning. Up to that point I wasn't aware that a woman could scream continuously for 15 minutes, without needing to inhale.
Oh, fun....snakies with morning coffee!
We moved back to Charlotte from "down east"....we had LOTS of snakes in our garden there....although I never saw a copperhead or water moccasin. We had a HUGE black snake in our back...we would find its skin out back by our creek..I save them for the grandkids...I'm 5'5" and the shed skin was as tall as me! I only saw it one time and it was coiled up...I wondered, "who on earth left the garden hose THERE??" Then I realized and backed off slowly. I think it protected us from other bad snakes though. I was happy to have it there.
When we lived in Charlotte previously, we found two copperheads on our property and killed them. (Is it illegal now to kill them? It wasn't then.) So I use more caution here in the garden. I think they are rather reclusive and will run from you unless cornered or surprised.
Shirlgirl, I suggest you really learn about snakes and their habits and don't be afraid...knowledge will help you and your hubby with your fears. That being said, hope you never encounter any copperheads! Especially the baby ones with their bright yellow tails. I hear they can put the most venom into you!
I don't think it's illegal to kill a Copperhead, I believe it's illegal to capture them or keep them, but you may kill them if you feel endangered.
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