Snake Risk Living Next to a Wooded Area (table, Illinois, Wyoming)
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I live close to Missouri City and I understand your concern. Do you have dogs? That would be my biggest fear -- that my dog would want to investigate a snake. In fact, many years ago there used to be snake-proofing classes for dog owners in this area, to make the dogs fearful of snakes of any kind.
If there are snakes in those woods, it would probably be almost impossible to keep them out of your yard. Just be cautious when reaching into any garden area and be extra cautious with your dogs.
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Originally Posted by LoriNJ
When we used to have dogs, they loved to catch snakes and toss them around. Fortunately, our snakes are mostly of the garter variety, with some black racers.
Yes, for people who live in areas where there are venomous snakes and who are often out in wilderness areas with their dogs, a session with a trainer who will snake-proof your dog is advisable.
The reason I saw the harmless snake when I was out with my dogs several weeks ago is because my border collie pointed it out to me because he was trying to herd it Dogs do tend to be attracted to snakes, if only because they smell different and move strangely.
Some poster, more knowledgeable than I about snakes, pointed out that snakes are "venomous", not "poisonous". Thank you for that information to whomever that poster was.
Snakes are everywhere! You don't have to have a wooded property to see an occasional snake. Heck, I used to live in the city on tiny lots and we would find garter snakes every summer. No biggie. Now a rattler, you'll want to avoid. Most of the time if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone.
Copperheads all over the state, Water Moccasins in the eastern half of the state, Rattlesnakes in the east. Coral snakes too but they are scarce.
You also have Timber rattlesnakes galore all the way to and beyond North Carolina's far western border. Including plenty of big, long, fat ones. Not scarce at all!
Some poster, more knowledgeable than I about snakes, pointed out that snakes are "venomous", not "poisonous".
So "poisonous" would imply the whole snake will make you sick if you eat it, whereas "venomous" simply means that it carries venom with it, but you can eat the meat of a snake?
Not being snarky, I am truly asking for clarification.
turf, yes that is correct. Poisonous means they excrete poision from glands. Think of a frog. Venomous means they have to bite you to infect you.
That said, our back yard backs up to a large sections of woods. We also have a pool, so in the warm months it is not uncommon to see a snake around. So far I have walked into my detached garage to find a large chicken snake hanging from my rafters. Two weeks ago there was a 4 ft snake skin stretched across the concrete pad where my pool pump sits. The next day, the snake that it belonged to was sunning itself on the same pad. It has a hole underneath the pad where I assume it is living. As I was backwashing my pump last week a yellow bellied racer greeted me when I turned the water on, forcing him out of the corrugated pipe he was inside of.
We do get copperheads from time to time, but so far none around the pool. There are also a plethora of timber rattlers in the woods, so we don't go in them in the warmer months. The non-venomous snakes we try to leave alone. We do kill the venomous snakes as we have children and dogs and don't want to risk them getting bitten. We've also heard that a couple have made their way into our home over the years prior to our ownership.
That is the downside to living next to a wooded area, but if you pay attention to your surroundings it really isn't a huge concern. I've found that snakes make people hurt themselves (by being startled and trying to run away) than the snakes actually trying to harm you.
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Fortunately, our snakes are mostly of the garter variety, with some black racers.
Dogs do tend to be attracted to snakes, if only because they smell different and move strangely.
to whomever that poster was.
