Dumb questions about snakes (subdivisions, living in, dangerous)

[Zaba]

Originally Posted by judeK

Yes Moccasins are "flee first" snakes, but if you are directly between them and their
safe place the water. They will "flee first" right at and probably by you, to get to the water.

You definitely have to be extremely careful around marshes or standing bodies of water in Florida.

Still, the only time I ever encountered a snake that appeared to 'charge' me (a very large old grandpa diamondback), I took two big steps to the side and it kept going full steam straight ahead as if I wasn't even there. It was just scared.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by thatguydownsouth

Really as you encountered, the pigmy rattler and water moccasin are the two most dangerous snakes that youll encounter around here in your backyard. The rest of the poisonous snakes generally prefer the woods and to be away from people. Theyre pretty active for most of the year starting in April when it warms up. Then of course theres the mating season which I think is now. If youre seeing more than usual that can sometimes happen with construction in the area, developers, and localized flooding from storms.

the moccasins are nasty devils...dont want to feel the fangs of those at all!!!

[0nyxStation]

Agkistrodon piscivorus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


This is the snake you see in Jacksonville....very dangerous, especially in those undeveloped areas in northwest Jacksonville.

[SaintCabbage]

We've actually entertained moving to Hawaii because there are no snakes there. It's REALLY hard to move there as it's prohibitively expensive and quite a few rules and regulations. Not to mention there's nothing there, let alone a solid place to work.

[Florida2014]

You're really basing a huge life decision like that due to snakes? I don't mean this to be condescending at all, I really don't....I think you should go see a psychiatrist and work on this phobia of yours if the fear of a mostly harmless animal is making you consider moving.

I actually think you'd stand a better chance of getting bit or stung by something in the water in Hawaii than you would getting bitten by a snake here unless your job forces you to work in high grass in preserve areas. And forget the nice big spacious house in Durbin.....you'd get a small 2 bed/1 bath bungalow nowhere near the beach for the same price.

Have you ever been bitten? I'm curious as to where this phobia comes from.

[Zaba]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

You're really basing a huge life decision like that due to snakes? I don't mean this to be condescending at all, I really don't....I think you should go see a psychiatrist and work on this phobia of yours if the fear of a mostly harmless animal is making you consider moving.

Agreed.
I live rural, on acreage, where snakes are as large and common as they're ever going to be in this state, yet even where I'm at, they're still hardly a concern. Heck, there's a gopher tortoise burrow near the back of the place where a huge diamondback lives. I just mow around it. Yes, if you're outside lifting something up or turning something over, you have to be aware of them but its nothing to freak out over.

Your fear of snakes is totally excessive if you're altering your life to accommodate it. I was pretty scared of snakes at first but definitely wasn't going to forgo my dreams of a country place because of them. Having lived around them for years now, I can report back that they aren't much to be worried about. They're not predatory.

If anything, my experience has caused me to become a bit 'pro snake' since they get such a bad reputation unfairly to the point that people kill them for no reason.

[SaintCabbage]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

You're really basing a huge life decision like that due to snakes? I don't mean this to be condescending at all, I really don't....I think you should go see a psychiatrist and work on this phobia of yours if the fear of a mostly harmless animal is making you consider moving.

I actually think you'd stand a better chance of getting bit or stung by something in the water in Hawaii than you would getting bitten by a snake here unless your job forces you to work in high grass in preserve areas. And forget the nice big spacious house in Durbin.....you'd get a small 2 bed/1 bath bungalow nowhere near the beach for the same price.

Have you ever been bitten? I'm curious as to where this phobia comes from.

It's my wife's phobia not mine. I certainly don't care for them but not phobic.

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by SaintCabbage

He would be the Devil, I wouldn't be able to sleep with that in my yard.

OK, because with quotes like this it sure sounds like you both have the snake phobia.

[thatguydownsouth]

Originally Posted by judeK

Yes Moccasins are "flee first" snakes, but if you are directly between them and their
safe place the water. They will "flee first" right at and probably by you, to get to the water.

That's not technically accurate. If its mating season they'll chase you right up a tree.

Ive lived in Florida my entire life and am an Eagle Scout, Ive never seen a rattlesnake other than the pigmy.

[SaintCabbage]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

OK, because with quotes like this it sure sounds like you both have the snake phobia.

Well it would certainly bother me, snakes are not God's creatures as my 8 yr old likes to say. I worry about our pets and little ones running around outside, I certainly wouldn't let them out there if I knew that thing was "living" there. I don't care for them like I don't care for gnats, spiders, and bees. I don't run and hide, but I will kill them onsite.