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yet- this year for us. Thank goodness. Have seen everything else so far. But yup, you have to watch where you walk at night, and especially in the streets. They are soaking up the warmth. I cannot say how many times my lab has veered out of the way of a snake in the road.....and always a copperhead at night.
Any snakes yet this year? I hear all about them, yet I never see them, not even shed skin. I must be looking in all the wrong spots.
Just had a copperhead out near my dogs pen yesterday. My dog was raising an unusual fuss about something, so I went over there (with my open toe shoes, not knowing what I was looking for yet) and low and behold about a foot from my foot was a little copperhead. Little snake was much more focused on my dog, so I got DH to come out (thank god for Nextels) and he relocated mr. copperhead down across our creek somewhere. I know...its a venomous snake, he used a snake hook, and in the past he has had to kill one or two that weren't so cooperative to being relocated. But DH loves all animals and would never kill a snake, just because its a snake. Heck, we have 5 snakes in our menagerie of pets!
I hadn't seen a snake bigger than a tiny one (5 inches) in many years, but just a couple of days ago, both my dogs were barking like crazy, and we looked down and there was a rather large black snake, coiled and striking at them! Even though it is harmless, is was frightening to see a snake inside the backyard fence and striking at my dogs--mostly because they wouldn't know the difference between a harmless one and a poisonous one, of course. By the time we got them inside (which was not easy, because they wanted to play with this "toy"), we looked, and the snake had high-tailed it out of there.
I've lived here for 2 years now. My wife and I own a large 1 acre lot in Wake Forest, a few miles north of Raleigh.
I just saw my first snake last month. A black snake (harmless) that was hanging out in my driveway. A few weeks later I saw a garter snake in my yard while I was mowing.
I killed both, mostly out of concern for my wife and dogs. I love animals, but my dogs have never seen a snake before and have a habit of running out into our yard full speed without looking where they are going.
My only concern would be one of the dogs (or my child, who is on the way) running out into the yard and bumping into a copperhead. That's my worst nightmare. I might look into the repellent stuff mentioned earlier.
So there you have it: 2 years on a large lot in a rural area and 2 non-venomous snakes.
I've lived here for 2 years now. My wife and I own a large 1 acre lot in Wake Forest, a few miles north of Raleigh.
I just saw my first snake last month. A black snake (harmless) that was hanging out in my driveway. A few weeks later I saw a garter snake in my yard while I was mowing.
I killed both, mostly out of concern for my wife and dogs. I love animals, but my dogs have never seen a snake before and have a habit of running out into our yard full speed without looking where they are going.
My only concern would be one of the dogs (or my child, who is on the way) running out into the yard and bumping into a copperhead. That's my worst nightmare. I might look into the repellent stuff mentioned earlier.
So there you have it: 2 years on a large lot in a rural area and 2 non-venomous snakes.
Let me see if I have this straight... you killed a black snake and a garter
snake to protect your dog, wife and child from a copperhead???
1st, middle, or last does not matter to me when it comes to the longitudinal slithering beast of the ground. I don't like em! Nope! But I still see my share around Falls Lake in and out of the water. I don't look for them but sometimes find then. I always try to make noise of my presence so as they know that I know I don't like to encounter one or two! But the good thing is they don't really care to encounter me either. So a mutual parting is fine with me and them!
So NC as many other states have snakes, we surely do not coil the market on them!
YEp, snakes are common in the RDU area. However, for those of you moving to the area you can hedge your bets on the types and frequency with whcih you will come across them by choosing your property characteristics.
Copperheads - love hardwood forests with a perennial creek or body of water nearby. My second house was on a 1 acre piece of property that had all oaks and a decent creek in the back - I relocated or exterminated 11 coperheads in 8 years there. Extermintions were only when relocated ones came back - and this is only becuase at the time we had small children the Copperheads came right up to the house.
Black Snakes (also Black Racers) - Racers usually stay away from populated areas and confine themselves to wooded areas. They can grow to 6-7' in length and are harmless (non-poisonous) unless you provoke them. Black Snakes are the best thing to have near your house as they keep Copperheads away!
Cottonmouth - Generally not seen in the RDU area. Have seen some up at Lake Gaston and they are all over down east by the coast. These snakes DO NOT scurry away, they will hold their ground and can be very nasty. Like Copperheads they like hardwood areas with water access closeby.
Eastern Hog Nose - these are very colorful snakes (yellows, browns, black etc..) so they look like they may be poisonous but they are not. Have seen one in Falls Lake and it was close to 3 feet long. He wanted nothing more than to get away from me!
Rattle Snakes - not here in RDU but they are by the coast and in the mountains.
Best thing to do is educate your kids about snakes, show them pictures or better yet if you come across a Copperhead show it to your children from a safe distance!! Knowlwdge rules - my kids are well versed on all things snake!
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NC Snakes
