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I don't personally think they are cool or interesting or that they want to be our friends, but I can live with them ... as long as they stay outside.
I don't invite them into my house and my only problem is that this snake slithered uninvited into my home and I was new to the state and had no idea whether he was poisonous (excuse me -- venomous) and I had my dogs to protect.
How would I have felt if we were all touchy-feely-lovey-dovey-kumbaya about the wonderful attributes of the snake ~~ and he had bitten one of my dogs and killed it?
I didn't feel especially good that my husband killed the snake but I didn't feel bad either. I was protecting my home and my dogs against a danger that was not clear to me at the time.
I am the Department of Homeland Security and Animal Control on my property.
The last coon tail that showed itself on my step is now a 68 inch decoration on my wall. We encourage the racers and bull snakes as they prey on the rattlers. However, any rattlers found around my property are most certainly bound to become a belt or hatband.
My wife and daughters prefer their 9mm's with snake shot to shovels for dispatching rattlers.
Alison, I loved your comment about other things that people don't like, and you're right--when we don't like something, there is often an irrational fear involved like mine about lima beans, and there isn't a lot we can do about it (including arguing snakes with Steve-O). I just wanted to remind you that Greg W still lives in Londonderry, NH unless he moved when I wasn't looking, and that brown snake climbing up his curtain was a little New Englander of some sort. Or perhaps it was imported in the plant, who knows?
I had a friend in NH who had stored some potting soil out in a shed, repotted a plant and later found out in the house that it had a batch of snake babies in it.
Just wanted to pass on this bit of comfort--I have seen more black bears in New Hampshire than snakes in New Mexico, if that helps. And, remember how careful we always had to be about mosquitoes back East because they carried Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus? No mosquitoes to speak of where I live in New Mexico, and I'm really glad to leave that very real fear behind.
One last comment to Soggy--you are so right about Washington not having much in the way of snakes. But, oh, those banana slugs--practically the size of snake and swallowing up your whole garden!
I would die if I found a snake in my house, no matter where I lived. I know they are out there, but I don't go looking for them. Usually my husband finds them first and shoos them away before I see them.
I put Steve-o on ignore, because he was out of line with his comments about needing therapy. I have a fear of snakes, its that plain and simple. I just do not understand why a person has to get their tighty whiteys in a knot because of it. Its not like I am outside with a machine gun, hellbent on killing every snake I see. I just don't like them in my environment...which is indoors.
I personally knew two MEN who were so deathly afraid of snakes that they actually fainted if they saw one.
Will I see snakes in NM? Hard to say, if I do, I do. If not, so much the better. But if they are inside my home, you can bet they will not stay there. I have a 4 yr old that I am not willing to have bitten by a snake, venomous or otherwise. We're are teaching him to respect snakes and leave them alone, which he is doing.
My fear is real. Steve-o just needs to let it be. As far as I am concerned, this topic is closed for me.
I think in Timberon, wherever that is. THAT pot is mine! Maybe it will scare any mice away if they decide to come into my house. I doubt if it would mellow them out.
Okay, this subject came up on lypeache's thread about insects...
We recently had a snake in our house here in Eldorado (Santa Fe.)
clairz wanted to know more ... and we didn't want to hijack the insect thread with snake talk, so I started a new thread.
Here goes:
Well, I am not really afraid of snakes, but here in NM, I don't know which ones might be poisonous.
My husband found this little snake slithering around in our living room ... we had left a door open (probably learned our lesson and won't do that again.)
Our biggest concern was for our dogs, they have never seen a snake and and would have thought it was something to investigate. I didn't want them getting killed by something poisonous. I got them out of the room while hubby dealt with the snake.
Okay, I know I am going to get really slammed by some people here for this ... but my husband killed the snake. Had it been outside we would have probably tried to shoo it away .... and neither of us are ones who would normally kill a snake ... but having it in our living room was just too surprising.
I worried about the whole thing later ... I think snakes are sacred (Is sacred the right word?) in some native American cultures ... and I don't want to feel like I destroyed something precious and/or meaningful.
I am wondering what you all think about snakes...good or bad?
How would you get a snake out of your house?
I don't blame your dh for killing that snake...and it's not just because I hate snakes, but we have to teach them who is boss - not really. I think if you're not a snake expert (whether degreed or life experience) you should treat them all as potentially dangerous. I've read that Charcoal is good to keep around if you've got a lot of snakes/poisonous creatures, in case of a bite you could apply a Charcoal poultice to the wound...while you're waiting for medical attention. I see no crime here.
I don't blame your dh for killing that snake...and it's not just because I hate snakes, but we have to teach them who is boss - not really. I think if you're not a snake expert (whether degreed or life experience) you should treat them all as potentially dangerous. I've read that Charcoal is good to keep around if you've got a lot of snakes/poisonous creatures, in case of a bite you could apply a Charcoal poultice to the wound...while you're waiting for medical attention. I see no crime here.
Is the charcoal poultice a joke..? If not, what do you do with it? Grind it up and mix it with water..?
Sounds like that's what you would do with it. Anxiously awaiting for the answer.
Does it pull the poison out of the body or how does it work?
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