Visitor to the backyard (and turtle habitat)

[Mmathis]

I followed this guy into the habitat a little while ago -- he was actually trying to get away from me! Don't worry though, they're no threat to turtles, and I can't find any reference to "fishing." Nice, benficial kinda guy to have around the yard!

Speckled King snake, and every bit of 3' long! Pretty one, too!

@fishin4cars

 

[C-Note]

I would still run screaming like a girl. I mean... I am a girl. But I would REALLY scream!

 

[tbendl]

In an octave only dogs can hear... LOL C-Note I'd be right there with yah.

 

[addy1]

aww snakes are great to have around, really! Nice looking one TM

 

[Tula]

My brain is saying " What a beautiful creature", while my mouth is going "Yikes!". So my response is a little of both - LOL..

 

[bettasngoldfish]

My brain is saying " What a beautiful creature", while my mouth is going "Yikes!". So my response is a little of both - LOL..

Me too

 

[Mmathis]

Aw, come on! These guys eat small rodents and other snakes [including venonous ones and we do occas. have copperheads around here.....], so are not a threat. As soon as I spotted its tail, I recognized what it was so I "followed" it -- it crawled under some rocks, and under the fence into the turtle habitat. King snakes are constrictors, but they will bite you if threatened. I was careful and had a PVC pipe poker thingy that I used to pull the leaves back. At one point it did strike [and still in strike-mode in the pic], but I was busy turning the iPhone on and only heard its threat. Speckled kings will rattle their tails to imitate a rattle snake -- kinda cool!

At first, though, I was concerned about the turtles, and one of them was right where the snake was going. There must be an instinctive-something that helps turtles recognize a predator vs a non-threat animal. The turtle and snake were inches away from each other -- and I know the turtle saw the snake -- but the turtle couldn't have been any calmer. Wish I could have gotten it all on video!

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Well they are pretty so long as they are in your yard and not mine

I would be worried about my small dog if I saw that in my yard.

 

[Mmathis]

Well they are pretty so long as they are in your yard and not mine

I would be worried about my small dog if I saw that in my yard.

I totally understand! They have my respect! The only thing that worries me about snakes is the ones that you don't see in time! Well, except for the copperheads which are "ambush hunters," [and very well camouflaged] most snakes would just as soon run from you as you would run from them. This guy would only be able to inflict an injury on an animal like a dog that pestered it, and that would be non-poisonous and treatable -- and I'll bet your dog would remember that for the rest of its life!

 

[sissy]

did you see ponddiggers new video showing his turtles

 

[MitchM]

I would still run screaming like a girl. I mean... I am a girl. But I would REALLY scream!

Oh, for Pete's sake...here, hold my beer while I take care of this......



(jk)


.

 

[Mmathis]

did you see ponddiggers new video showing his turtles

No. Will have to look that up! Thanks!

 

[Mmathis]

Oh, for Pete's sake...here, hold my beer while I take care of this......



(jk)


.

We were on a weekend campout (Boy Scouts) on the property of one of our families. It was very early spring, so there was still a lot of leaf cover in the area. One of the boys spotted a snake! "Miss Maggie, Miss Maggie....." I hear. It was a perfectly camouflaged copperhead -- really surprised they even spotted it, esp since it was dusk. The boys all wanted to get the shovel and "cut it to pieces." I wouldn't let them, and made them watch how beautifully it blended in, etc. We watched to make sure it left the area. When we told the dad of the family about it, he said, "WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL IT??!!" His point was that it was around where his family played & relaxed. Well, hate to tell him, but not only were there probably lots more where that one came from [based on the location of their property] -- but until he cleaned things up, his woodland back yard was the perfect snake retreat!

 

[C-Note]

Oh, for Pete's sake...here, hold my beer while I take care of this......



(jk)


.

It's hilarious that you would trust ME to hold your beer. ("I don't know where your beer went, @MitchM ... Frank must have drank it?")

 

[sissy]