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Friday, March 13, 2009

Flat Headed Snakes, and Contest Winner

Today is my one year anniversary, for this blog. I had a contest, for one winner to win 1000 Entrecard credits, that winner was Eryn from http://www.homeschooledyear.com
her account has been credited with 1000 credits. Be sure to stop by, and congratulate her.

The other day, our elderly neighbors, stopped over to tell us they had found a large, brown, flat headed snake on their porch. They killed it, but did not call animal control. This is very concerning to me for several reasons. 1- I did some research, all flat headed snakes are venomous, yay. 2- this is the second large snake found in the neighborhood, the other was an indigo snake that was not killed, and is not dangerous on our porch, in the last 5 months. 3- we are in town, it is not normal for these snakes to be here, especially the venemous ones that are usually more secluded. 4- Why are the snakes acting so strange. Are they looking for food, water, or is it some other strange omen. No matter what the meaning, I am very uhappy about it. I loathe snakes, and with a dog they should not even be here. Snakes are supposedly scared of dogs. I really wish they had called animal control, and at least made them aware.

5 comments:

Eryn said...

YAY! I'm so happy to have gotten to celebrate your anniversary with you! It was a total surprise when I saw the 1000 entrecards in my email today!

I'm glad that you gave me the incentive to start using blogger to follow the blogs I like, I tend not to check my google reader often enough, and if you subscribe to email updates for everything, you can never find anything!

That bugs me about the snakes, and we've got a similar problem, 4 people have spotted a cougar in our back field and neighboring fields. The most recent time was during the day. Well, our back field shares a fence with the elementary school.

I'm reticent to say that it should be killed, but it can't stay here. I'm hoping that it moves along QUICKLY. I can't send Tommy out to check the mail by himself even. When the kids go feed the chickens, they go together and take the dog. Even though our dog is more likely to trip the kids and run, crying, from the cougar than protect them.

You can call your local extension agent about the snakes, and see if there's anything you can do. ICK! In the meantime, be safe :(

betchai said...

congratulations on your first year anniversary Melissa. wishing you more success in your blogging. Hope the snakes in your neighborhood would soon move away.

Anonymous said...

"all flat headed snakes are venomous"

Some certainly are but the vast majority aren't. In Florida there are only 6 species of venomous snakes.

1) Copperhead
2) Cottonmouth
3) Pygmy Rattler
4) Timber Rattler
5) Eastern Diamondback Rattler
6) Coral Snake

The first five have a relatively distinct triangular head due to the venom glands, while the sixth has no such distinction.

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/Venomsnk.htm

Melissa said...

myths about snakes thank you, I did know that the coral snake did not, and there is a flat headed snake by that name, that only grows to six inches. Do you have any ideas, why they might be coming into more populated areas, or how I can get them to move away. I do not wish them any harm, but I do not like them either.

betchai, thank you

eryn, I am not sure I would like a cougar all that much either. I hope it moves away quickly for you.

Anonymous said...

1)Most flat head snakes are not venomous- it is a myth. Although I'm not saying you should try and pick them all up.
2)dogs don't scare snakes away anymore than humans do.
3) The only 'omen' a snake could bring is that you have mice- in which case a snake can only be a good thing (?)
4) The snakes don't seem to be acting that strange. Being cold blooded the heat of the house might attract them. 2 in 5 months is just a small coincidence.
5) if you are able kill it then I'm sure you are able to put a blanket over it and then remove it with a pair of sticks- much more humane and not particularly more dangerous. Just make sure the snake hasn't got too much free neck so it can't strike.
6) You could get a rubbish bin and sweep it in there and remove it far away.
Good Luck- sorry if I sounded a bit rude.

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