# SNEAKY SNAKE UP DATE



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Last night I was walking out ot the shop to get a screwdriver. As I pasted the side I heard BZZZZZZZZ. I got a flash light and looked under the shop 

There was Mrs Sneaky Snake and she was with childes. ( more than one child) 

I whent to day to ACE and got some Snake Stopper snake repellent.

It contains Cedar oil, cinnamon oil , clove oil and Sulfur, and Fullers Earth from the Planet Fuller. 

I spread some around and it worked. She packed up her kids and moved.

I then put some around the base of the house. We will see what happens. 

I have a dryer vent that I don't use and it goes straight under the house. 

I think I will drop a couple of  cups of this stuff down the vent and then see if there is a mass evacuation.

Now this is the first snake I have seen since may or so. 

PS 35 days till Marty's


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Gonna start carrying a flashlight after dark now? 

Becarefull the littles are the most dangerous, they'll pump their venom sack dry, an adult will save some for another strike... 

John


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 21 Aug 2009 09:32 PM 

I then put some around the base of the house. We will see what happens. 


Get ready for the mice......unless you have a good cat?


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## sheepdog (Jan 2, 2008)

*Shotgun!!! *


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

John,

I just don't understand. I'm not at all being negative or critical, but why on earth didn't you kill those things? I know some people put high value on not hurting things, but things that can hurt first don't get my sympathy.

I guess it was my upraising, but a poisonous snake was a dead snake, when I was a kid. Still is. Even the water moccasins, which are not overly deadly, unless you're old, ill or carrying a latent malady that the venom activates.

One day when I was in grade school I went to the spring for a bucket of water, not paying attention to anything. I scooped up a bucket of water with a little extra: a water moccasin that'd been chasing the minnows that lived in the spring. I doubt either one of us could've decided whether to crap or go blind at that instant. I shot for the house, got my little H&R 20 ga and headed back to the spring. No snake. I just waited, like Dad taught me (_now_ I was remembering his warnings about whatching where you're reaching or putting your feet.) After about ten minutes, up from the watercress came his ol' head, checking around. I blew about $20 worth of watercress away, along with that snake. Cause me a heart attack, will ya?

Les


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Les, 
Most of the time a snake would rather not have to deal with us... When one leaves another takes it's place. I know I've got a rattler and am wary of it. Much better to be on the lookout than assume all is clear. 
I don't want to spread poison around my yard and snakes eat rodents and deter the others. Since my youngster (4') moved in many rodents have moved out. Thats a win win to me. 

Also the other day I got to watch a squirel confront the snake, his little tail describing quick arcs and he threw sand and pebbles at the snake! I'd never seen that before and neither had anyone I told about it. The squirel got between me and the snake! I backed off and watched. Quite a show! 

A little knowledge can help, a rattler can't strike unless it's coiled (unless you stick your hand in it's mouth!) so I'm not fearful walking around it. I do have knee high snake boots for tramping through the bush... 

John 

I'm kinda fond of the balance of nature and it's a kick to watch!


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## ohioriverrailway (Jan 2, 2008)

I have what I think (hope!) is a rat snake or blacksnake that frequents the railroad area. I've got enough on what's left of my mind to worry about where I put my feet. Since the neighbors, and constabulary, frown on shotguns, a shovel works just fine.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

John posted: "A little knowledge can help, a rattler can't strike unless it's coiled (unless you stick your hand in it's mouth!) so I'm not fearful walking around it. I do have knee high snake boots for tramping through the bush... "

John,

That doesn't hold with what I've seen: they can strike from a non-coiled position, they have to 'draw back' like one throwing a punch, but they can get it done.


Everything else you wrote I agree with. I've never heard of a squirrel doing that, but I have no doubt you saw what you saw, and it's interesting, glad you passed it on.

For me, the 'blance of nature' perspective is fine, so long as I'm at the pivot point. Able to adjust to suit.









Les


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

As long as I'm still a winner in the food chain, I'm a fairly happy camper! 

I meant for range, coiled and I'm back 2 yards, stretched out 2'... I usually err on the long side.... 

I posted a pic of the snake and squirel on the 4 years young and growing thread, he got closer than I would. 

John


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't know about squirels fighting snakes, but here is one bad rabbit putting a hurt'n on a big snake. 

Randy 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ez5QPW-ku4


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

When I go out I put on a pair of 19 in tall Wesco Engineer boots. I also have a pair of Wesco 18 in tall Linemens boots. For the summer when I wear my cut off jeans. One snake has already hit my engineer boots whenI was walking along the back porch. He has gone to snake heaven. This powder I used seems to have worked. They have vacated the hole they were in. I have a manufacutre home and I need to have it re leveled so I am spreading this power all aroudn the house and when I can get under the house Hoping that if there are any under there they will come out. Except of that one incidient they have always let me know they are present with a short buzz. They usually just wonder off after that. I just leve them alone. But I am still contemplating a weapon of some kind with snake shot in it.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Not so much fighting as harrassing and making it known to others... 

my bunnies eat dried corn with no problem, I bet they have quite a bite! The King didn't have much defense besides 'running'! lol 

They say Roadrunners eat baby rattlers.... I had one check out my snake a couple of years ago, but it passed on him at 3'. 

John


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

The thing in my mind, John, isn't you. That snake probably recognizes you somehow as 'belonging' there (and too big to eat). It's that, in the event some visitor came by, and the snake didn't recognize _him._ Or the guy wasn't alert enough. That sort of random thing.

If you have no firearm and not much interest in one, I'd suggest an H&R .22LR x 410ga over/under combo gun. Some would say a 20ga o/u, but at the ranges you get to those animals, a load of #4 shot will do all you need. I'm no fan of the .410 ga, but doubling as a home defense weapon, remember, the slug is .41 caliber, and that's plenty good enough. And the .22 LR is a _very_ underrated round for the same purpose. Either one makes a good-enough small-game getter for the pot, too.

Les


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

It's amazing what you can find in a culvert.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Les, 
Thanks for your concern, I have a replica cap and ball .454 revolver and a .25 auto I bought off a suicidal friend. My 8mm rifle is locked in a friend's gun safe but easy to get. 

I don't need a shotgun. 

But what is your point? He'd strike me quick as the next, if I was foolish, but there are ways that are non-threatening to the snake, that's all. I don't pet him! lol 

Pack rats get under our truck hoods and eat the wires... none of their nasty droppings since that crazy clicker move in. 

I live at the end of a dirt road on the edge of the desert, where people expect to see snakes and let them be. It's not a big deal if you are somewhat cautious and respect them. 

It would sadden me to have to kill him, he's beautiful! But still a snake.... if it came down to him or me, it would sadden me to kill him, but that would be that. 

John


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

John wrote: "But what is your point? He'd strike me quick as the next, if I was foolish, but there are ways that are non-threatening to the snake, that's all. I don't pet him! lol 


Weelll ... okay. My point was, some other individual who is not mentally calibrated to watch for snakes coming around the thing by accident.

But you're letting the snake set the terms, "... if I was foolish ...". What if you weren't foolish, and it felt it necessary to strike?

Now, I am _not_ sitting here near the bank of the Missouri slavering to convince you to kill a creature you've taken a liking to. If you're happy, fine. I expect you understand the risks. We simply have different perspectives on the critter.









Down in the hills, we too were cursed with field mice, field rats and whatnot eating the wiring out of a vehicle, or nesting in the seats, that was left sitting for awhile. You have my sympathies on that score. But we had king snakes, black snakes out the wazoo (not many farmers killed 'em, they were great mousers) blue racers and the hapless little earth snakes. And the aggressive copperhead which can put a healthy, grown man off his feed (and feet) for a couple of weeks. Plus probably more that I can't think of.

Winter's not too far off. Be interesting to see if it's around next spring. Let me know, if you think of it.
Les


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Steve,

Oh, gag.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I suspect he's moved on by now, all the eatables have cleared out... round tail ground squirels, about the size of a chipmunk. They'll migrate back when the coast is clear. 

Unless you are on the menu, most critters would rather avoid us, don't crowd them and be a lert.... 

Works for me and mind you, when I go exploring in abandoned mines around here, we carry snake shot then. 

Desert economics; fewer animals and more sq. miles between them. 

I'd always warn visitors... 

John


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## KYYADA (Mar 24, 2008)

Dad had some greenhouses and used cardboard boxes to put peoples stuff in. I carried a stack out at the end of the season and put them in a large can. When I came back through I noticed a copperhead in the top box in the can....no way for him to crawled up there I must have put him in when I put the boxes in! In the woods I leave them alone but near the house I have a H&K G3 that makes for good poisonous snake and zombie repellent.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Les

Who ever said road work was dull & boring (he measured out at 18'- 4")


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

If the Lord ever created an uglier critter than that one, I don't want to see it.









Gag, squared.

Les


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Les, you haven' seen my ex-wife have you. 

Randy


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Randy,

LAO!

Les


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey wait, that's MY ex-wife.... did not recognize her are first. Never seen her with her mouth shut! 

Greg


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## Seans_World (Aug 14, 2009)

I have came acrossed a culvert loaded like that before and hope to never again, I hate rattle snakes.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Gregg, Randy & all:

This is one of the great things about this board: I come up here, feeling like crap, sit down and what to I find: Comedy.

Heheheheh, boy, talk about a laugh makin' ya feel better. "... never seen her with her mouth shut..." LAO.

Les


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Sean,

I was thinking yesterday, if a guy had a shaped charge for the other end, he could have the world's first rattlesnake shotgun.









Ol Vulp


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