Rattler!
The time had come to pull out forget-me-nots, which have gone to seed and need to make way for the planting of some things like geraniums and other odds and ends. Butterfly had found some plants on sale and they were piling up on my old picnic table back under the trees, which is where we stash plants that we bring home from town. I also had a few coleus and impatiens that were ready to go into my pots on the deck.
Big ol’ Lucky dog, who is my constant shadow, followed me up the path to the shed, which is where I was headed to get my gardening tools and gardening cart. Suddenly I heard that noise that makes us country bumpkins freeze in our tracks; that noise that makes our hearts jump into our throats; that noise that makes us wish we had on thigh-high boots instead of flip-flops. RATTLESNAKE! It’s 10 times worse than the Jaws theme music.
Not knowing where “Fang” was located, I slowly turned my head to look behind me, and could hear the rattling noise coming from near Lucky, several feet behind (presumably beyond the snake’s striking distance). So I spun around and Lucky realized at the same time that the noise was next to him. He jumped away, which I was quite happy to see (some dogs go right to it, stupidly). I called him to come to me, just as old, nearly deaf Romeo started wandering down the path from Butterfly’s house. I could see Fang, the rattler, by now, and he was a big one, curled up right next to the path under a solar light and some phlox. He was rattling a warning, but seemed somewhat relaxed and not too angry that we had disturbed him. I’ve seen then a lot madder.
I had no idea where Butterfly and her two dogs were, but I started mentally running down the locations of my dogs. I quickly put Lucky and Romeo in to dog pen (where we lock up some of the dogs when we’re not home). I took a different path to get safely by Fang and back to the house. I found Hellan coming around from the front of the house to investigate the action. She has already been bitten once by a rattler, so I put her inside the house with the rest of the dogs.
I called Butterfly on the phone – no answer. I left a message telling I’d found a big rattler and to make sure her two dogs were inside her house. I yelled for her, to no avail.
Then I did what any normal, red-blooded country gal does in this situation. I grabbed my camera!
photo snake under plants
Thank goodness for a zoom lens! That looks like about 8 rattles to me, but who’s counting?
Then I did the next thing that any normal, red-blooded country gal does in this situation. I gathered my snake wrangling gear.
Most of my neighbors (and everyone else I know) just kill these guys. Oh, who am I kidding? I think it’s safe to say, ALL of my neighbors (and everyone else I know) just kill these guys. I can’t bring myself to kill anything, least of all a snake. If they can’t live out here, of all places, in the middle of nowhere, where can they live? And all they’re doing is practicing good rodent/reptile control. Why wouldn’t we want them? I even stop my car to move them off the road when I catch them warming themselves on the pavement. Call me crazy.
photo snake gear
I am so very glad I invested in this snake catching pole last year. After catching a little baby rattler with a grabber from the hospital, I knew I wouldn’t want to tangle with a big snake with that wimpy little tool. This one worked perfectly and I snagged him on the first try (I came up behind him). He was madder than a wet hen, but he wasn’t going anywhere but into the garbage can.
photo snake in can
photo snake in can head
Off I went on a hike, now wearing boots instead of flip-flops, carrying Fang safely in the trash can. I took him far, far away and released him next to a creek.
photo snake in brush
There should be plenty of good hunting for him – enough to keep him there, and out of my garden. I hope so, anyway.
This is why all my dogs have their rattlesnake vaccinations – and they get it early in the spring. There’s no guarantee that it’ll save their lives, but it’s one more weapon in my arsenal.
|
Change Location:
|
Great photos. I am intrigued by the difference in the snake's color in the garbage can photos -
I made a snake catcher out of PVC pipe, wire, etc and its really handy. Whenever I catch a rattler, I invite the neighbor kids to come eat some. Something about eating a creature that would kill you if it had the chance...
I do not get the idea of releasing a poisonous snake "somewhere else". I hope you did not release it on my property. I have already lost a few animals to rattlers and when you own livestock, rattlesnakes are no longer welcome, but they are tasty.
To Jayber - the color difference is due, I'm sure, to the camera flash going off.
To Old Prospector - at least you eat what you kill! That's a good thing. I think the rattlesnake debate could go on forever - I doubt they WANT to kill us - just to avoid us. It's not like they can eat us, and that's they only reason they kill something. That said, to each his own. And no - I have no idea where you live, but I did NOT release him on your property, but on my own.
winglady. Glad to hear you left him on your own property. This is totally fine with me if people don't want to remove the snake. I do have a problem with people putting them on mine as a horse costs thousands of dollars and besides, I really like my horses.
OP, my little four and a half pound dog was bit on the face. It didn't kill her. Is your horse smaller than that?
Our pup was bit on the face last summer. $1000 vet bill - but they saved her with antivenin. All snakebites are not equal. the severity depends on among other things: "'The amount of venom injected (approximately 20% to 25% of bites are "dry," meaning no venom has been injected; 30% of bites are mild, meaning they cause local pain and swelling in the bite area and no systemic symptoms; 40% of bites are severe with approximately 5% being fatal)." source: THE PET HEALTH LIBRARY
By Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1717
Apparently my dog had a mild bite. Her head was so swollen. I can't remember what they used but it wasn't antivenom. I guess they realized a starving/hippie/biker/student couldn't afford it. What ever they used, it worked.
I've encountered snakes quite a bit when I was surveying. never been bitten though.
I've known two people who were bit, one in the Bozo Flat area and the other in Carmichael. In both cases they were bitten when they reached for the snake, while saying "That's not a rattlesnake" I call those kind of snakes Go-For snakes;-)
Here's a good source: http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/995_snakes.html
I've been livin' here for over thirty years. I continue to be amazed by the folks who kill every rattler they see, then wonder why they lose horses and cattle to broken legs from gopher and ground squirrel holes. Even worse: those folks who kill any snake they see, just 'cause they're snakes.
Hey winglady, don't let Old_P push you around. He looks for trouble with his wisdom all the time.
push her around?
I would just like to say two things: first, that last comment was not really from me - it was from a friend who was using my computer. He logged in under his own user name, but when he posted the comment, it came up under my user name, so apparently there's a little bug in this website. And second, I don't feel pushed around by OP. I am quite used to people arguing with me about my stance of "live and let live" when it comes to all the critters on this earth. I can defend my position quite nicely (in my opinion). I also respect other opinions and don't really care to argue when it comes right down to - I just do what I can within my spere of influence. I know I am not going to change anyone's mind, just like they're not going to change mine when it comes to this. I try to keep an open mind about things in general. But thank you, 2049er, for looking out for me! I appreciate it.
winglady: I respect your desire to keep the critters alive. I was happy to hear you keep them on your property. I have heard of people removing rattlers from their own property and dumping them on someone elses. That was my concern.
Keep on truckin and be careful with those things.
These photos are interesting. i didn't know that they could change color so drastically. I will defintiely keep that in mind as I go about my business on my evening walks. Yikes!
to phs_hillgal: as I stated earlier, my flash went off on the photos in the trash can, which made the snake appear to be a different color. It did not "change" color. I've modified the comments under the photo so there will be no further misunderstanding if others view this blog. I do not want to mislead anyone. Sorry.