Snake ID Please

[lone wolf]

I am appalled at how the hypocrites can arbitrarily decide one species is beneficial and another is not.
How is it a snake is better than the prey it eats?

Well I never had a snake wreak havoc on my vehicle like dammed Rodents chewing wires up. Send me all the King and Rat Snakes you catch! I might even pay for them.

 

[Bill G]

Well I never had a snake wreak havoc on my vehicle like dammed Rodents chewing wires up. Send me all the King and Rat Snakes you catch! I might even pay for them.

I have never had a rodent wreak havoc on anything let alone a vehicle.

 

[Bill G]

I am still waiting on @Sully10 to tell me why he feels Pat got what he deserved. We were talking about vermin but @Sully10 took it in a very odd direction.

 

[pdqdl]

My bet is that you already have some there and just don't know it. I'm also in KY and we have plenty of them. If it's black it stays. If it's copper it's dead. jmho OT

Some King snakes are similar in color and appearance to a copperhead. Do be careful to save them.

King snakes were always my favorite. They are less aggressive than the black rat snakes, and remain quite effective at killing off the poisonous species.

 

[pdqdl]

Well I never had a snake wreak havoc on my vehicle like dammed Rodents chewing wires up. Send me all the King and Rat Snakes you catch! I might even pay for them.

That would be unwise.
You'd be transporting protected species across state lines, and their capture would be against the law, also. Probably against your state laws to import 'em too.

I worked with a fellow many years ago, who was selling baby squirrels as pets. They were imported from outside the USA, so they were exempt from the local laws against keeping gray squirrels. Yep. Same species, different nation of origin.

 

[Bill G]

That would be unwise.
You'd be transporting protected species across state lines, and their capture would be against the law, also. Probably against your state laws to import 'em too.

I worked with a fellow many years ago, who was selling baby squirrels. They were imported from outside the USA, so they were exempt from the local laws against keeping gray squirrels. Yep. Same species, different nation of origin.

You seem to forget some folks have the proper credentials to do so.

 

[lone wolf]

You seem to forget some folks have the proper credentials to do so.

https://www.backwaterreptiles.com/snakes/snakes-for-sale.html

 

[pdqdl]

You seem to forget some folks have the proper credentials to do so.

So show me your credentials for compliace with the Lacy Act. Otherwise, buzz off Bill.

You just gotta find something to pick at, don't you? What makes you think I forgot anything at all?

 

[lone wolf]

I have never had a rodent wreak havoc on anything let alone a vehicle.

Well, around here it's a common occurrence! They chew everything and piss all over stuff. I hate them! Thousands of dollars in problems. You ever try to find a chewed wire inside a vehicle that's hidden well? I am sure plenty of people on here can attest to this.

 

[pdqdl]

Well, around here it's a common occurrence! They chew everything and piss all over stuff. I hate them! Thousands of dollars in problems. You ever try to find a chewed wire inside a vehicle that's hidden well? I am sure plenty of people on here can attest to this.

Yep. Pretty common around here. Even if they aren't chewing on the wires, they'll tear hell out of the insulation and seats of an old vehicle, just to make bedding for their nests. They especially love rusty old vehicles that have openings big enough to get inside and nest in.

I'm driving a 2004 Durango right now; it came from my in-laws, along with its electrical problems and the nesting mice.

Years ago, I was fond of visiting a friend and his wife at her parent's pig farm in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. A common "sport" for them was going pack rat hunting. We would sort out some good stick to club the rodents with and to stir up their huge nests made out of sticks. His wife would go along with a .22 rifle/.410 shotgun to pick 'em off when they climbed up a tree.

Here's how the hunt goes: you wander along the scrub brush areas that weren't growing any of the row crops, or kept bare by the pigs. Then you'd discover a big pile of sticks, knee to waist high, there would generally be large rats nesting inside. Two (or more) guys would begin taking their clubs and shredding the nest of small branches apart. At some point, the pack-rats would begin fleeing, and we would take off chasing them, clubbing the ground until we either got our prey, or until it scurried up a tree. After that, the rifle took over and got it. It was routine to get more than 20 rats per hunt. EDIT: I forgot about having a good terrier dog along. The rats run like hell when you begin stirring the nest, but they will stay holed up with a good dog along to help catch the runners. I've read that Jack Russel terriers are excellent ratters.

Now why were the farmers so enthusiastic about hunting the pack rats?
Because they do this to any machine parked very long:




I never discussed with those folks why the snakes weren't keeping the population down, but I suspect they were killing all the snakes off, 'cause that how farmers seem to think. They kept chickens, too.

We'd kill off any nests within about 1/4 mile of the farm, and that seemed to keep them out of the vehicles for about a year. And... It was great sport chasing the little buggers with a stick, too.

 

[pdqdl]

That's what they look like, alright, and you need to be pretty nimble to club them on the run. It just occurred to me: I'll bet those farmers were also killing off the "invasive" coyotes, too.

Wipe out the small game predators, and you will get lots of surplus small game. It is simple math, so quit killing off the snakes, please. The coyotes cannot get inside the pack rat nests, but the snakes sure can.

 

[Bill G]

So show me your credentials for compliace with the Lacy Act. Otherwise, buzz off Bill.

You just gotta find something to pick at, don't you? What makes you think I forgot anything at all?

Here is what I said verbatim.

You seem to forget some folks have the proper credentials to do so.

Did I say I did?
Yes or no?
Your question....You just gotta find something to pick at, don't you?
My answer........ no I call out senseless comments.
Your question.....What makes you think I forgot anything at all?
My answer........ your reply clearly shows you forgot to read and comprehend what I wrote.

 

[Bill G]

Well, around here it's a common occurrence! They chew everything and piss all over stuff. I hate them! Thousands of dollars in problems. You ever try to find a chewed wire inside a vehicle that's hidden well? I am sure plenty of people on here can attest to this.

 

[Bill G]

That's what they look like, alright, and you need to be pretty nimble to club them on the run. It just occurred to me: I'll bet those farmers were also killing off the "invasive" coyotes, too.

Wipe out the small game predators, and you will get lots of surplus small game. It is simple math, so quit killing off the snakes, please. The coyotes cannot get inside the pack rat nests, but the snakes sure can.

Wow now you want to talk coyotes do ya?

 

[lone wolf]

View attachment 1225171

IT poisons dogs, or I would use it.

 

[009Legend]

It does a number on birds of prey, too.

 

[lone wolf]

It does a number on birds of prey, too.

And cats.

 

[Sully10]

Not at all. I did, however, point out that your comments had been largely reviled in this thread. You denied it, so I posted the evidence. There are also a few folks in this thread that are firmly in agreement with your policy of killing all snakes. They are not in the majority, however.


I did not allege that you were wrong (in my most recent post), I simply showed the evidence. Now if you wish to continue claiming that snakes serve no useful purpose in ecology and they all deserve to be killed, I will state emphatically that notion is repulsive to the vast majority of our society. We have enacted laws to prevent that kind of action, and on that basis, I will clarify for you my opinion: You are wrong to think that way.


I did not at any point talk about any abuse of pets (or any other animals) at any time. I spoke of the difficulties in handling savage dogs, and even posted a video of a public servant doing exactly what I was referring to.

As you well know, many of our members here have conflicts with certain other members. You have your detractors, and I have mine. On this topic, my detractors jumped onto the bandwagon, and mischaracterized my statements as animal abuse.

It was certainly a hailstorm of unpopularity. You should understand how that works, right?

 

[Sully10]

I am appalled at how the hypocrites can arbitrarily decide one species is beneficial and another is not.
How is it a snake is better than the prey it eats?

Man if you don't get that one I feel for you! The prey snakes eat are varmints and destroy everything they get around! Saying snakes serve no useful purpose is as I said pretty stupid!

 

[Smitty Smithsonite]

We've got a few species of snakes in MA, none venomous. I've heard we have some venomous rattlesnakes here, but they're about as common as a Republican in the MA statehouse.

I always make a point to catch one when I see them. One, to show the wife because she HATES them (and mice - it's comical!! ), and two, to make sure I still have the skills to grab and move them without getting bit. Haven't bled from a snake bite since I was about 6 years old.

I made a TON of money off rodents in my 14 years turning wrenches here!