Found in the chicken coop this morning ...
Jim Taylor
[subject]
Monday, July 19, 2021, 06:52 (1850 days ago)
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Couple of Texas Rat Snakes ... the big one had just eaten an egg and the smaller one was waiting his turn. They are not happy about being caught.
Our Rat snakes are all black and universally called
WB
[subject]
Monday, July 19, 2021, 07:20 (1850 days ago) @ Jim Taylor
Chicken Snakes. I've never heard of one eating a baby chick but it's plausible. They do love eggs. They don't eat all that many though. They do grow to a huge size! I've seen one almost 7' long. Pretty aggressive as you show!
I caught one and took it to the kids kindergarten class once. I took it out and handled it for them. But I informed them if I screamed everything was OK, I just had to get it out of me. LOL The kids absolutely loved it! Real wild west stuff for city kids.
We are missing a baby chick ...
Jim Taylor
[subject]
Monday, July 19, 2021, 07:24 (1850 days ago) @ WB
the big snake is about 3 1/2 feet. I have seen them bigger.
Now that you caught them?
Winn Turner
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 10:42 (1850 days ago) @ Jim Taylor
You could put one in an unlikely enclosed spot and hide to watch the cardiac arrest.
They were re-homed to a friend ...
Jim Taylor
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 12:17 (1850 days ago) @ Winn Turner
who was looking for some pets for her son. They don't live close by, for which I am happy.
on this last African hunt a big Puff Adder on the walk way
Gary Reeder
[subject]
Monday, July 19, 2021, 15:04 (1850 days ago) @ Jim Taylor
to one of the cabins. One of the PHs went out and caught it and took it way out in the field and turned it loose. I told him I would have turned it into several pieces and then turned it loose.
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That was actually a small Puff Adder. Jim Taylor has a pic his big brother.
I hate those things.
Jim Taylor
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 15:42 (1850 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
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Jim, you still have that pic of the big puff adder the guy
Gary Reeder
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 15:53 (1850 days ago) @ Jim Taylor
is holding on a stick?
Yes ..
Jim Taylor
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 16:35 (1850 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
This was on the Iris Farm in Mieze, Mozambique
Jim Taylor
[subject]
Monday, July 19, 2021, 16:42 (1850 days ago) @ Jim Taylor
I have been out there when they killed 4 or 5 one day ... when they were first clearing the land.
The Puff Adders kill more people in Africa than any other snake. This is not due to the venom being more deadly. It is due to the fact that this snake will not try to get away from danger. It's "defense" is to hide and not move .. under leaves, in thick grass, etc. and so it gets stepped on. When that happen of course it strikes.
One of our Tia's at the Orphanage was taking supper to the shepherds who were guarding the goats. She stepped on a Puff Adder in the dark and it struck her on the foot. It took her 3 days to die. It was pretty horrible. She left a husband and 3 kids.
If a person is near a good hospital or clinic there is anti-venom that can take care of the poison IF you get there in time.
i agree with you gnr
lynn
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 15:49 (1850 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
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back years ago I was visiting my parents just outside
Gary Reeder
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Monday, July 19, 2021, 11:05 (1850 days ago) @ Jim Taylor
Nashville. My Dad and I did a lot of fishing and hunting in my early years and when I would take a weekend off from the radio station that I happened to be working for at the time we would do one of the other.
On one instance the fish were going crazy over the Catalpa worms and they had a big Catalpa tree in the yard that was covered in the Catalpa worms. My Dad stood under tree while I climbed up the tree to pitch some of the worms down to him. I climbed out on one of the big thick branches and was busy flicking the worms off to my Dad when I noticed a big snake in front of me coiled up on the branch in front of me. He was obviously a big bull snake (also known by other names). I had heard that they were pretty docile so I reached out to move him out of the way. At first he just looked at me then as my hand got close to him he clamped onto the web of my hand. I started calling him foul names and threatened his whole family if he didn't let go. My Dad was hopping around under the tree yelling at me to not throw the snake down on him. The snake was probably 4 or 5 feet long and as big around as my wrist and had wrapped around my whole arm by now and was still latched onto my hand. Finally the snake let go and fell to the ground. When the snake hit the ground my Dad was at least 30 yards away hauling ass. I didn't mention it but my Dad didn't like snakes.
My hand was throbbing but I knew it wasn't poisonous so I went inside and poured alcohol on it and wrapped it with a bandage. I asked my dad if he still wanted to go fishing but all he wanted to know was where that damned snake went to. I knew if he thought that snake was still around he wouldn't go anywhere so I lied and told him I killed the snake. That calmed him down and we finally went fishing and caught several large mouth bass. The bite on my hand stayed red and swollen and took several days to get back to normal. Since then I leave them alone and let them go their way and I go mine. We pretty much don't have many snakes up at 8000 feet where I live but there is a garter snake in Colleen's flower bed that I see every now and then. But he is sort of Colleen's pet so I leave him alone.
LOL, that's great. My father too hated all snakes
WB
[subject]
Monday, July 19, 2021, 13:50 (1850 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
us kids learned the different species and varieties. I always figured a non-poisonous would displace one poisonous one. Of course King snakes and Hog-nose both eat pit vipers. Which is what we have most of in the way of hazardous snakes (Copperhead, several variety of Rattlesnakes, and Water Moccasin). Supposed to be a few Coral Snakes (in the Krait family) but very rare.
Like you father, my dad once took the head off a chicken snake with the first shot from his M17 S&W, then shot the body 5 more times. I asked him why, he said that's all it holds. lol
Here is a Hog nose or "Spread Natter" that was in our dog pen. We shoosh'd it out with much drama.
The dramatic Arkansas Air-hissing Cobra. lol
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