One of the downsides to your snake loving son spending the night out
My kids got out early today from school. I remembered this fact 2 minutes prior to needing to be there. I really do need to take some memory enhancing vitamins.
When we returned home, we found the dog barking hysterically at the bushes off our back porch. Upon further investigation, we found a rather large snake. Ahem. A rather large snake that was not shy in the least. A snake that crawled right up onto the porch while the inhabitants of said house tried to get the small children and fascinated, shedding dog into the house.
The problem here is not that we found a snake. The problem was that Cory was not here to perform his Crocodile Hunter impression. He would have looked at it and identified its genus and species right off and then would have proceeded in catching it bare handed and with a smile on his face.
I got a broom.
I looked at its head and recognized it as a non-venomous snake and made the decision to capture it so that my little Steve Irwin wannabe could see it when he got home.
So I pinned it’s head down gently with the broom, after it chased me, struck at me and faked me out by rattling the end of its tail in its best rattle snake impression (by that point I knew it was a rat snake, as that is what they do). After pinning it (gently) I grasped its head behind the jaws, and it COILED AROUND MY HAND.
Did I just hear lots of bloggy doors slamming shut and some icky girl screaming???? Get a grip, will you. I have not even gotten to the part where it PEED ON ME.
Following Chris’ advice to never ever be far from your camera, Cody snapped some shots.
Me with icky snake, as it coiled around my hand and squeezed a bit
It finally calmed down and relaxed a bit so I could stretch it out. Here is a shot right before it let loose its load of musty snake pee
We got it in a cage, and I went inside, washed my hands 4 or 5 times and then poured an entire bottle of rubbing alcohol on myself.
The 2 boys were so excited they were shaking. Mia decided that snakes are awesome dumb and that her mother is awesome gross for picking it up.
So, Smelly Snake sits outside, contemplating her bad choices.
And I sit inside wondering how many snake friends she has crawling around my yard.
Or if she had babies. Gah!
I’m afraid I might have to go with Mia on this one. EWWwwww!!
Wouldn’t Cory be delighted with all the baby snakes??
Eeew, I recoiled as I read that the snake wrapped around your arm. You are brave, I could not have touched it. At least you didn’t have a bear in your yard!
Heh, i LOVE it!
I am with Cory on this one
Karen
Isn’t she beautiful Karen? After some research, we think she is a Texas Diamond-Backed Water snake. Apparently with handling they get quite tame. Cory will be over the moon when he sees her.
They eat fish, hense her stinkiness. We are not totally sure of this….she could be a king snake too, as they have a musky odor too.
Cory has the Repitles and Amphibians of North America book memorized, so he will know.
Oh I could of used you last year when we had a few snakes in our pool, which I had to pretend not to be afraid of in front of my kids while I got them out, even though I really really really was. But ours were copperheads which are poisonous, but to me they are all the same…EWWWWWWWWWWW
You get the cool mom award today!
I am with Mia on this one…..her mommy is awesome gross for touching the snake. Ewwwwwwwww.
I think I just peed myself! *Shudder*
What a very cool snake, and even cooler mama.
The way it acted makes me wonder if perhaps it is/was someones pet. We never had a rat snake – we had a boa and a python and a ball python. I don’t know about rat snakes – but it seemed quite at home in your hands. It almost seems like he is a lost pet.
Sorry, but I’m with Mia on this one. That would be one DEAD snake now if it crawled onto my property. I keep a baseball bat under my bed . . . and know how to swing it. I also have a shovel for putting the snake carcass into the garbage can.
BigBob is in the hospital (I would normally just yell for him), so mama is holding down the fort alone.
Is that our snake?
Does she need a friend?
Do you need the aquarium back?