Viper in the Wood Pile
I just spotted this guy a few minutes ago. He is laying on top of a stack of hickory, in the shade, under the carport. The little guy is about 20 inches long. What kind of snake is it?
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We would call that a "garter snake". Harmless. {looks like a ladie's garter belt} 0 -
no snake is harmless, they all scare the crap out of me, not good at my age...... 0 -
As mentioned, a good harmless snake.
I used to kill snakes on my property. I finally met a few really knowledgeable and very patient guys on a FB Oklahoma outdoor forums that got me where I could ID all the venomous species here. I still don't have any patience for them if they are getting into the buildings and such, but a lot have found a happy home elsewhere on our property. They still make me jump and squeal like a school girl.
We had an 'outbreak' of little 5-6" copperheads a few years back. No idea why but they were everywhere. What's funny is that for a few weeks, we had our area roadrunners around our place almost constantly. Every time I saw them they were running around with a snake in their mouth. In short order they either caught them all, or drove them all away.
What is funny/ironic is that we have a ton of venomous spiders and though I don't want them on me, or like walking into their web, they don't bother me or make me jump. In fact, we have quite a few black widows. We discovered that once they set up, they rarely moved. Most summers we have them on the opening on both sides by the garage door where it doesn't seal well, and the upper corner of entry doors. They literally spend all summer there and never leave until fall. I suppose if/when I ever get bit by one, I'll address it.0 -
bambihunter wrote:As mentioned, a good harmless snake.
I used to kill snakes on my property. I finally met a few really knowledgeable and very patient guys on a FB Oklahoma outdoor forums that got me where I could ID all the venomous species here. I still don't have any patience for them if they are getting into the buildings and such, but a lot have found a happy home elsewhere on our property. They still make me jump and squeal like a school girl.
We had an 'outbreak' of little 5-6" copperheads a few years back. No idea why but they were everywhere. What's funny is that for a few weeks, we had our area roadrunners around our place almost constantly. Every time I saw them they were running around with a snake in their mouth. In short order they either caught them all, or drove them all away.
What is funny/ironic is that we have a ton of venomous spiders and though I don't want them on me, or like walking into their web, they don't bother me or make me jump. In fact, we have quite a few black widows. We discovered that once they set up, they rarely moved. Most summers we have them on the opening on both sides by the garage door where it doesn't seal well, and the upper corner of entry doors. They literally spend all summer there and never leave until fall. I suppose if/when I ever get bit by one, I'll address it.
Black Widow Spiders are nothing to ignore.
"The most powerful neurotoxins present in black widow venom are called latrotoxins, which take their name from the group of widow spiders known as Latrodectus. The most toxic of these latrotoxins is alpha-latrotoxin that hijacks the poor victim's own nervous system."
The woman across the street was bitten by one on the forehead. Took her years to recover physically, she was almost an invalid for the first year after the bite. After a couple of years, her energy returned but she was basically batchit crazy after that. I have no idea what made her nuts. maybe the bite, maybe the ordeal, maybe both.
I bounced back from a Rattler bite way quicker than she did from a Black Widow bite and I had a reaction to the anti-venom that complicated the whole ordeal.
Automotive Quick Start spray (ether) will kill them quick, way quicker than insect spray.
Each egg sack from a Black Widow spider contains 200 eggs, 3-5 egg sacks isn't unusual.0 -
I used to call those garter snakes yellow racers. Couldn't be a more harmless and useful snake. I still have no time for them. 0 -
T.I.L. garter snakes are actually venomous!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garter_snake
Whoah!0 -
Any snake that can bite scares the sheet out of me. Don't like them could be Biblical who knows but for sure I don't like them. 0 -
I work HVAC and if you see a black widow in a unit,which is common,there will always be black widows in that unit.I did find that coil cleaner will melt them like the witch in the wizard of oz. 0 -
Seems rather axiomatic.buddyb wrote:I work HVAC and if you see a black widow in a unit,which is common,there will always be black widows in that unit.I did find that coil cleaner will melt them like the witch in the wizard of oz.0 -
Allen, This snake is not actually a "Viper". A "Viper" (AKA "Pit Viper") is a poisonous snake with hypodermic fangs with sacs of venom to inject when they bite. Some common varieties in the East are the copperhead, water moccasin, cottonmouth and rattlesnakes. They have slit eyes and a shovel shaped head. Usually short and fat snakes with a distinctive diamond pattern. Don 0 -
It is a harmless beneficial garter snake. The worse thing they can do to you is smear a foul scent upon you when handled. Some will bite but may not even break the skin.
Many living things to include garter snake possess venom, few are dangerous to humans.0 -
Gumout, big shop sized canHessian wrote:Automotive Quick Start spray (ether) will kill them quick, way quicker than insect spray.0 -
hillbille wrote:no snake is harmless, they all scare the crap out of me, not good at my age......
Yes,+++10 -
I looked up that snake in a book by renowned snake expert Lewis Grizzard and it is a Copperheaded-Water-Rattler. They are extremely venomous!
However, they are sometimes confused with the completely harmless Rattle-Headed-Copper-Moccasin which is very similar in color but are easily identified because the two snakes have totally opposite patterns. The water rattler has stripes and spaces whereas the Copper-Moc has spaces and stripes.
For the folks that advocate never killing a snake -- please post your mailing address for the rest of us.
Open packages carefully if the box has air holes. :twisted:0 -
allen griggs wrote:What kind of snake is it?
We call'em dead snakes where I live.0 -
Eastern garter snake. They are considered harmless, as in not venomous. I have been bitten by them probably 20 times or more. No effect except a little blood. There are however reported cases of bites causing classic signs of envenomation, pain swelling, nausea etc. Apparently some folks are pretty sensitive to the saliva of garter snakes. Foreign proteins can cause problems with our immune systems. 0 -
Mr. Perfect wrote:
Seems rather axiomatic.buddyb wrote:I work HVAC and if you see a black widow in a unit,which is common,there will always be black widows in that unit.I did find that coil cleaner will melt them like the witch in the wizard of oz.
I think he means if you see them there once, you'll find them again on subsequent visits. He is probably referencing my statement above that at least Black Widows around our place once set up, will stay there all summer and though I don't know where they winter, there is another (maybe the same) one there next summer. You should see the pile of bug carcasses below their webs.0 -
Gotcha. Makes sense.bambihunter wrote:Mr. Perfect wrote:
Seems rather axiomatic.buddyb wrote:I work HVAC and if you see a black widow in a unit,which is common,there will always be black widows in that unit.I did find that coil cleaner will melt them like the witch in the wizard of oz.
I think he means if you see them there once, you'll find them again on subsequent visits. He is probably referencing my statement above that at least Black Widows around our place once set up, will stay there all summer and though I don't know where they winter, there is another (maybe the same) one there next summer. You should see the pile of bug carcasses below their webs.0 -
Thanks for the info. I see that this guy likes to eat mice and bugs so he has found a home. But I don't kill any of God's creatures if I don't have to, including copperheads. 0 -
Mr. Perfect wrote:
Gotcha. Makes sense.bambihunter wrote:Mr. Perfect wrote:
Seems rather axiomatic.
I think he means if you see them there once, you'll find them again on subsequent visits. He is probably referencing my statement above that at least Black Widows around our place once set up, will stay there all summer and though I don't know where they winter, there is another (maybe the same) one there next summer. You should see the pile of bug carcasses below their webs.
Yeap!!
My electrical crews learned REAL fast about opening light pole bases to get to the wire connections.
We used spray contact cleaner {like brake clean} to kill the little shiittters.
It's true, when a black widow makes a home, it takes a 30 year lease on the place!!
I used to explain how to id them, big black Asses with a red [usually} hourglass or triangles on the it, then finally told them to just spray AMT's. {Any Moving Thing} :shock:0 -
Mr. Perfect wrote:
Gotcha. Makes sense.bambihunter wrote:Mr. Perfect wrote:
Seems rather axiomatic.
I think he means if you see them there once, you'll find them again on subsequent visits. He is probably referencing my statement above that at least Black Widows around our place once set up, will stay there all summer and though I don't know where they winter, there is another (maybe the same) one there next summer. You should see the pile of bug carcasses below their webs.
Yeap!!
My electrical crews learned REAL fast about opening light pole bases to get to the wire connections.
We used spray contact cleaner {like brake clean} to kill the little shiittters.
It's true, when a black widow makes a home, it takes a 30 year lease on the place!!
I used to explain how to id them, big black Asses with a red [usually} hourglass or triangles on the it, then finally told them to just spray AMT's. {Any Moving Thing} :shock:0
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