How Do You Feel About Snakes????

[Wilma]

On the news this morning, there was a report about a 10 ft. boa that was found on the Interstate.  The 3 news people were cringing and talking about their feelings.  The 2 men more so than the woman.  Anyway, it got me to thinking about how I feel about snakes.

My aversion to snakes started with my mother.  There was never a live snake within her reach.  She didn't manage to teach me how to kill a snake, mainly because I wouldn't get that close to one.  I remember her pulling a bull snake out of a bird house so she could kill it.  Never mind that my 16 year old brother was right there.  She killed it.  Even when adult Janet met a rattlesnake in her way on a path, Grandma was there and killed it with a spade while Janet was still looking for a weapon.

I carry this aversion to this day.  One day while I was cleaning flower beds, I looked up and there was a little 6 inch, green snake facing me from the fence, very unhappy about being disturbed.  I tried to face it down and continue working but a couple of minutes later I was somewhere else.  I don't know where the snake went.  One day when my oldest daughter was in high school, she came in with a small ring-necked snake in her hand, wound around her wrist.  I thought it was just a toy and she was trying to scare me, but when the snake stuck it's tongue out, I changed my mind.  The next time she came in with a snake, a longer one, wrapped around her arm, I met her at the door and they both went back outside.

We raised four girls.  The oldest one had no problem with snakes.  In fact, she dissected a rattle snake in class one day only to find that it's heart was still beating.  Girls no. 2 and 3 were a bit more squeamish but they have pretty well conquered it.  But girl no. 4 is a different story.  We used to say that we didn't need a son, we had Patti.

My last encounter with a snake was a couple of years ago, when a six foot black snake fell from the roof onto my front porch and took cover in the alcove that shelters my front door.  It was running from the birds that were attacking it.  It reached from the outside edge of the alcove around the wall, across the front door, to the other outside edge of the alcove.  I wasn't about to push the door open and chase it away, so I called Janet and she got Cotton Johnson to come over.  By the time they got here the snake had left, but I had seen it go down my ramp and knew which direction it had taken.  Cotton found it and was going to turn it loose across the street.  I told him that was much too close and to take it somewhere further away.

So that is how I feel about snakes.  How do you feel about them?

[Diane Amberg]

As long as it isn't a copperhead, I'm fine with snakes. We have a good many around because of the woods and they keep the mice in check. I'll jump if I come across one unexpectedly, but I'd never kill one.

[Teresa]

They don't bother me as long as I know where they are.
We find the small grass snakes and let Ashley play with them.. much to her daddy's horror.. ( who is crazy afraid of them)
I don't why he is either. He played with ring necks and grass snakes when he was little. None of the rest of us in the whole family is afraid of snakes. I will kill a rattlersnake or a copperhead.. but the bull and black snakes I leave be.

[frawin]

Wilma, I worked for the Dentons several years, and they did not want a Blacksnake or a Bullsnake bothered. They kept them in all of the outbuildings. The snakes elliminated any rats or mice. I remember when I first went to work for them I went into one of the Barns to turn on a light and in the dark I reached for the light switch and touched a big Blacksnake on the ledge by the switch, I came out of there looking for something to kill that snake with, Gladys Denton was there and told me not to bother that snake it wouldn't bother me, and it ate Rats and Mice. I encountered snakes alot in their buildings and she was right there didn't bother me, and I rarely if ever saw a Rat or Mouse in their buildings. Living in West texas for 27 years we had lots of Rattlesnakes and they were huge, many in excess of 6 feet long, being a hunter I encountered lots of big Rattlers during Dove season and I shot everyone I could. I knew and saw people that had been bitten by Rattlers and it is really bad scene. One peron I knew almost lost his leg from a Rattler bite, he told me the whole ordeal was the most painful ordeal he had every gone thru. My two sons and my daughter Dove and quail hunted with me and we all wore snake chaps/leggins. I guess in answer to your question I can take them or leave them depending on the type.

[Mom70x7]

Snakes don't bother me much. I'd rather have them in my basement than mice upstairs.
I've only seen a couple of them upstairs.

One was on the front porch.
I took a couple of pictures and let it slither away.

The other one, though, James found in our pass-through cabinet.
It was long and wrapped around our mugs and dishes on two shelves.
We called our handy retired game warden and had him come remove it.
And then I washed ALL the dishes in the cupboard! 
And the shelves!     

[Catwoman]

As long as the snake isn't one of the venemous type, I like them...not enough to keep one as a pet but I do enjoy observing them and playing with the garter variety.  Now, however, the 6- and 8-legged varieties of creepy crawlies are another matter...

[cheyronni]

Ok I will be the odd ball here.....I am scared to death of snakes and my feelings are a good one is a dead one....but that is just me.....

[srkruzich]

Hmmm Rattlesnakes make good chili   I love a good rattlesnake chili cookoff.

I have yet to see one around here.  I hear that they are little ones.  The ones i am used to are
about 6' long and about 6" - 8" diameter rattlers.  Diamondbacks. 

Walk up on one of them and you'll know it for sure!

[Dale Smith]

Well, I don't want to encounter one out in the wild. But, I do have a 6' Dumeril's Boa Constrictor as a pet.  I've had him since he was 1 month old... he was just the size of a pencil when I got him.  He's a very docile snake, and actually very sweet.  When I come home from work, he always lifts his head up towards me.... and if I don't reach down and pick him up, he slowly lowers his head and goes back into his hide box.  It's hard to resist when he looks at me like that.  ;-)

During the summer, I take him outside so he can explore in the yard.  I will usually take a book outside and sit on the lawn while he explores.  After he has explored around me for about 30 minutes, he will usually come back and lay his head in my lap while I read.  Like I said, he's very sweet.  :-)

Maybe I'll get a picture of him and post it, if anybody wants to see.

[Joanna]

I don't like snakes, but I do like having some around the outbuildings to keep down the mice.  If they stay where they belong, I'll leave them alone.  I mowed over a big garden snake the other day and felt pretty bad about it, and I played with grass snakes when I was a kid, so I guess I don't hate them with a passion...

They are not allowed in my house no matter what; that would be a death sentence... but they must sense that because I've never had one in the house that I know of...  And if they are stupid enough to get close to me anywhere else and they live through it, they'll be at least as scared as I am by the time my attacking fit is over.  I think you could compare it to a Berserker rage...

When I go to the outbuildings, I talk and yell at them to go away; I stomp around and often take a stick or something and bang on the walls & floor too!  It probably looks a little like a Snipe Hunt, but I really don't care as long as there's nothing to greet me when I finally go in.

By the way, I know some of my family & close friends read the forum.  If any of you get any smart ideas about practical jokes on me, you should be warned.  I'd do to you the same thing I'd do to a snake.  You'd probably live, but you'd definately have scars... and flat tires off and on for months, because I have a hard time letting go of grudges...

Dale!  I think that's great, and would love to see a picture... I'm not fond of snakes, but pets are not the same (to me).  Still, no need to bring him for a visit, a photo is just fine.