|
|
|
|
di's Insite
Snakes!
We lived in KY at one time... a haven for snakes! I remember once, cleaning
off honeysuckle vines on my fence, actually picking up a snake before I
realized it!
The non-poisonous snakes were thick in our pretty flowered yard with grape vines, lots of ground cover (snakes love ground cover) and vines on the fence.
|
|
Let's Talk About It!
Issues newsgroup
Join us to talk about this article!
|
|
|
I was afraid to mow the grass as they sometimes just lie there in the sun. They would actually raise their heads and look at me before moving out of my way. On a fall day when they had cooled down in the early evening, they would be slow to move and the mower would go right over them. Not once did I kill one with the mower, though several times I would leave it running as I ran back to the house yelling for someone to rescue me! The beagle would go out and toss them in the air-- much to my horror!
Once I got out of the car and saw an earth snake scurry into the ground cover. I later found out it was rare to see one and only the recent rains had brought it to surface. There were underground rivers where we lived so maybe that was why I saw so many of them. I threatened to move the day a young snake fell on my arm when I was down in the basement getting clothes out of the dryer! There was a larger one curled on the sump pump too! Nothing we did discouraged them from being around the house. But no one ever got bitten, including the dog.
My next door neighbor, a widow who lived alone, had let her grass grow tall. There were many weeds between her garage and our fence. I could watch lots of snakes there entwined. I called the county agricultural agent, and he came and looked. He told us that if we could not get rid of all the pretty vines covering the fence and ground the snakes would not leave! The neighbor who lived across the street had none! He wanted some for his garden and actually took some home. But they did not stay there. We finally moved but I never forgot those snakes!
One thing I learned in an advanced camping and first aid class I took was if entering a heavily wooded area where you cannot see for the underbrush, just make lots of noise as you go. The animals and snakes usually will leave.
At the time, my teacher was building a cabin with other women in the back woods of Kentucky. She said since rattlers and copperheads were heavy there, she started a chain saw the minute she left the parked car! And she never had a problem-- except once. There was one in the cabin when she arrived. The women just kept circling the cabin with saws going waiting for it to leave! Someone else in the class said they used a loud radio too. Guess the snakes like their peace and quiet!
I know such noise is not appreciated in the city or at campgrounds. But on trails alone, I do make noise by talking loudly and walking heavily so the snakes will feel the vibration of me coming! Who knows... maybe it works for bears too! I have never seen one on my short hikes but then I have never been in an area where bears are frequent visitors.
If you have had experience with encountering snakes, I would love to hear your story!
Please email me.
© 1999 di
|
|
