Snake

[Scadsobees]

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids camping.  They found a really interesting snake that I'd never seen before (I'm mostly familiar with garters and water snakes).  Pattern on its back, it would puff up and flatten its head like a cobra, coil and look like it was going to strike...

So I told the kids to leave it be because I figured it was poison (even though no rattles).  Of course being boys they tormented it all the more  .  It didn't strike or try to bite even though it threatened, and mostly wanted to be left alone.  I got a couple of neat pictures.

When we got home I figured out what it was...eastern hognose snake.  Really neat little non-aggressive snake...and non-venomous (yes the boys were dissapointed that it wasn't poisonous!!)

[1reb]

My wife would have a fit if she would have see the snake.

Johnny

[asprince]

Johnny, I am with your wife.........I hate snakes! But, not as much as my wife!

Steve

[Jerrymac]

They really act tough but..... nothing. But if you do pick it up it will sometimes give you a load of smelly pooh.

Copper heads are the ones that you got to watch out for. They are small and quiet and hang out around wooded areas. Go poking around in ground cover and you might find one the hard way. OUCH!!!

Water Moccasins, cotton mouths, are vicious mean. Stay clear of them. They don't put up with much playing.   

[MustbeeNuts]

Yes I have seen those , there is also a eastern puff adder, the non poisonus variety, does the same thing and if you bother it enough it rolls over and plays dead. waits till you go away and runs for it.

I grew up in fla. down there we see lots of rattlers, cotton mouths/moccasins, and quite a few of the coral snakes, red and yellow kill a fellow, its a beautiful snake, red/yellow/ black bands around, very peasful, but if they bite you, well your dead. good thing they are usually very gentle, I don't think back in the sixtys they had anti venom for them. but very few people were bitten, heard of a child playing with one on the news, she put it down and it crawled away. the other types, bite you as soon as look at ya. lol I hate snakes too.

[1reb]

Steve
I show Amy(my wife) a picture of the snake and she scream!!!
I wonder if it worth get hit over that after I laught at her?



Johnny

[JP]

Hognose snakes are very cool. Captive bred ones will take mice but wild caught specimans are really, really fond of toads.

They put up a front but if that doesn't work they play dead. Nice pics.


...JP

[Scadsobees]

We let that one go...but I did just find a little garter snake yesterday for a pet for the kids.  My dear wife didn't say a whole lot (she swore up and down that we'd never keep a snake in the house) and they have that one in a little aquarium now....

[dpence]

We have a snake similar to that around here we call a spread head.  Unless the snake is an immediate threat, I leave them be.  Sometimes a rat snake will take up residence under a hive.  Cool picture.

David 

[Keith13]

I have most of my hives adjacent to a canal that is pretty overgrown. I see my fair share of snakes, most I leave alone but the water moccasins usually get a shot from the .22 I carry in my truck

Keith