Garden

[tiny 2]

On 5/27/2014 KathyPet said:

On 5/27/2014 tiny 2 said:

Black snakes can be large too. Just put him in a pillowcase, tie a knot and take him to a lake or heavily wooded area and let him go.

How is one to get him into the pillow case? That would involve picking it up. Not happening in my lifetime. People use the term "black snake" as a rather generic term to describe any black snake. Here in Va we have the Va Rat Snake which some people call a black snake. They can grow to 5-6 feet long.

LOL, You do have to pick them up. It freaks my husband out too. They eat my little chipmonks so I just take them somewhere else.

[gilmoregirl]

OP... just brace yourself. You will probably see more snakes this year than you ever have. NOT because there are more than usual, but because you will be watching for them lol. We still tease my dad who has always been TERRIFIED of snakes. Growing up in the midwest we have a mix of venomous and non venomous snakes, and we grew up on a farm where both were abundant. I recall very few instances of seeing either. My dad? Couldn't walk outside without seeing several. The difference? He was looking for them. We kids were too busy lol

[bluejeansluvr]

I hate snakes! We have a lot of snakes here, you name it, we have it. Water moccasins/cottonmouths, rattlesnakes, copperheads, and other critters too, just about everything.

About a week ago I was on my way to take my dog to potty on his leash and came around the corner to the garage and there was a huge black snake, or rat snake, not sure what it was! It was 5 or 6 feet long and very large. DH said it could have been a cottonmouth, those get darker when they get old and can look like a black snake, are you sure it was a black snake? I said I don't know it moved pretty fast and so did we! I have seen (what DH said) was a rat snake that was huge. He killed one that was so big, he was kind of afraid of it and he's not afraid of snakes around here and won't kill one unless he thinks it is poisonous or it may be a danger to the dog or neighbor's dogs or little kids.

So I looked it up and yep, it looked kinda looked like this. (gulp) I made DH go outside and look around the next time I took the dog out. Now I'm almost afraid to go out there alone!

[glmama]

Yes. I would say to try hard to pretend you didn't see him?

I was just talking about this with my DH. We were saying that when we were little we saw snakes at least a few times every spring and summer. Now, I don't think my kids have ever seen a snake--maybe a garter snake once?

I'm sure there will be more expert opinions here than mine.

[bluejeansluvr]

We see a lot of snakes, at least a few sightings every summer.

[Kachina624]

I live in the desert, right in the middle of prime rattlesnake territory. I've lived here 15 years and have never seen a snake of any kind. We do have roadrunners in the area. They're carnivores so maybe they get them.

[bluejeansluvr]

Here is a Texas rat snake. This is like one that DH killed. Except I think that one was bigger.

[scotnovel]

On 5/27/2014 pbb said:

you might be right I was looking online and they said Rat snakes in PA are big this was for sure this big at least 5 or 6 ft..

We had a number of 6 ft & longer black snakes on our property in Ohio when I was growing up. There was a lot of brush on the acreage when my parents bought the house and once my dad cleared all of that away, the snakes left and moved to the woods.

[colliegirls]

On 5/27/2014 tiny 2 said:

Black snakes can be large too. Just put him in a pillowcase, tie a knot and take him to a lake or heavily wooded area and let him go.

"Just put him in a pillowcase"??? You are funny!!

[goodstuff]

A black snake is non-poisonous and will help to keep varmints out of your garden. Welcome him. Just leave him alone, and he'll leave you alone.