Snake catching class.
This afternoon I have been busy getting ready for the wintry weather they are predicting is heading our way. I don't usually like to work on Sunday but I have been procrastinating and ended up waiting until the last minute. I took my patio table and chairs from the front porch and put them in the basement. Got the wood holder out and put it on the porch. Now the wood holder is full of wood. The kindling is in a box on the porch and I'm all set to build a fire should it get too cold! Nothing like digging in the woodroom to find the pieces of wood that I want to bring up, all the while dodging spiders and watching for snakes who might be sleeping in there too. Generally I find a snake skin at least. Someone told me that snakes like to crawl through wood piles as it helps them when they are trying to shed their skin. Lots of corners and bark to help pull it off I suppose. I don't really mind the snakes as long as they're not too aggressive or poisonous.
I have found a good way to catch snakes, just in case anyone is interested in catching them! I have some of those grabber things that you use to reach something high on a shelf or you use them to pick up trash along the road without having to bend over or actually touch the stuff (that was what I originally got them for). These have a round rubber thing on each side. Just a dandy thing to pick a snake up with and it won't hurt them. At least I don't think it hurts them and I squeeze plenty hard because I don't want to drop it once I get it! I mean getting a snake like that is one thing but dropping it and maybe it going up my pant leg is quite another! That would have me losing my pants real fast I'm afraid! The first one I caught like that I got a hold too far back on the body and he wound himself all around my grabber and tried coming towards me! I leaned way over the hill and got him off onto a tree limb. Then he dropped on over the hill. So now I try to get closer to the head. They will still curl all around the grabber but the head is away from me, so that's okay.
My neighbor called me one day and she said, "What are you doing?" I said, "Well, nothing much." She said, "I mean what are you doing right now this minute? I have a snake over here and I tried to shoo it over the hill with the broom and it curled up and won't move and it's head is raised and it's licking out it's tongue at me." I said I'd be right over. I got my grabber thing and ran over there. I got Mr. Snake and picked him up and dropped him over the hill for her. She said, "That is a good thing to get them with ain't it?" (I had been telling her how dandy it was!). She thought I had real talent!
There was one early in the spring out by the side of the house, a big long black snake. I got him and dropped him over the hill. I told my husband about it and he said it'd just come back. I really don't think it would scale that cliff just to come back here! If it does I'll just get my grabber and drop it back over the cliff again! I told him he should be thankful he has a wife who isn't squeamish about snakes and such things!
I have found a good way to catch snakes, just in case anyone is interested in catching them! I have some of those grabber things that you use to reach something high on a shelf or you use them to pick up trash along the road without having to bend over or actually touch the stuff (that was what I originally got them for). These have a round rubber thing on each side. Just a dandy thing to pick a snake up with and it won't hurt them. At least I don't think it hurts them and I squeeze plenty hard because I don't want to drop it once I get it! I mean getting a snake like that is one thing but dropping it and maybe it going up my pant leg is quite another! That would have me losing my pants real fast I'm afraid! The first one I caught like that I got a hold too far back on the body and he wound himself all around my grabber and tried coming towards me! I leaned way over the hill and got him off onto a tree limb. Then he dropped on over the hill. So now I try to get closer to the head. They will still curl all around the grabber but the head is away from me, so that's okay.
My neighbor called me one day and she said, "What are you doing?" I said, "Well, nothing much." She said, "I mean what are you doing right now this minute? I have a snake over here and I tried to shoo it over the hill with the broom and it curled up and won't move and it's head is raised and it's licking out it's tongue at me." I said I'd be right over. I got my grabber thing and ran over there. I got Mr. Snake and picked him up and dropped him over the hill for her. She said, "That is a good thing to get them with ain't it?" (I had been telling her how dandy it was!). She thought I had real talent!
There was one early in the spring out by the side of the house, a big long black snake. I got him and dropped him over the hill. I told my husband about it and he said it'd just come back. I really don't think it would scale that cliff just to come back here! If it does I'll just get my grabber and drop it back over the cliff again! I told him he should be thankful he has a wife who isn't squeamish about snakes and such things!
posted by Rachel at 3:17 PM
8 Comments:
You have my deepest admiration. I am afraid of snakes and that grabber thingy just would not do it for me. You're a brave one, Rachel.
You are something Rachel! The Great Snake Charmer! We have snakes up here where I live, but I've never felt threatened somehow..not yet, anyway...they have the whole hill underneath my house where my Cactus Garden is, to sun bath, or whatever it is they do. I'm thinking, I should get one of those grabbrer thingy's, just in case! I admire your bravery, more than I can say, Rachel!
Way to show those darn varmints who's in charge! Go Rachel!
WE have a gas fireplace. It's so easy to use, just turn on the gas and insert the lighted match.
My sisters husband took some boy scouts camping once and they encountered a snake. He was going to show them how to pick it up so it wouldn't bit you. Next thing I knew he was in the hospital being treated for a snake bite. I suppose he taught those boys how NOT to pick up a snake.
For years a black snake lived in the walls of my house. When it was smaller it used to crawl through a hole in the top of the cabinet to shed its skin; I'd open the door to find it staring at me. I just closed the door until it went away. Sometimes it crawled across the ceiling inside the rafters and all the animals would sit and stare as it moved. We got along fine and I didn't have mice!
Timber rattles love those wood piles; been there done that!
I like your grabber idea a lot.
Good work with the snakes Rachel. I do have one request. Don't be throwing anymore snakes over by me. (you know,,Cliff):)
Great post! Now I'm imagining all of these snakes that you've dropped over the cliff, hanging out and talking (hissing?) together. Hee!
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