Okay, I feel that I need this post to clear the air for those that do not live in the country or have common sense. Snakes do bite. All species have a mouth that can open up and they will strike out if scared or frieghtened. They live in abandoned places such as empty barns, tobacco smoke houses, gardens that have a high amount of prey in them, close to water such a rivers, lakes, ponds, creeks, pools of water that has a food source like frogs or lizards nearby. They like rocky outcrops, trees, grassy places, and places with fallen trees.
Most snakes can move fast. And I am talking fast. A rattlesnake can strike quicker than you can blink. Yeah fast. Some snakes chase their prey and will not be scared to chase you the 100 foot tall human. They are brave. All snakes can taste the particles in the air with their tounge, and yes they all have a forked tounge and most lizards do also. They can feel the viberations in the ground, so most of the time they know that you are coming. Almost all have the ability to viberate their tails, puff up and of course flatten out, and coil up. They usually coil up before the strike. Most snakes can have a strike distance of 2 to 3 feet depending on the size of the snake, to be extra careful stay back at least 5 feet. They can do amazing things.
Snakes do not have ears. On the Jeff Corwim Experiance several years ago he had a rattlesnake on a dirt road. He had two cell phones. One was set to ring and one set on vibrate. It struck the one on viberate and ignored the ringing one. So when your out in and about in a wooded or rocky area rattle the trees and stomp around as loud as you can. Being quiet can prove to be deadly, and of course watch where you are stepping. And if it looks "snakey" wear snake boots and other snake appropriate clothing.
Almost all of them eat the same food. Lizards, frogs, eggs, small mammals, insects. If you live near a lake, river, pond or have a pond in your backyard you probly have a snake living nearby. The best thing to do is to be vigilant, especially if you have kids. I put out moth balls around my yard and it seems to work. I'm guessing it makes the air smell funky, it works for deer in my garden. That's a suggestion it's not gareenteed to work.
I absoultly do not condone picking up wild snakes or snakes that are not yours. Even the best biologist can make a mistake. I would not want to pick up a Cotton Mouth thinking it was a Banded Water Snake. OUCH!!! (I usually run in the opposite direction quickly.)
There is one type of lizard that is often mistaken for a snake. The Glass lizard. It is a leggless lizard. It will abandon it's tail in order to retreat. The fact that it has eyelids is a dead give away, other than the tail falling off.
If you have any doubt about a snake leave it alone!! That goes for any wildlife pretty much. Common sense. I hope you enjoy Venom week as much as I do, and tell your friends. If you like my blog tell me!! If you don't tell me!
Very Sleek.
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