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Ewww, look at this! Doyle said "Don't freak out when you see a snake in the new garden. It's just a big water snake, it won't hurt you." So I diligently looked for it and this morning Doyle saw it again.
Now that I know he is there, I won't pass out when I see him (or her). But I definitely walk with a little more caution when I go down to the new garden. The new garden is just a few feet away from the edge of a parking area outside Doyle's shop. It is based with shale and then coved and compressed in road base gravel. I knew there was potential for snakes, I just hadn't seen any yet.
My husband swears it is just a water snake and that they are good to have in the garden. I hope he is right. I am not a fan of venomous snake bites. In fact the thought makes me downright sick to my stomach. But wait it gets better..........
He or she has friends. This one was laying a few feet away, tied in a knot and catching some sprinkles from the sprinkler. It must have been napping because it didn't leave as fast as the other one did. A brave snake is way worse to me than a scaredy cat snake. These snakes are not tiny either. Both were at least 2.5 feet long and as big around as a garden hose. Maybe that means they can eat voles whole. One can dream. We watched which holes they went into in the rocks and now I know what to avoid. Maybe they will eat whatever is eating my beans. Do snakes eat grass hoppers? Boy, I hope so!
Snakes are usually good things, although I can't tell you what kind yours is. I'd love to have a couple black racers in our yard!
ReplyDeleteWatch those baby chicks...they are on their food chain, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteOh Heather I hate snakes. I freak out when I see a snake of any size or color. I do know that some are good to have around as they keep the poisonous snake away - so I hear. So far this year - I've only had a black snake.
ReplyDeleteIm with Islandgardener...watch those chicks, they will eat them. They eat mice, rats, crickets, frogs, etc. I don't like any snakes, I don't care if it is hot pink with purple polka dots
ReplyDeleteTo me the only good snake is a dead snake, but to each there own! LOL
ReplyDeleteUgh! I would have been scared to death! You are one brave woman!
Snakes are good. One way to get over your fear is to find a good website or get a good reference book so you can look them up and identify them better and faster. Also wearing long pants and boots to the garden helps. If you accidentally step on it, it will strike at you but will most likely not be able to penetrate (voice of experience).
ReplyDeleteHI Heather: It looks to me like they are Garter Snakes, Harmless and more scared of you than you are of them. Not 100% sure on the Garter.
ReplyDeleteLots of good snake places on line, go have a look.
Have a good evening,
John at JWLW
I agree with John. I used to have pet Garter Snake when I was kid. Looked just like your picture. They aren't poisonous. I've run into quite a few of them near creeks and streams, and they act very fearful of humans, all they want to do is get away from you as fast as possible. I've never had one strike out at me and the only time I ever got bit was when I tried to catch one for the first time and didn't know what I was doing! :)
ReplyDeleteIf I thought we had poisonious snakes I'd never go outside again! Good luck Heather, I'd be finding out what kind it is for sure! LOL When we first moved here I was mowing the lawn and a baby garter snake sat up and dared me to run over him. I waited and waited and the little snot held his ground. I know they won't hurt me and they are good for eating stuff so I gave him every opportunity to move and the brave little bugger just stood up to that lawn mower. I couldn't believe it. Actually, I was cracking up laughing and just finally inched the mower so he would get out of the way. He finally did! But it was just too funny.
ReplyDeleteMy worst snake experience was when I was kneeling by one of the beds, busily weeding, and a medium-sized garter snake slithered right between my legs into its little niche in the rock border. I never jumped up so fast in my life! Hopefully yours will keep more to themselves!
ReplyDeleteEWWWWW!!! I'm soooo scared of snakes of all kinds -- even "good" snakes. It's the one thing that completely freaks me out. I wouldn't be able to walk in the garden again until someone removed them and gave me proof that the were removed. So silly I know - but I can't help it. -Jackie
ReplyDeleteWe found a snake near our pond earlier this year. Since I don't want our koi to become snake food, I went out and purchase snake repel and sprinkled it around our yard. Haven't seen any since then. Still not quite sure what kind it was since it ran away quickly but I'm glad it didn't bite anyone.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking one way to get over your fear of snakes, Heather, is to build an impermeable wall around your garden's perimeter. No? Okay, how about, let's see what animal eats snakes? Foxes maybe? Or, how about keeping a pair of knee-high/snake proof boots specifically for sidling through this garden? Plug up the holes with rocks? Smoke them out? Or I suppose just learn to live with them. I've just noticed a garter snake in one section of my garden. It totally creeps me out, but I'll let him stay. I can't be a wuss forever and they are good for controlling plant eating pests, or so I hear. Good luck to ya.
ReplyDeleteJust keep telling yourself, "Snakes are our friends, snakes are our friends."
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteI agree it looks like a Garter Snake, pretty harmless. They eat small things including frogs. Don't think they'd eat anything as big as a week old chicken.
Heather, I just found a snake skin in my vegetable/perennial garden, 2 feet long. It wasn't a big surprise since I used to see a snake every year in that place. After reading with my boys a hundred snake books with big pictures I kind of used to the idea of co-existing with them. My dad told me long ago that people in Middle Asia place camel hair around their propety to scare snakes. We had big snakes in Kansas City around our house on the lake, and I used to place my dog's hair here and there. A dog is not a camel, but who knows... Good luck, dear!
ReplyDeleteHi Heather, I'm not a fan of snakes either. However, after I get over the initial shock, if someone is around to tell me the snake is harmless, I'm ok with it. I just don't like the idea of being shocked by a surprise visit! I hope you find a way to manage yours! Nature never fails to give us surprises:-)
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the non venemous snakes but the fellows working on our new patio out back found a baby copperhead under the capstones. Thank God no one was hurt! Love the photos. We have large black snakes around here...also good for the garden...but they can sure startle you when you're out working!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have enough food for them and you. He'll eat the bad guys for you. I heard your chickens the other day. A good breeze was blowing this way and they seem like real happy cluckers.
ReplyDelete