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We were suspicious when the chickens had not been providing us with as many eggs as normal. This morning, Mrs. Jazz goes out to the coop to let the chickens out. I did my manly duty. This photo was taken some 20 minutes later, off the ranch (and far away from the coop). He/ she was about 4 feet long. (Eastern Rat, Elaphe obsoleta)
Here's how you fix the egg stealing problem. Replace one of the chicken eggs with one of the small white hard plastic balls from a fooseball table. It'll be the last "egg" the snake eats.
Time to break out the shotgun!!!!!!!!!!!! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
OK, the humour is about to leave this situation.
Mrs. Jazz, from now on to be known as the Snake Mistress, chased another rat snake out of the coop yesterday afternoon. When I got home, it was sunning itself a few feet outside the door to the coop. Into the bucket, and it got a nice ride in the car (trunk). And before you say it, no- it can't be the same one. This one was only about 3 1/2 feet long.
I just hope they haven't posted on SnakeByNet that our chicken house is THE place to eat in the area.
You should have one of Rikki Ticky Tavi's progengy in your future.
Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I applaud your perserverence to try to do the humane thing. Swallowing a golf ball is a long slow torturous death for a snake. You should soon reduce the egg snake population in your area. They will diffuse back into the area over time but not so fast as to overwhelm your good nature.
I hauled away 6 live trapped coons and 3 possum in one season. I can and will shoot an animal but not as first choice if there is an acceptable (to me) alternative. I don't know how to live trap beaver so they die instead of get transported. So far the only collateral damage in trapping beaver is two turtles and two armadillos.
I kill poisonous snakes if able, on sight, on my property but I don't look for them. Non poisonous varities get photographed, messed with and released but I don't have layers which would put me in the snake transport business too.
Scorpions are buging me. Killed one in the great room and one on the back porch. My wife says wear shoes but I just can't get used to having to wear shoes all the time. What eats scorpions and do they make decent pets?
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Pat, I was 7 or 8 years old when a scorpion got in bed with me one night; got me 3 times before I came out of bed yelling. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] We bought a new house in '72 and within a week I killed a scorpion in the house, and I had an exterminator out there the next day; never saw another one.
We have to be careful about putting out pesticides, what with the chickens. I don't like the idea of Malathion in my scrambled eggs. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] Interestingly, we have had only one little scorpion in the house since the chickens have taken up the "foundation patrol". Now, we have no grass up against the house, and a few bald spots in the lawn, but as the Snake Mistress tells me: "We live in the country; you don't need a golf-course lawn." And when I consider frying those chooks up for their destructive actions, I eat a breakfast burrito and suddenly that lawn looks pretty good. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Jazz, I've tried lots of stuff in breeakfast burritos but malithion isn't on or likely to get on the list. I broke my fast (meaningfully) this morning with a breakfast burrito with hamburger, egg, avacado, and cheese wth a generous sprinkle of (thank you Hakim) Garam Masala. We wre coming off a two and a half day Linda Blair look-a-like contest and hadn't had much food for a while. Man was it nice. I ate about 2/3 and had the rest this evening after not being hungry for lunch.
Yea verily, you don't need a putting green for a yard. And a few bare spots are worth not having scorpions taking over the house or lots of ticks in the yard. Surely in the wide variety of animals on this good earth there must be sopmething I'd rather have loose in the house besides scorpions. I hate to spray a lot indoors (or out but especially in doors) but with the HRV providing constant fresh air it would be less residual in the air than any previous house.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I hate indoor spraying as well. One thing I do a couple times a year is a perimeter spray along the base of the foundation wall where it meets the earth, or along outdoor side of door sills, etc. I can't recall the name of the ingredient in the spray I use, but it seems to do a good job making a barrier that ants and other creepy crawlys dont want to cross to come in the house...and it's on the outside of the house so no ( or not much anyhow ) fumes or residue in the house. Which is real important to me, we have a 15 month old little girl these days.
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