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7089 members, 152498 posts, 336 blogs
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kaseylib
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1032
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:40 pm Post subject: EEK...a snake!!! |
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I just encountered an "Eastern Hognose Snake" in my perennial garden. Scared me to death until I looked it up and found out they were non-poisonous. Apparently their favorite food is toads (the critters in my pond will have to beware from now on!). They flare up like a cobra when threatened (that really scared me!), and I read that they'll also play dead. Up until now I've just seen garter snakes in my yard...I guess I'll be walking a little more lightly from now on when I weed my flower beds!!!
( photo / image / picture from kaseylib's Garden )
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daisybeans
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Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: annapolis md
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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I would have fainted on the spot, I think... I am sooo glad snakes don't live in my yard... You were brave to get close enough to get a picture.
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Daisybeans/MaryAnn
"Once the relation between poetry and the soil is well established in the mind, all growing things are endowed with more than material beauty." -Elizabeth Lawrence
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Location: Scotland (Map)
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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We have a pet Western Hognose Python that's about two and a half feet long. It's pattern is much the same as yours but it's colours are different to the Eastern one. I'd love to own one just like yours. I know I'm strange but I really like snakes. 
Here's what ours looks like:
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Netty
Chaotic Gardener
Regular Plantstew Contributor (over 1000 edits)
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Location: Southern Ontario zone 5a (Map)
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:10 am Post subject: |
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Cool! I would love to see a snake in my yard...haven't seen one here for a few years now. I've never seen one like that so I may have been a little scared .
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kaseylib
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1032
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:31 am Post subject: |
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Wow, Eileen...you can keep your pet snake. I like the warm, furry kinds myself. My friend who transplanted from here up to Alaska was visiting here a few weeks back, and one of her goals was to see a snake while she was here (as they don't have any in Alaska). She also wanted to smell a skunk and drive past a dairy farm to smell the cow manure as they don't have skunks or dairy farms in Alaska either!!!
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eileen
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:21 am Post subject: |
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You've got me curious now. Did your friend achieve all three or not? I wouldn't mind seeing a snake or smelling cow manure but I think I'd draw the line at the first whiff of a skunk somehow!! 
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daisybeans
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:34 am Post subject: |
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Very interesting vacation goals your friend has, KL! Eileen, I think it's great that YOU have a pet snake but the thought gives me the heebie jeebies. I wonder why that is? Why do some people like snakes and others freak out?
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Daisybeans/MaryAnn
"Once the relation between poetry and the soil is well established in the mind, all growing things are endowed with more than material beauty." -Elizabeth Lawrence
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eileen
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:09 am Post subject: |
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I think quite a few people still think of snakes as slimy creatures Daisy. However, they are dry and smooth to the touch and I love to feel Sir Hiss moving in my hands as the strong musculature ripples are amazing. Others are under the misapprehension that all snakes are venomous but actually most species aren't. Ours does his 'thing' every time we go to get him out of his vivarium by puffing himself up, raising his head, hissing and 'attacking' but it's all a sham and is actually a defence reaction to help ward of predators.
Oh dear sorry for the lecture but, as I said, I really like snakes - not that you could tell from my posting now could you?!! 
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kaseylib
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Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:27 am Post subject: |
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| eileen wrote: | | You've got me curious now. Did your friend achieve all three or not? I wouldn't mind seeing a snake or smelling cow manure but I think I'd draw the line at the first whiff of a skunk somehow!! |
My friend DID achieve all three!!! What do you have to feed your snake? That would be the hard part for me in owning one...I don't think I could throw live critters in their pen and watch them die.
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eileen
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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I couldn't feed our snake anything alive either even if it wasn't against the law here to do it. We buy frozen adult mice or young rats, defrost them, and feed those to him. He only requires to be fed one of these every three to four weeks.
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daisybeans
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Location: annapolis md
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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No! I like the information. I'm always fascinated by defensive posturing in animals... that's interesting that you know your snake so well that you realize it is just a show. I have touched snakes before and I do think they are pretty to look at from across the room! Can't get past the nervous reaction I have toward them though, weird, since I'm generally not squeamish.
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Daisybeans/MaryAnn
"Once the relation between poetry and the soil is well established in the mind, all growing things are endowed with more than material beauty." -Elizabeth Lawrence
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jakrum421
On The Way Up
Joined: 27 May 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 121
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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A couple of years ago, my father in law saw one of these in his yard and freaked out thinking it was a cobra. LOL. It was a large one, 3-4' long, and was in full defensive posture. Fortunately, my sis in law was there and knew what it was before he called 911.
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"It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy." Lucille Ball
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gardengater
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Kaseylib. Those are the kind of snake that were "making whoppee" on the bank in back of our home. Quite striking.
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Canadian Chelsea
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Joined: 10 May 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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This must be the year of the snake because I have never seen so many before. So far, 6 garter snakes in one garden. BIG ones too! 
Here is a pair of snakes mating:
( photo / image / picture from Canadian Chelsea's Garden )
Here is 2 pictures of the BIG male garter snake who is around 36" long.
Male Garter Snake ( photo / image / picture from Canadian Chelsea's Garden )
This guy sure doesn't like me taking his picture. In fact, he struck out at me
He struck out at me : O ( photo / image / picture from Canadian Chelsea's Garden )
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