Thumbpicker
Well-known member
Most of the snakes here would only go at you if you trod on them by accident. Or tried to grab them... Most of them will go out of their way to slither off and avoid you.
NoHassle
Well-known member
A couple of weeks back I went into the front yard @6:00am and there was a huge Rattlesnake on the steps. Of course, I shit myself and I didn't want to get the shovel and make a mess of the front yard steps with blood and guts.
So, I got a can bug spray that was loaded with citronella and sprayed the snake's head so it was fully covered in it. The poor fucker looked at me to say what the fuck and then he slowly left and I haven't seen it since.
I hate snakes.
rsm
Well-known member
we have Eastern Diamondback rattlers, timber rattlers, water mocs (aka cottonmouth), copperheads; spiders: black widow, brown widow. brown recluse.
some gators; stingrays and sharks.
I've encountered a black widow, and few diamondbacks, that's about it. The mosquitos are worse; if you get swarmed you'll look like you have mumps/chickenpox the next day.
some gators; stingrays and sharks.
I've encountered a black widow, and few diamondbacks, that's about it. The mosquitos are worse; if you get swarmed you'll look like you have mumps/chickenpox the next day.
japetus
Well-known member
You sprayed a snake with mosquito spray?????
NoHassle
Well-known member
No, I sprayed it with RAID Max...a general bug killer but it's got a lot of citronella in it which Rattlesnakes hate.
I was lucky he didn't lunge and bite me as I had to get the can about 12 inches from its head to soak it good. Yep, his tail was rattling.
At 6:00am in the morning my brain wasn't working that well as it was a dangerous dumb thing to do.
japetus
Well-known member
If you would have sprayed me with Raid Max. I would have bit you. Most snakes don't want to attack..they are just saying "get back". Now you will be bit!!!!!
NoHassle
Well-known member
I agree but I HATE snakes...I'm petrified of the fuckers. It was too early to fire a slug into it.
japetus
Well-known member
IT'S TOO LATE
rsm
Well-known member
I had a pet Burmese python when I was a teen; started out around 3' long, eating mice; a few years later it was 8' long eating rabbits chickens and small pigs. I donated it to a zoo not long after, it was probably closer to 9' by then, probably around 50 pounds
In my late 20s, a bandmate of mine had a female retic python that was around 16' long, it took three of us to get it out of its pen to feed it.
One thing is when you're feeding them they can sense body heat and movement, and will strike at anything warm that moves once they sense prey. My python bit me several times during feedings; their teeth are curved back, so when they bite both jaws hook into you, and you have to grab the snake's head by the back of the jaws, and unhook one side then the other, while the snake is coiling around you. What's worse is any weight hanging on with the head. Wasn't bad when it was 3-4', but after 6'+...
You have to handle them frequently; they don't know you, but they get used to being handled and tolerate it. If you miss a few days, it's like starting over, and they'll attack you even when you're not feeding them until they get used to being handled again.
My friend's 16' retic weighed about 150 pounds, he was not handling that snake frequently, and feeding time was crazy; the head was nearly a foot long, and half as wide. We'd all go in to open the pen. He'd go in and trap it's head with a pole, then literally sit on the snake's head/neck holding the head down, then we'd go in to lift part of it out of its pen then he'd trap the head with the pole again while we backed away....it would eat a few chickens, small sheep or goats, medium sized pigs. We let go of the meal and he let go of the head, shut the door and watched through a window. Then we had to get it back in the pen after it ate.
Good times. Never again tho'
japetus
Well-known member
I was thinking about you when I watched that Australian visit, or debacle. Slamming mic stands into mirrors. We can't have you guys anywhere.
Thumbpicker
Well-known member
Did you reflect on the incident?
japetus
Well-known member
You loved to see Kevin take it in the Rudder
Thumbpicker
Well-known member
They are all steeenking lefties mate. Rudd speaks Mandarin ffs.
japetus
Well-known member
He's a fucking traitor.
Thumbpicker
Well-known member
Aye...
japetus
Well-known member
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
You're in FL aren't you?
If so, don't forget the fire ants.
In S.A. where I grew up we had a few types that'd go at you and even chase, such as the Rinkhals:
Rinkhals - Wikipedia
That article's kind. It mentions that they can spit venom up to 10ft but says nothing of the chases. Anyone who grew up in S Africa back in the day heard stories of these buggers chasing peeps, even when they were on-horseback.
Fortunately, IIRC, only roughly 10% of snakes in S. Africa are venomous; it's the opposite here in Oz (90/10 as opposed to 10/90), so when I was a kid I used to catch 'em with a shoebox and keep 'em.
I was bitten several times by Red-lipped Heralds, which are "semi-poisonous". Headache for a few days and that's about it.
I had a house snake of about 5->6ft that used to sleep in my bed. I took baby house snakes to school in my shirt pocket and wore pet chameleons on-my-head.
I was right into catching and keeping anything I could and there was a lot of stuff everywhere. Heaps of types of stink bugs (to remain on-topic) on practically every bush (and chameleons). Keeping all that stuff taught me about design in nature and whatnot, even the importance of eating what we're designed for.
I stuck with fish keeping and breeding (55 years now). Much-less stressful. I don't know if I could handle being around all those snakes again.
rsm
Well-known member
close; fire ants too, but they don't bother you unless you step on their nest and wait for them; I just bait ants and the colonies die off.
