found a snake today *warning - blood inside*

gtaylor85 · 07-23-09, 03:34 PM

Hey there,

This is my first time posting here. I was helping a friend move today and in his barn we found a snake. We needed to get where the snake was, so sadly, we had to kill it.

I felt bad afterwards, but I was curious if anyone knows what it is. If it helps, this snake was in North Texas.

Let me know if you need anymore info, and thanks in advance.

http://files.getdropbox.com/u/55537/snake1.jpg
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/55537/snake2.jpg
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/55537/snake3.jpg

bads15 · 07-27-09, 12:15 AM

why did you have to kill it? was there no other way of safely removing it? im sure there was. i personally don't know what type of snake it is and wont judge you on it but don't be surprised if you get some hate posts from others. its almost like posting your trophy.

Will0W783 · 07-27-09, 07:46 AM

I agree with bads15. Why on earth did you kill it and not just move it? From the head shape, I'd place my bets on that being a non-venomous snake, it might be a yellow-bellied water snake, a gulf salt marsh snake or a kingsnake. IMO, it wasn't a smart move posting on a snake forum about how you killed a wild snake simply because you wanted to be where the snake was. This link has some good pictures of snakes native to Texas: Texas Snake Pictures
I won't judge you, but I detest unwarranted killing of animals of any kind and don't be surprised if people leave some much harsher comments.

siz · 07-27-09, 08:29 AM

Hmm..
Couldn't you have just scared it away? Or, you know, not brutally kill it? I guess it's all hindsight now but unnecessary killing of animals does not sit well with me.
I think it looks a water snake of some kind. But I am from Canada so I am not familiar with Texas snakes.

mps725 · 07-27-09, 08:33 AM

future reference,

1. get a bag (gym bag maybe?)
2. get some gloves
3. get a stick or broom
4. push snake into bag
5. let snake go away from barn
6. all else fails call animal control personnel, they have a bag, gloves and sticks to do the job.

Joking aside, coulda prevented a death by using your noodle.

-MPS

mykee · 07-27-09, 08:14 PM

Jackass....

gtaylor85 · 07-28-09, 07:53 AM

I'll at least say thanks for those that attempted to answer my question. I in know way feel a sense of power or pride over killing this snake. It wasn't some adolescent right of passage for me. I have seen 2 snakes in my life. It was inside a metal barn with one way in/out. I was with my mother and aunt and we live in a small town far away from any hospital.

I thought about possible backlash from posting this on a snake forum, but why not be less of a jackass yourself and post something useful. I'm not snake expert, and most people are ignorant like myself about snakes. I see a snake and think the worst. We waited an hour or so with pathetic, and probably funny looking, attempts to get him out of the barn without killing him. At the end of the day I needed to move on with what I was doing and he was posted up in a defensive stance.

So I apologize if I offended anyone, and next time I'll try the bag thing.

Ugh.. and honestly the backlashing from strangers on the internet doesn't bother me but don't you think educating me on how to do it differently in the future or telling me if it was venomous would be more conducive to me not killing snakes in the future out of fear?

Mostly aimed at mykee.

siz · 07-28-09, 08:36 AM

Thank you for listening and I hope next time you can safely remove the snake. Please just understand that we are all very passionate about our snakes and to see this upsets us.
Get to know you native snakes, figure out which ones are venomous, if you are in an area that does have venomous snakes, try to find someone who can safely remove the buggers. Even venomous snakes don't deserve to be killed. They are just misunderstood.

Will0W783 · 07-28-09, 11:26 AM

I agree totally with Siz aka Jess. Snakes are amazing and beautiful creatures, and just because they have wandered onto your turf to get warm or find shelter does not give you the right to dispatch them. I sincerely hope that next time you run into a snake you will be able to get it out of way without harming it. One of the best ways I found for catching garter snakes when I was younger was to get a forked stick (a strong one) or a flat squeegee and pin the snake's head down. That way it cannot gather to strike. Then firmly but gently grab it behind the jaws on either side so that you have it right behind the head. This way it cannot turn its head to bite you. Pick it up this way and carry it off to wherever you wish to let it go. Bend down, release it quickly and walk away. Note : This is not advised for venomous snakes, unless you have balls of steel and can run fast. If you come across a venomous snake, call the local animal control or even police office and someone will come to catch it.

Chu'Wuti · 07-31-09, 01:31 AM

I believe your snake was a Texas rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii. These can reach lengths of 42-72 inches. They often go into barns & other human buildings after rats & mice, which means it was clearing out pests you definitely wouldn't want.

That being said, I'm from Oklahoma, and my mother's family were ranchers. Mostly people in Oklahoma & Texas, especially rural folk, are taught that snakes are dangerous/bad--not much differentiation between dangerous & bad at all, because we have many venomous snakes. So I understand your fear pretty well.

Now you have some good suggestions for encouraging a snake to move on. Another suggestion I'd add is to get a good snake identification guide, such as a Peterson Field Guide, so that you can ID snakes you see prior to taking drastic action. Then you'll know whether the snake confronting you is truly dangerous to you or whether it's a snake that's helping you keep the property pest-free. Even if you find that it is a venomous snake, killing it is very rarely necessary, as they can be encouraged to leave and do their hunting elsewhere--and they, too, eat rats & other pests that eat good grain and can make humans ill.

Best of luck!

gonesnakee · 07-31-09, 11:38 AM

Due to your fear & lack of knowledge you have successfully killed a perfectly harmless creature that was there doing you a favour.
Maybe, just maybe if one is too live in an area where there are venomous snakes the SMART thing to do would to famililarize yourself with them so you know which ones yoiu have to worry about.
NEVER I repeat NEVER mess around trying to bag a venomous snake if you are not experienced doing so thats plain stupid as well.
if required call in the local experts if its venomous or if you are unsure if it is or not.
As stated the snake was there doing you a favour likely hunting rodents that reside in the barn.
I was smart enough when I worked in Texas to understand which snakes there were venomous & to be avoided, for someone that lives there it SHOULD be common knowledge.
Another one bites it due to human ignorance, Mark

Smilts · 07-31-09, 03:50 PM

It was a rat prob either a Tx or great plains rat. I hate to see snakes killed out of ignorance, however I grew up in a town of 200 people in north Tx I worked on my parents ranch and if at that time I saw a snake I killed it no questions and frankly no regrets. We lived a hundred miles from a hospital and couldnt afford to be wrong. Times have changed now I'm a lot more learned and dont feel the need to kill any snake, I also carry a snake hook everywhere!! Also I dont know about where he lives but there was and is no local expert or animal control where I grew up..

siz · 07-31-09, 04:40 PM

LOL I don't expect there to be a Steve Irwin on every block. I understand a lot of people don't 'get' snakes, and I also understand that many people fear and even hate them. I think it comes down to education, we need people to realize that snakes (and other reptiles) aren't monsters that are out to kill you..not sure how this can be achieved, juuust saying. I actually think this is a good topic for debate. Pity it started the way it did.

Chu'Wuti · 08-01-09, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Pity it started the way it did.

Definitely. It would be nice if we could chill a little when someone posts pics like this--he stated up-front three things that clued me into why he'd behaved as he did--

1) don't know what it is
2) in a barn
3) North Texas

Those together tell me rural, maybe a ways from help if bitten by a venomous snake, and general teaching that "(all) snakes are dangerous & should be killed." That's the way my grandparents & parents were taught; that's the way my mother tried to teach me, but less successfully because we moved to a state where there are no venomous snakes and I learned that pretty young and was a rebellious little girl.

Jumping on someone who's been raised that way doesn't do much good and can actually backfire. I hope that gtaylor will forgive us for reacting so strongly and come back to learn more about snakes than the too-broad "kill 'em, they're bad" training. Then, the next time he sees a snake, maybe he'll leave it alive.