Killed a snake by accident doing yard work :(

Skumbo · 09-26-12, 04:14 PM

I feel terrible today. Though to be honest, It was unavoidable.
I finished up mowing the lawn, and when I went around to weedwack some hard to get areas, I found the mid section of a snake on the road, and the rest of it (in about 7 pieces) throughout a 10 ft area near it.

It was pretty obvious that I had mowed it over by accident.
It actually looked like a hognose (based on pattern and size, as the head was unidentifiable) Even worse is those are super super rare around here, Ive never seen one otherwise, though to be honest.. it was difficult to identify.

I put it in a sort of pile in the nearby woods, so that as long as something feeds on it, I wont feel quite so bad as it will go to some kind of use.

Just wanted to post and ask, though im pretty sure there isn't anything, but.. Is there any way to avoid this or has this happened to anyone else? I feel terrible. I just went to an expo too, and got my snake a whole net set up so ive been on a happy reptile high until today for the last week.

alessia55 · 09-26-12, 04:18 PM

*Shrugs* It happens man. It happens to the best of us.
The only wild snake I saw on my trip to Vietnam...I ran over with my bicycle and killed it.
I don't think there's any way to avoid it unless you get on your hands and knees and search every inch of your yard every time before mowing it.
If you post a photo of it, we might be able to identify it for you.
Don't beat yourself up about it.

Skumbo · 09-26-12, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

*Shrugs* It happens man. It happens to the best of us.
The only wild snake I saw on my trip to Vietnam...I ran over with my bicycle and killed it.
I don't think there's any way to avoid it unless you get on your hands and knees and search every inch of your yard every time before mowing it.
If you post a photo of it, we might be able to identify it for you.
Don't beat yourself up about it.

Im not beating myself up about it, I get that it happens, it just seems needless, ya know? Hence me putting it somewhere where something will probably eat it (we have a decent amount of coyotes around here lately, maybe they'll snag it for a snack lol..).

Ill go out and snap a picture of the best part I can find and report back here.

On an unrelated note, Ive been busy finishing college and not on these forums a ton, so.. congrats on moderator, im pretty sure thats relatively new since I was on a lot.

Skumbo · 09-26-12, 05:44 PM

So, I went searching and there was good and bad news.
Good news, seems something already snagged the snake. It was completely gone from where I put it. only a piece of skin remained. So I decided to search around a little, and ended up finding half of a head cut right down the sagital plane (does that apply to snakes?)

Anyway, it doesnt look like a hognose to me anymore, maybe a colubrid, though admittedly, im terrible at identifying snakes.

Alright, full disclosure - This is a picture of a severed head of a snake, so please DO NOT VIEW IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0770.jpg

infernalis · 09-26-12, 06:06 PM

I found that mowing when it's searing hot, mid day sun pounding down helps reduce snake hits.

They are in hiding trying to stay cool.

Skumbo · 09-26-12, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

I found that mowing when it's searing hot, mid day sun pounding down helps reduce snake hits.

They are in hiding trying to stay cool.

Good idea! I tend to do it mid day when its really hot out/sunny, and never when the grass is wet, but I was gone for a week (up to a reptile expo in NH then stayed at a friends place) so I had to do it when I got home and did it mid-late afternoon and it was a bit wet. Also, the lawn was obviously longer than usual because of this - maybe that had a play in it.

infernalis · 09-26-12, 06:10 PM

Yes tall grass attracts snakes.

Scalp it close to the ground and keep it that way, and it's very unattractive to snakes when it's short, no cover from birds.

People often ask why I don't mow my meadow.

Firstly, 14 acres is not a small job, but I like it not cut, all sorts of critters benefit from it unkempt.

I mow one single path down the middle about 12 foot wide, for walking my dogs.

alessia55 · 09-26-12, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skumbo

Alright, full disclosure - This is a picture of a severed head of a snake, so please DO NOT VIEW IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0770.jpg

A colubrid, but definitely not a hognose. Maybe a rat snake of some sort.

rmfsnakes32 · 09-27-12, 09:44 AM

Dont beat yourself up it happens to the best of us I have done it to. Thanks wayne for the ideas on when to mow I will keep that in mind for next year

**millertime89** · 09-27-12, 04:38 PM

I feel your pain my friend, ran over a nice high-yellow bull snake a few months back, I felt terrible but it was 11pm and by the time I saw it, it was too late. These things happen and will continue to happen, really nothing you can do about it except try and be more vigilant. My dad once mowed over a baby bunny, not sure how or why it was in the yard all by itself, but what's done is done.

Skumbo · 09-27-12, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

I feel your pain my friend, ran over a nice high-yellow bull snake a few months back, I felt terrible but it was 11pm and by the time I saw it, it was too late. These things happen and will continue to happen, really nothing you can do about it except try and be more vigilant. My dad once mowed over a baby bunny, not sure how or why it was in the yard all by itself, but what's done is done.

We have tons of bunnies around here, especially in the yard. Ive found a few in our pool filter..

**Pareeeee** · 09-29-12, 11:11 AM

It's never happened to me, but if I'm out driving after a rain I often end up smushing frogs!! (I usually swerve if I see them/there's no oncoming traffic.)

It makes me feel SO bad when I know I've killed one, but sometimes there's nothing you can do...

Gungirl · 09-30-12, 07:20 PM

I don't feel to bad about it.. it happens. My only thought is that if I am going to hit it I want to hit it dead on and kill it rather than just hurt it and leave it stuck to the road.

Skumbo · 09-30-12, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gungirl

I don't feel to bad about it.. it happens. My only thought is that if I am going to hit it I want to hit it dead on and kill it rather than just hurt it and leave it stuck to the road.

Yeah, I actually said "well.. at least it didnt suffer", considering it was in about 8 pieces