Snakes For Varmint Control!

[bobm]

All of the King and Corel snakes and their numerous mutations sure are pretty . Some King snakes evolve to look more like Coral snakes in areas where there are many Coral snakes. But how many of us , especially our kids , know the difference if poisonous or not when we come upon them ? Even in Dade County where native and escaped / released imported snakes as pets abound ?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here is the Coral Snake range in the USofA. Other than released snakes, California looks clear.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...a=X&ei=Xy1TUszzA4HHqgGE5oGAAg&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAQ

 

[897tgigvib]

Yep,

C-O-R-A-L Snakes have 3 native places in America. Southeast/Gulf states, Texas, and Arizona. Basically places with not much snow, but some.

There are no Coral Snakes native around here, and I've never seen one, and have never heard of anyone finding a loose Coral Snake.

I have seen a Kingsnake years ago, when my brother and I were on a hike. That individual sure was a fat one. It had probably just eaten.

 

[so lucky]

Let us not fail to mention the scarlet snake, a non-venomous little snake that is red, black and white. It has a white belly.

 

[digitS']

Well, all of this made me look up one of my favorite-to-come-across snakes!

The Rubber Boa (link)

Howsomeever . . . it appears that this snake will eat your lizards and maybe other snakes. It does say, "Rubber Boas primarily feed on young mammals such as shrews, voles, mice, etc." Notice what is said in the 1st few sentences in "Behavior," tho'. Yes, I know - Wikipedia might not be the most trustworthy of authoritative sources.

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

As an editing member of Wikipedia I can say you are right about that Digit, kindasorta. But if you notice as the prefix above many of the articles there is a citation notice. It usually takes some time, but when there is no notice that citations need to be improved or other statements calling for clarity, the article is often well sourced. But, sometimes if the article is brand new, it can be weak with references or other failings and not have the prefix notice...yet.


Best thing to do is scroll down and look at the references list. Another check is to see if the spelling and grammar are good. Also, if the article leaves you with lots of questions that it just feels should have been addressed it may be a weak article.

If you've been using Wikipedia for a few years you will have noticed it is rapidly improving.

I generally use Wikipedia as a starting point. In addition to the external references, a good article will be filled with internal links to more Wiki articles, from which more references can be found, internal and external.

Right now I have 7 tabs going on a little study of British Shorthair cats and what an advisory committee is doing to clarify some color definitions for the breed using DNA testing. None of those 7 tabs is any longer in Wikipedia. I've branched to all external sources.

Amazing how the internet can keep the learning process going, as long as one is careful to recognize good articles. One page is on one of the longest continual British Shorthair breeders in America, another page is the actual advisory committee's blog page, another is the history of the breed, that sort of thing. Much more than what is found on Wikipedia, which can become a great starting point, or just a brief descriptive, whichever a person wants.

 

[digitS']

Yes, it is usually my "starting point" also, Marshall.

I didn't click on the source for the statement about using Rubber Boas to help people overcome their fear of snakes. It looked a little weak just as a title. Besides, I think any snake is disinclined to bite if it is not frightened. Maybe a BIG boa would be interested in eating an adult human but . . .

It still wouldn't occur to me to suggest that people can have a blanket faith in how passive a snake is. The authorities might show us its mouth - like whether it has teeth, or not. I suspect it has teeth. I've seen them in the wild, even handled a tiny Rubber Boa. It didn't seem possible for it to have a large enuf mouth to inflict a real bite on me.

I'm not an expert snake handler. And, have no initial intention of handling any other snake I come across - nonpoisonous or not. You, however, want to have a relationship with a snake as a partner in pest control. I think it might work and it might work if you can come across a Rubber Boa. It really could be that you'd be standing there jumping around saying, "Sic 'em! Sic 'em, Clem!!" And, getting zero response from your boa. I wouldn't want to count on getting away with fanning him with a towel, rubbing his shoulders, straightening his trunks and slapping him on the butt as he moves back into the center of the ring, either! Maybe .

I bet it would work best to have 2 of the same species in there so they can give each other snaky encouragement. "Easy Money! "One, Two, One, Two!" "Hook him!" "Hook him!" "Get inside!!!"

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

Yea! Two Kingsnakes! One with markings that say Geico, the other one with markings that say Ssmsung! A male and a female!

They'd have offspring with anagrams of
samsunggeico
all across their backs!

 

[baymule]

I found a coral snake on some land we own just a few weeks ago. It was laying there dead, just inside the gate. I checked all the horses, legs and noses, but no bites. Near the snake were hoof prints, dug in deep at the toe and dragged. I think my mule pawed it to death. The horses were wary of the dead snake and walked cautiously around it, but the mule boldly sniffed it, then snorted and walked away. It is the first coral snake outside of a zoo I have ever seen.

Marshall, teach your campers the old rhyme that us'ins in coral snake recite.

Red and yella, kill a fella.
Red and black, friend of Jack.

 

[897tgigvib]

You have one tough and good mule there BayMule!

That ole saying goes mostly true for Snakes in the wild, but I checked it out Bay. With all the breeding they've done with Kingsnakes for colorfulness it is not quite true for captive bred Kingsnakes anymore.

www.google.com

go to google and type in Kingsnakes, click enter. then look up toward the top left of the page for the word
Images
and click it. *poof*
pictures of kingsnakes of all color variations.