She was not amused, I was not amused and we were not amused together No snakes, Mikes or Izzapoos were harmed in the incident I was weeding the swiss chard in the high tunnel and Poo kept barking at the chard and grabbing the back of my shirt doing her best to get me away from the raised bed. I understand enough dog to know Poo was telling me a snake was in the bed, but figured it was just Lord Vigo, Kathleen, Rasputin or maybe Sandy all regular visitors in the high tunnel and despite appearances and the acts all harmless. I sure was not expecting a big timber rattler LOL. (I didn't have my camera with me so borrowed a picture of our resident rattler from a neighbor, pretty sure it was the same one.) She was pretty much dormant with a body full of young bunnies and the cold water from the irrigation sprinklers cooled her down to near dormant. So I loaded her into a pet carrier and let her go on the West side of the farm, away from the people and pets. Hehe Maybe she will make the mile trip back over to the neighbors and hang out with him. She measured 63 inches long, not a giant but still a very respectable sized snake. If you have a garden not a bad idea to poke around the row a bit if you have Rattlesnakes, or Copperheads in your neck of the woods. Copperheads die on sight, the Rattlers get a pass since they give a lot of warning and avoid you when possible. Damn copper heads seem to get their jollies trying to bite you.
well I have ex-girlfriends and one ex-significant other. I like slinky to a tad fluffy, tall or short but a must is intelligent flexible conversationally I'm not talking to myself, done that a few times just not my cup of java...
If asked I couldn't put my finger on it, it just has to click visually and more than basic communication, some depth whip out a word now and again where I have to find a dictionary quote a few words from a poem or scripture or something other than Paris hilton's. "that's hot" or like yea like OK like ya ---like get the hell outa here. or I broke a nail --as if it were the start of the French Revolution or an animal as a fashion accessory OMGoodness those types need a padded cell. It's a big world and many have big problems Tourrettes Syndrome in traffic I can live with
I'm not bragging on my dog, I just don't understand how he differentiates what is or is not something he should pay attention to. My dog was acting odd and wanted out, I let him out.after a few he started barking to let him in, then back to the door I let him out again. he would lunge at a concrete block and bark, I finally told him OK I'll look and flipped over the block and there was a copperhead about 9 inches long A baby so I took care of him I'm still looking for it's mom or dad. Moral of the story pay attention to the dog, most of the time he's dumb as dirt acting like a 4 year old but there are times when he is worth his weight in gold. it amazes me that he could hear that snake rustling the dry grass under that black from 20 foot away through a door, other times he sleeps through a garbage truck picking up the dumpster or barks at a plane and runs into a brush pile, he is one of a kind.
I'll take a flying guess that he didn't hear it, but smelled it. Not being a doggie person, I can't tell you for sure, but I do know that doggie noses are pretty good. (My ex had one with a good nose, but no sense. Found a skunk the hard way ---)
jus in case for other members to remove stain & stink even skunk --- http://www.lamarzulli.net/images/Jingos_Logo_new-3.jpg
All snakes have a unique smell that triggers a dogs defense response. Some really sport it like Lord Vigo a Copper Belly totally harmless but puts on a good act at looking like a bad ass and releasing a really stinky musk when scared. I love Vigo he eats everything from crickets to mice. Can usually find him in one of the high tunnels or around the cabin.
My dog loves to pick up snakes and carry them around thankfully no venomous snakes here in the backyard
Good for you not killing her. Ornery as they are, I don't even kill the copperheads or water moccasins we find here, just put 'em in a wire cage and carry them off to the woods. We have Eastern Diamondbacks but it is very rare to see one, me only seeing 1 in 22 years.
We have 3 TRs that I have seen, that girl is the biggest and didn't think she traveled over here. The two regulars here pretty much stay to the South side and hibernate every winter in a old maple tree that is hollow in the base. those two are in the 36"-40" range. Get a cottonmouth now and then around the stock ponds but they never hang around long. COpperheads used to be fairly common but we have understanding now days they stay away from the house and gardens and I don't blow their heads off. Had one tag me on the forearm stacking firewood 8 years ago and I looked like Popeye for a month. Copperheads are just to aggressive by nature for me to take a live and let live approach in the common areas. Tons of every flavor of watersnakes, some very impressive black snakes and endless copper bellies. Some of the copper bellies get way to friendly. My wife one night freaked out and said there is a snake laying by your feet and about that time Vigo went up my pant leg, (TBH I was not thrilled with it) But acted cool and unzipped my pants when he got up that way and let him come out the fly. Looked at the Wife (Then Girl Friend) and Said it is really impressive isn't it! (The who time thinking to myself WOULD YOU GET THE F OUT OF MY PANTS ALREADY!!!) Anyway she must have found my snake impressive since she married me Vigo was only about 18 inches long back then, he is pushing 3' now days. And the wife still thinks I am insane.
I had a host of those stripped snakes in my garden, scared me everything (and them as well) but they are great at eating bugs. @Thunder5Ranch you are a better person than I am, I would have killed that rattler, lost too many pets and farm animals to them to keep them around or maybe you are just setting the neighbor up for an invasion?
Me and the neighbor both love snakes, in the WILD and some around the house like the copper belly water snakes. Watched Lord Vigo lay on a big black ant hill and just eat one ant after another, even though his preferred food is frogs. I built a lot of stock ponds that get pretty overgrown between pasture rotations and fill up with lots of frogs that in turn attract lots of snakes, various kinds of turtles mostly painted and snappers so we just kind of got used to snakes of every flavor in unexpected places. The Rattlers though have never been spotted out in the tunnels or gardens and usually stick to the pasture/woods edges. Damn copperheads on the other hand used to pop up anywhere and everywhere until I went on a copper head killing spree after getting bit by one, in wood piles, in the hay in the barn, even found one in the tractor tool box. After taking up a strict policy of killing them on sight and hunting them down any place they might be hiding........... It has been 3 years since I have seen one around the house, gardens, or common areas. Head over to the west side of the farm and the thick brush, ravines and lol the Jungle as the wife calls it..... there are still plenty to be found there. ALso helps that we have a increasing population of Prairie King Snakes that love to eat other snakes... One of the pretties sights you can see is a Copperhead halfway into a King Snake
