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Euuww! Euuww!! Euuwww!!!The dogs were in the back yard barking at something, and I went to quiet them. They stopped about the time I got there. It was my neighbor and the workers out talking about the work they're doing. We hollered back and forth a few sentences, and then I looked down, and saw that Max, Sam and Lola were interested in something in the yard. I called them to come in, and they eventually did, but as Lola trotted toward the door, I saw she had something in her mouth. OK, she often drags in sticks, plants she has pulled up, leaves, etc. I'm used to that. But when she got close enough to see it, I freaked!! My little girl was carrying a small snake into the house!!!!
Fortunately my freaking caused her to drop it on the step. The little snake was just about 5-6 inches long, and it appeared to be stunned. My guess is The Kids had already mauled it a bunch. I couldn't tell what kind it was. It was so small that markings were too tiny to define. I couldn't risk it being a rattler, so I got the shovel and killed it. I suspect I killed an innocent nonvenomous little snake, but, as I said, I wasn't going to take that risk for myself or the dogs.
Oh. Did I mention that I am terrified of snakes? shudder.
Is it OK to have a stiff drink at 9:00 in the morning? Under these circumstances? PLEASE????
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I probably would have freaked out also. But I will say you are a lot braver than me because I wouldn't have been able to kill it.
ReplyDeleteI am really surprised because I have not seen any snakes since I have been here in Kansas. Well, I did see a dead one in the street a few days ago, but that's it. Do you remember all the snakes we had when we both lived in KC? I remember one time I ran one over and just that freaked me out.
Oh, lawd, yes. Once you get a nest of snakes, it is hard to get ride of, and we certainly had a nest, didn't we? GAH! You were outwardly calm when you ran over that snake. HEY PEOPLE, she didn't just "run over it"; she ran over it with the lawn mower!!!!!!!! shudder! You were pretty cool, I thought. Or maybe you had your freak-out before I saw you. I've had two snake encounters here without losing it, so I guess I'm getting better at it.
ReplyDeleteAnd BTW, Caroline, when you think it might hurt one of your babies, it is surprising what you learn you can do. Trust me!
My cat brought in a snake about 9 inches long one time. I knew it was harmless but like you I don't like snakes. I tried to get my kids to take it outside but they weren't interested in the job. I did learn one thing, snakes don't get much traction on a tile floor so it was easy to pick it up and put it back outside, once I'd had a talk with myself about holding a snake. I cheated a little and picked it up with a paper towel.
ReplyDeleteThat was many years ago. These days I volunteer at a nearby wetlands and think nothing of kids bringing me a snake to hold while they go to the bathroom. They have like hundreds of tiny feet in two rows on their under sides. I think that's what gives them traction to crawl.
I don't do Rattle Snakes. I'm from Texas and have a healthy respect for those critters. I'd chop one of those into a million pieces in a second. Brrrrrr
Linda, I didn't touch that thing! I picked it up with the shovel and flung it over the fence into the woods! There is no way I could hold one as you do for the kids. Yeah, rattlesnakes are scary. That's why I didn't risk it today, even though I couldn't tell if it was or wasn't.
ReplyDeleteI guess you really wouldn't like the 5' black snake that my husband found in one of our trees, would ya? And he left it there. Snakes don't bother me too much, as long as they keep their distance.
ReplyDeleteSo did you have your drink???
Oh, Kim, they don't bother me at a distance, either, but when they are right where I'm about to step or in my baby dog's mouth.... that's not a distance!!
ReplyDeleteBTW, if I'd know for sure it was nonpoisonous I would have left it alive and tossed it over the fence.
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