Fun snake story

[Beebs52]

Cause you know there's always a fun snake story.

Last night Ranger Jeff had gone out front to see if any deliveries, ie cigars,. I was sitting out back doing nothing which I'm good at, when I hear him yell "Kim! Kim!" Since the gate was locked I had to go out thru the garage door, totally interrupting my nothingdoing...actually he NEVER hollers my actual name scarily.

So, when I got out there he had, in his ranger crap-pickerupper, a fucking copperhead. Not a small one, either.

I ran inside to get a big knife and when I returned he rolled his eyes and said, "Er, shovel there." I got that tool and smashed the shit outta that fucker.

We kilt him dead. He's in the trash.

Back in the day I was a snake slayer at our other house. I don't mind hognose or garter snakes, but copperheads, no.

No construction around here to dislodge them, but huuuge population of lizards this year. So, hmmm?

There better not be babies in our lovely front landscape.

And, Merv was out all night two days ago and that would not have been conducive.
I actually wiped off his face when he came in in case he checked out residual snake blood, gut, venom on driveway.

We didn't die over the night and Merv slept with me, so all good.

Side note re: former Lucky the 17 yr old cat, pre-Merv, who kilt a hognose snake with one quick dart while I was barefoot mulching at old house. (hognoses raise up and hiss btw).

The end

[wbtravis007]

Yikes. Be careful. Usually if I kill one I end up killing another one soon after.

One bit me back in '07. I don't recommend it, but if you're gonna get bitten by a viper that's the one you want.

Still, though, it hurt like hell. I had stepped over him going out to our garden, and he caught me right under the inside of my ankle. Didn't see him because it was almost dark. Looked back and saw it only because our basset hound Ruby (RIP as of last Friday) was barking at it. It bit her, too, but she didn't get that much of the venom (being seconds and what not). Swollen face but otherwise ok. Doctor figured that it must have already called up its venom because of the extent of my swelling and stuff. Probably going out to try to get a cottontail or something in the garden. Much better to surprise one in a hole or something than encounter them when they're out on the prowl.

That was on a Saturday. By that next Wednesday I had killed another one, and also, believe it or not, a coral snake. (I've only seen three of those in my life.) Talk about snake karma!

By the way, they can bite you after they're dead. Didn't know that until they told me that at the hospital. It's a reflex. They'll snap at anything hot-ish. I didn't really believe that, but when I killed the next one I put the shovel by the severed head and, sure nuff, they were right.

[Beebs52]

Geez, sorry about Ruby. She has a lotta frens waiting.

We know about the reflex thing after dead, which is why we smashed and held for a good long while. Your bites creep me out, hope there aren't stragglers...

Seems they sometimes dry bite which doesn't help if they don't...

Had a coral snake at last house and on work pathway longtime back. They are FAST but don't like peeps but they're fast...and skinny.
Red on black friend of Jack, red on yellow kill a fellow.

[Bob Juch]

By the way, they can bite you after they're dead. Didn't know that until they told me that at the hospital. It's a reflex. They'll snap at anything hot-ish. I didn't really believe that, but when I killed the next one I put the shovel by the severed head and, sure nuff, they were right.

PSM's husband, Dr. Jeff, had a paper he did on that picked up by national news some years ago.

[wbtravis007]

Geez, sorry about Ruby. She has a lotta frens waiting.

We know about the reflex thing after dead, which is why we smashed and held for a good long while. Your bites creep me out, hope there aren't stragglers...

Seems they sometimes dry bite which doesn't help if they don't...

Had a coral snake at last house and on work pathway longtime back. They are FAST but don't like peeps but they're fast...and skinny.
Red on black friend of Jack, red on yellow kill a fellow.

Yeah. I've always heard red and black, venom lack (and about the poor dead fellow).

[wbtravis007]

By the way, they can bite you after they're dead. Didn't know that until they told me that at the hospital. It's a reflex. They'll snap at anything hot-ish. I didn't really believe that, but when I killed the next one I put the shovel by the severed head and, sure nuff, they were right.

PSM's husband, Dr. Jeff, had a paper he did on that picked up by national news some years ago.

I had posted about my experience and psm responded and was very worried. She and Jeff and I exchanged several e-mails about it. I hadn't realized before then that he's considered to be one of the top experts about that.

[wbtravis007]

Just re-read your initial post, bbk. Laughing my ass off many times more than during the first reading.

Funniest thing that I totally skimmed over the first time: you went out with a big knife!

Great story, madame snake slayer. Thanks.

[Beebs52]

Just re-read your initial post, bbk. Laughing my ass off many times more than during the first reading.

Funniest thing that I totally skimmed over the first time: you went out with a big knife!

Great story, madame snake slayer. Thanks.

My pleasure. I dreamt Jeff saw another. Hope I'm not prescient.