A tale of two snakes and why they were allowed to live (not political)

Austin American Statewsman ^ | 5.10.2009 | Mike Leggett

[wolfcreek]

THE HILL COUNTRY — This is a tale of two snakes, both rattlesnakes, crotalus atrox, and why they got to live.

One big reason they're still among the living is that they got lucky when they decided to crawl across the road as I was going by.

And although they acted somewhat differently — one was extremely shy and tried only to sneak away and hide; the other was slightly more aggressive and rattled as he slid into the rocks to disappear — neither of them wanted to bite anybody, and that saved their bacon.

[wolfcreek]

Snakes are on the move here in the South.

Watch where you step/reach!

[cripplecreek]

I don’t kill critters that don’t give me a reason.

Turtles, snakes, toads, frogs etc all have free reign in my yard.

[wolfcreek]

Found one of these last week. They're not dangerous (even when handled) but, when he/she started it's little *Cobra* act, I had to remove it to another property. BTW: they eat toads and frogs.

[Vaquero]

Why did it have to be snakes

..

[wolfcreek]

These, otoh, will be removed from this planet if seen on my property.

[dblshot]

Nobody knows how many rattlesnakes there are in [Washngton DC], but there are thousands all around us (in local and state government) . It’s why (so many) don’t worry about them. If they wanted to bite us, if their goal happened to be to sink fangs in every one of us that stumbles by, we’d all be dead. (and they don’t want to kill us all off)And for those few who are bitten by IRS rattlers and do die, we just put it down to happenstance and say they should have been more carefull.

Well what did you expect on a political site?

[wolfcreek]

I like it although, I’d rather eat snake.

[BnBlFlag]

Ping!

[Savage Beast]

I agree with Mike's point of view, but it doesn't make me like venomous snakes. I've seen some in the wild, but not nearly as many, I'm sure, as have seen me. I've got snake-proof boots, and I use them. Twice, on the Georgia Coast, I came close to eastern diamond back rattlers at least 8 or 10 inches in diameter.

I don't like hawks either. Or sharks.

I keep the forests and wildlife on my property--in the Middle of Nowhere--pristine and natural--don't allow hunting. In fact my wife and I are not only vegetarians but vegans (keeps my weight down painlessly, and I don't like to kill animals).

What irks me--among many things--about misty-eyed, foggy-brained Leftists (who are determined to drag the rest of us down the well traveled Road to Hill with their good intentions) is their assumption that unspoiled nature is loveliness and bliss. It's a blood bath.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

It was hard to get past the first part of the story, picturing “snake bacon”.

[waxer1]

Eastern Diamond backs are beautiful

[Vaquero]

I need a new hat band for my 2X beaver, 6” brim, Gus groove silver belly hat. that oughta do.

[Vaquero]

Eastern Diamond backs are beautiful

and they taste like chicken!

[Non-Sequitur]

A tale of two snakes and why they were allowed to live...

Here's a tale of one snake and why it was not. Link

[cripplecreek]

The only poisonous snakes we have around here are Massasauga rattlesnakes but they’re awfully rare. I haven’t seen one since I was a kid.

[wolfcreek]

I've heard about and seen some shows on Easterns.

Seems they tend to be more aggressive and dangerous (mainly because they're larger and have more venom) than Western rattlers.

[Savage Beast]

"O Thou who Man of baser Earth did'st make,
And ev'n with Paradise devised the Snake:
For all the Sin wherewith the Face of Man
Is blacken'd Man's forgiveness give--and take!"

The Rubayyat of Omar Khayyam
Edward Fitzgerald Translation

[mikeus_maximus]

Eastern Diamond backs are beautiful

I was going to say much the same thing until I saw your post. A while back I saw one crawling across a north Florida highway and just had to stop and watch. The sun glittering off its scales as it made its way-- incredible.

[A Texan]

It looks like a hognose. All bark, no real bite.

I actually got one out of a guys car the other day. It was stilling on his driver side floor mat and when he tried getting into his car when he noticed it. He freaked. I grabbed it, covered his head with a towel and then set it free. I don't like killing snakes unless necessary.

[skinkinthegrass]

.....looks like a (Western/Short-Nosed/Eastern/Southern?) Hognose snake...Can't find book or pic.
threat-display....typical for snakes...mimicry (sp?)
look@ the Pupils ...they're round...non-poisonous
note the shape of head...non-triangular....non-poisonous
I used to live in TX (Bryan-College Station...TXAggies :)