Posted on 06/07/2012 11:58:28 PM PDT by Theoria
It's the talk of at least one part of Columbia and it all started Tuesday with a phone call from a concerned neighbor.
Heathwood resident Andrew Philson got a call about a snake in his backyard and thought he'd be finding a small garter or black snake, but got the shock of his life when he saw the beast slithering up one of his trees.
That snake has slithered his way into the national spotlight. First, WIS, then CNN, Fox, even the Drudge Report. Why? Well, it's a big snake and who knows how long it had been sneaking -- or snaking -- around in Philson's backyard?
One thing Philson does know, the darn thing was huge. "I'm saying 15 to 20 feet long," he said.
Philson lost track of the snake shortly after taking the pictures, which have now shown up on TV monitors and web sites all over the world. They've also led to some criticism from people including South Carolina Department of Natural Resources snake expert Steve Bennett.
Bennett says it's a rat snake, plain and simple -- a common and useful creature and one that as far as anyone knows, never gets anywhere close to the size claimed by Philson.
"What happens is when people see these things, they are so shocked and probably scared, it changes their whole way of thinking," Bennett said.
Philson does not seem like someone prone to panic, even in the presence of an oversized reptile. A former state trooper, Philson recently served a tour of military duty in Afghanistan.
"I know that when I testified in court in my previous job, that accuracy counts," Philson said.
"People who are otherwise fairly honest and you know, straightforward people, will see something like that and just automatically overestimate and exaggerate the size of it," Bennett said. "It's just human nature.
A wildlife removal company is planning to conduct an all-out search for the snake on Thursday.
“First, I posted a link to my ‘fact’. Did you bother reading it?”
You obviously didn’t bother to read your “fact” so why should Altariel?
Jack Russell Terrier, actually.
"You Rang?"
I see I won this debate....you resort to calling me names again. It’s become a real habit with you huh? Liberal tactic...I need not defend anything....except it sure looks like you did not watch the video. I’m POSITIVE using my brilliant common sense, that if a rat snake can eat a ‘rat’ that size, it is not going to bypass a kitten that size. LOL
This is in your future! BTW, they not only love moths, they love beetles, too! :^P
At least you had some size equality....:)
I don’t want Ren to be frightened or feel insecure here so he can wait to deal with dogs when he’s bigger.
This is all very new to him and he’s doing really well.
[thinks he owns the bedroom, really] LOL
To me, he seems so tiny and fragile that I’m sure I’m being over-protective but I truly do not want him scared/hurt/otherwise discomfited until he’s older and can cope with big dogs nosing him.
“I see I won this debate.”
In ~your~ mind, I’m sure you truly do believe that.
That is so sad.
“I’m POSITIVE using my brilliant common sense, that if a rat snake can eat a ‘rat’ that size, it is not going to bypass a kitten that size.”
I’m POSITIVE, using my brilliant natural superiority, that I am Queen Of The Multiverse.
[*note to other FReepers; no, I don’t really believe that. I’m not delusional]
Tell me “Fawn”, why do you suppose they’re called “rat* snakes?
Do you understand *at all* the nature of snakes and their preferences for a particular type of prey?
I could not, no matter *what* I did, get my Ball Pythons to eat *anything* except rodents because that is what they eat.
Even captive Boas and the large Pythons, who are slightly less ‘prey specific’ will choose to eat rodents, rabbits and chickens.
Some snakes are famous for preferring to dine on other snakes.
The Kingsnake family, for example.
The only “odd” thing rat snakes eat are venomous snakes which is why sane people allow them to live close by.
They keep the vipers away.
Snakes, as a rule, generally eat only prey that cannot harm them as they are very vulnerable to being injured by their prey.
*Cats* are infamous for killing young wild snakes of all species.
I’ve seen many gory photos of what cats have done to snakes.
As usual, you have “the facts” bass-ackwards.
[and why should I watch a video of something I see happen every Friday night, in person?]
Face it, “Fawn”.
You have, as usual, absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
Aw, man.
I forgot about Bill the cat.
I would’ve named him that, instead.
;D
You ramble a lot about crapola. You’re more delusional than I first thought if you think a rat snake is going to pass up a kitten. If you do, than I will credit that snake with being more intelligent than you.
No, I give you scientific fact and you call that ‘crapola’ because you are so blinded by your obsessive cat-centric world view that no truth can possibly seep into what passes for a rational mind.
FYI, my *8 week old kitten* is not allowed anywhere near my 5 foot Ball Pythons because he, tiny as he is, is a very real and present danger to them.
They are defenseless against even something as ‘harmless’ as a kitten.
You, my dear, are woefully ignorant of many facts.
Holy cow. There must be scads of mice in the area.
Speaking of ‘crapola’, let’s address *yours*
[warning to normal people; graphic videos follow]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqShQRa6rZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IPjp2AkoBA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7o5f6wtFMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSHyrcRqjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSHyrcRqjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5YPztbfJME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GD8vYbzWgE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXlmFis2aec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFHkssCcT9s
And as a reply to ~your~ video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ_ak4u47uE
So...now tell me who’s in greater peril?
[and you’re welcome...I just know you’ll get your jollies watching those]
Mice, Norway rats, Cotton Hispid rats, various other vermin of the rodent variety.
Snakes do so well in the south because it is veritable banquet of available food, year round.
We could use one in our yard. :) Last winter we could have used one in our basement.
Neat.
You can’t fool me.
Those are real.
They *have* to be because I saw them on the webbernets...:)
I definitely have a resident black snake and have seen a young milk snake, though not recently.
I *never* had mice in the house until the neighbor weed-whacked every snake he saw.
I like mice..but not in the house.
They are potential vectors for *way* too many unpleasant zoonoses.
Yes. There’s also a mice-tick relationship. This past year was our worst tick infestation ever.
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