[Teacher317]

I had one of those. Good snake, beneficial for most homes and farms. Eats rodents and pests, and generally just wants to avoid people... but is active and explores.

[txhurl]

I hand-collected them all my life for the garden. Where I am now there’s a roadrunner that keeps this acreage completely wildlife-less. Surprised he hasn’t dragged off the kids.

[sargon]

I had [a rat snake]. Good snake, beneficial for most homes and farms. Eats rodents and pests, and generally just wants to avoid people... but is active and explores.

Yes, I kept a couple of rat snakes as pets, in my youth, here in Florida. They're constrictors, like a Boa.

I never needed to visit the pet store to buy mice for feed. I just went into the backyard and caught various lizards (mainly Brazilian Anoles) to feed my rat snakes—which seemed to do the trick.

When I owned a Boa, I did go to the pet store and bought mice for about 69 cents each. That would have been in the late 70's...

[mywholebodyisaweapon]

Yeah, I like rat snakes, until they find the henhouse. Once they start eating eggs, they rarely go back to rats. Eggs are such an easy source of protein.

Found a five-footer the other day nearing the henhouse, so I relocated it. Haven’t seen it again. They can get kind of cranky, but this one was pretty docile.

We saw a speckled king snake a few weeks ago. What a blessing!

[Dawgreg]

Good snake, beneficial for most homes and farms.

So true. The barns around us have them.......used to scare our son and his friends to death but they got used to seeing them in the rafters after awhile and they sure were taught not to hurt them........;)

[onona]

I would need 8 years of deep breathing exercises and other such stuff to deal.

I guess things change. Had much fun with the garters when I was a lad.