Snakes are active in town

[sharyn]

I've also heard guinea hens will kill snakes.  Probably peacocks will too.  I thought about getting some but I think my dogs would scare them off. 

And I though I heard/read that chickens will kill snakes?  I guess not if Cheryl found one camping in the chicken coop!

[tcaarabians]

Frankly,, I would rather deal with snakes than peacocks.. peacocks are rather noisy birds. Pretty but noisy.  I don't know about guinea hens. 

As for Lilly and Laila (our chickens) ,, they did not kill that 5-foot gopher snake. And, I'm glad... gophers are good snakes.  cheryl o7o

[YardBird]

Cathy, I got your PM, it's not too late! 

I got caught up with an old friend that needed immediate help so I didn't make it up yesterday, plus, DH was at a car show until late so I didn't have anyone to help me load them.  My daughter and I will be on the move, I hope by 4 PM today, and I'll put hubby's race on pause!

I will call you before I leave. 

Chinese geese will kill snakes .. tho they're a bit noisy. They also make good security alarms. Roadrunners will swallow a rattler whole.
I've seen one running with a snake in its bill. Quite a sight. I don't like rattle snakes. cheryl o7o

tcaarabians,

I'm not familiar with the Chinese geese but I can certainly vouch for the Roadrunners.  I have some really cool pictures of the one here with lizards and one of my baby Gopher snakes in his beak.  Some day, (maybe) I'll get smart enough to download and post them but don't hold your breath!  lol

This place has been wild-life-central for a couple of weeks and I've managed to get several good photos, thanks in part, to finally cleaning the kitchen windows!

YB

[TimG]

What are those birds that look like pigeons, but have a little dangly thing at the top of their heads?  Like the lure of an angler fish.  We always have a ton of them in our yard and they seem to like to run around -- I've been meaning to ask, so I'll use this as a segue...do they eat snakes?

[YardBird]

Quail, aren't they cute?  But......only the males have the little dangly thing appendage you are referring to.    They generally make their nests close to the ground and like areas with lots of brush.  I have quite a covey and keep water handy for them.

I doubt that they eat snakes but they have great entertainment value.

YB

[TimG]

Oh I've never seen quail before other than on a plate!    Thanks YB!

[tcaarabians]

Yup... depending on where you are TimG... it sounds like quail to me. And, they don't look like pigeons.  Right now,, we have a ton of quail coming in with little tiny babies following after. Usually the female is in the front and the papa with the 'dangly thing' is bringing up the rear. They are so past fun to watch. We do feed the wild birds here.. so therefore.. we seem to have a lot of them. I don't think quail eat snakes.. but I haven't looked it up. And,
I would never, as in never think of eating one of them... even tho,, when I was growing up and I'd ask Mom what was for dinner .. she'd say
"quail on toast and applesauce." Its still a joke with us. Enjoy them.. we do. cheryl o7o

[TimG]

I would never eat them, we're all vegetarians over here!  But I've been to fancy restaurants where people I'm with have ordered them.   Also -- they're gray and pigeon-sized, that's pigeonish enough for me!

[ChattyCathy]

Thanks, YardBird, for the pallets!  I'm all set!

I was told that rattlesnakes eat chickens (which I have).  They cannot penetrate the skin of a pig and the pig will eat rattlesnakes.  I'm fostering a pig, but since he's in his pen, not much he can do there.

[Chesslike]

I read thru the link for the 'snake fence'.. couldn't find a price anywhere.

http://snakefence.net/products/purchase/

[free2bee]

Their chicks are hatching now-- a favorite snack for snakes.

[tcaarabians]

Thanks BostonBob... its a bit pricey. Cheryl

[LoriAnn]

I've been running into a rattler almost every day on the trail for the last couple of weeks.  We hike in the Desert Front Rd. area.

[ChrisLynnet]

I've been surprised that I haven't run into one yet this year. I'm sure watching out for them.

[Iris]

Just to clarify, I love snakes! Just not fond of unexpected rattler encounters. Snakes are awesome and a respected member of the food chain. I thought OSV might be some kind of breeding area as often as they were spotted when I lived in that area lol.

[ChrisLynnet]

I can't say that I love snakes, but they don't bother me -- except, as you said, when there is a rattler on the trail, yikes!

[LoriAnn]

It's weird...I have run into more snakes in the last couple of weeks than I have in 25 years of living here.  We go out pretty early so they are still a bit sluggish....

[ChattyCathy]

A friend called me and said that one of her snake expert friends said to get a thick (at least .5 inch) "hairy rope" and the rattlesnake won't cross it.  Has anyone heard of that?  Of course with the wind out here, it will get buried pretty quick.

I think I'll try it until I can afford a block wall.  Otherwise I hope to double up on small chicken wire type netting -- can't afford the snake fencing.

It's sure a pain checking for snakes every day.  Once I get these pallets set up, it will be a lot easier to check under the igloos.

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

[fiendishsquirrel]

has anyone ever heard of a rattlesnake shot for dogs?