Author Topic: Snakes are active in town (Read 461903 times)

ChrisLynnet · « **Reply #380 on:** Aug 10, 11, 02:00:20 AM »

What kind of snake up here is red meets yellow?

Because my dog and I saw one and I didn't think it was poisonous... uh oh.

SkierBob · « **Reply #381 on:** Aug 10, 11, 02:32:53 PM »

I think you're safe in ww Coral snakes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_snake

KW · « **Reply #382 on:** Aug 10, 11, 02:55:37 PM »

Quote from: SkierBob on Aug 09, 11, 07:29:54 PM

Red meets black nice to jack, red meets yellow kills a fellow.

How funny! I always heard "Red meets yellow, snake is mellow" and "Red meets black, snake attacks".

Guess it's a good thing I keep my distance no matter what color they are!

SkierBob · « **Reply #383 on:** Aug 10, 11, 04:24:43 PM »

I don't think I've ever seen a red/black/yellow King snake around my place.

I do see a lot of California Kings. They're very docile and will (usually) let you pick them up without biting. These snakes ae good to have around your house, they eat rattlesnakes.

RobertW · « **Reply #384 on:** Aug 12, 11, 10:15:07 PM »

No worries. We don't have coral snakes in California, unless of course someone has released a pet.

ChrisLynnet · « **Reply #385 on:** Aug 12, 11, 11:38:40 PM »

Maybe it was a California king then? I really thought I saw yellow banding but I admit I was pretty startled.

ForestGal · « **Reply #386 on:** Aug 13, 11, 12:18:30 AM »

One time several years ago, I was with a friend walking back down the trail to Dawson Saddle. I was walking in front of her, so she couldn't see what was ahead of me. A very colorful, little king snake slithered across the trail in front of me, and I just lost it. My poor friend thought I had seen a herd of mountain lions or something. She wanted to see the pretty little snake, and we were able to spot it under the bush it had crawled into (I don't know if snakes have ears or not, but I probably scared it too). We laugh about it now, but the further I can keep from ANY snake, the happier I am.

ChattyCathy · « **Reply #387 on:** Mar 06, 12, 06:09:11 PM »

I found this Mojave Green in my garage yesterday in Pinon Hills. It seems early to me - and was hoping that I wouldn't be having a snake problem this year. This is the 4th I've found in the last year.

Be alert when hiking.

Nolena · « **Reply #388 on:** Mar 07, 12, 05:27:17 AM »

Very pretty snake.

ChrisLynnet · « **Reply #389 on:** Mar 07, 12, 06:20:49 AM »

Quote from: ChattyCathy on Mar 06, 12, 06:09:11 PM

I found this Mojave Green in my garage yesterday in Pinon Hills. It seems early to me - and was hoping that I wouldn't be having a snake problem this year. This is the 4th I've found in the last year.

Oh, great. Aren't they more dangerous than rattlers?

Nolena · « **Reply #390 on:** Mar 07, 12, 02:54:30 PM »

It is a type of rattlesnake. There are many types of rattlesnakes.

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/pages/rattlesnake

ChrisLynnet · « **Reply #391 on:** Mar 07, 12, 05:41:37 PM »

Oh thanks, I didn't realize they were a type of rattlesnake. From the link you sent me, it looks like the Mojave Desert Sidewinder although another Mojave Rattlesnake is listed as well. If I saw one of those things coming after me I'd reach the Oregon border in 10 seconds flat.

BTW I'm not afraid of snakes in general, just poisonous ones. THEM I have a healthy respect for.

las · « **Reply #392 on:** Mar 07, 12, 07:19:28 PM »

Yes they are a type of rattlesnake. What makes the Mojave dangerous is their venom is a neurotoxin unlike our Western Rattler. The only other venomous snake that produces neurotoxins I know of is the Cobra.

tcaarabians · « **Reply #393 on:** Mar 07, 12, 07:21:58 PM »

Cathy.. So where abouts in Pinon Hills are you? I'm just a bit south of the 138 on Green. The two different snakes you posted pics of, and thank you for doing that, look different,, maybe just exposure.. hope you were using a zoom.

My understanding,,, and I would love correction.. is that if the snake has a triangular or diamond shaped head beware. If they have a rather skinny head.. ok. Here we, so far at least, have 'red racers' which are benign and well named. We also have rather long gopher snakes. They are also benign. We may have had a rattler last year,, but I'm not sure about that because the guy who killed it .. smashed the head before I could look at it. Other than that .. no rattler sightings here. It is early for the snakes.. I guess because of the weather .

And, as I was typing this something weird just happened. I have a window right in front of my computer. It was suddenly sprayed with water. Obviously not an errant cloud ,, the window is under an overhang. I, of course, went racing out to see if I had an unexpected leak of somesort. Nothing. Must investigate further. later,cheryl o7o

ChrisLynnet · « **Reply #394 on:** Mar 08, 12, 02:35:20 AM »

Quote from: las on Mar 07, 12, 07:19:28 PM

Yes they are a type of rattlesnake. What makes the Mojave dangerous is their venom is a neurotoxin unlike our Western Rattler. The only other venomous snake that produces neurotoxins I know of is the Cobra.

I had heard that they were more dangerous but didn't know why. Whoa.

ChattyCathy · « **Reply #395 on:** Mar 08, 12, 05:48:27 AM »

I checked online for the Mojave Green: General Comments: This is probably the most dangerous snake in North America. It is aggressive, fairly large-bodied, and has a complex venom composed of hemolytic and neurotoxic elements. It is responsible for several deaths each year, including in recent years a prominent snake toxin expert. This snake should be avoided.

I live on the border of Phelan and Pinon Hills off of Duncan, and I'm two miles in off of dirt roads. This is the 4th Mojave Green I've found on my property in a year's time. The first three were 2 feet or less from my house. The third one was on a step on my back porch.

I have a friend who is an expert on venomous snakes, and I asked him why I've had so many - and he said because this is where they live. They are here, if we see them or not. They are probably coming for the water at my house. Two of his snake handler friends have died from their bites.

I am not afraid of snakes - except for these (or others that can kill me). So far they've all looked the same, maybe some a little darker than others.

Here is a link to a short youtube clip I took of it. I've heard the rattle enough times, I have no doubt what it is when I hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCs8gGy3PGM&feature=youtu.be

TimG · « **Reply #396 on:** Mar 08, 12, 06:37:35 AM »

Yikes, that sounds like a B-movie: "Mojave Green!" Stay safe down there, Cathy.

TimG · « **Reply #397 on:** May 15, 12, 06:22:21 AM »

FYI, saw my first rattlesnake tonight up by Inspiration Point. A young one, maybe 18", sunning itself on the trailhead by the parking lot. Didn't rattle; if I wasn't looking down I might have stepped on it. Guess it's that time of year.

I figured it was a regular western diamondback, but Wikipedia says they don't range west past Chocolate Mountains, so maybe it was a mojave green? I can't tell the difference.

Nolena · « **Reply #398 on:** May 15, 12, 01:30:07 PM »

I have also seen rattlesnakes on the trail in that area.

ChrisLynnet · « **Reply #399 on:** May 15, 12, 03:49:05 PM »

Quote from: TimG on May 15, 12, 06:22:21 AM

I figured it was a regular western diamondback, but Wikipedia says they don't range west past Chocolate Mountains, so maybe it was a mojave green? I can't tell the difference.

Mojave greens aren't found at those higher elevations. I don't think we're likely to find them in WW either, although the high desert will get them. (Yikes!) I'm no expert but the So. Pacific apparently doesn't rattle as readily as the diamondback -- could that have been your snake?