Snakes are active in town

[ChrisLynnet]

Thanks for the feedback, Naturalist. My friend who was bitten by the baby rattlers was an EMT, so she came out better than some. You're right that the babies can be worse than the adults.

I do like watching them from a safe distance -- once I was driving slowly through the Santa Monica Mountains when I spotted one on the other side of the road. I backed up to the shoulder where I could watch him, but rolled up my windows -- apparently I thought he would fly in my car.  

[Butterfly]

I am terrified of snakes!!  Like a phobia.  I gasp for air and panic.  Which I know is a HUGE no no.  We are doing lots of work to our house so we have LOTS of places for snakes to hide.  We also have a huge rock mountain kinda thing (part of the landscape)  We have a 3 kids ages 2, 6, and 9.  Our 2 year old is SO curious.  Always wanting to run away and explore.  I am glad I found all of this info.  I didn't even think about snakes being in our yard.  We let our kids rome around the yard and didn't think twice about it.  I think we will have a talk with our kids about snakes and keep tighter reins on the little one.  

[Wrightwood]

Butterfly,
here's another King Snake on our driveway from last week.

Try not to be fearfully of King Snakes as they are not harmful to humans and are good to have around. They help keep the rodent population down.

[artology]

Bring your King Snakes over to me! I've got a Lilac that needs watering that I don't want to get too close to since I saw that mongo mama rattler that came out of the patch of sage next to it.

[Mountain_Witch]

They do make repellents in either spray form or pellets. Most of the places I looked on the internet don't ship in CA but someone told me that you can find the sprays at a few of the Feed Supply places in SB or maybe even Phelan. They also have safe traps that you can use to safely trap the critters in. If I find out any further info, I will be sure to pass it along.

http://www.e-bug.net/pests/snakeaway.shtml

http://www.pestproducts.com/snakeinfo.htm

http://www.pestproducts.com/snaketrap.htm

[RobertW]

Butterfly,
here's another King Snake on our driveway from last week.

Try not to be fearfully of King Snakes as they are not harmful to humans and are good to have around. They help keep the rodent population down.

I had snakes as pets during my youth.  My mother who was deathly afraid of snakes came to have a great respect for them.  While I won't say she completely lost her fear, she got to the point that she could touch and hold them.

King Snakes are a valuable Wrightwood asset.  Besides getting rid of rats and mice they are a natural enemy to the rattlesnake.  They constrict their prey are are have been known to eat rattlesnakes much larger than themselves.  King Snakes are known to live between 15 and 20 years.  They are beautiful and are not harmful to humans in any way.

In some areas they can be confused with the very poisonous Coral Snake, don't worry about it.  There are no Coral snakes in the Wrightwood area.

If you find a King Snake in your yard do not be afraid.  Consider yourself very lucky.  It will protect your property from vermin and rattlesnakes alike.

[RobertW]

Nice Post "Naturalist".

Baby rattlesnakes are only doing what they need to do for protection.  As you encountered, in the countless rattlesnake encounters I have had, I have NEVER had one be aggressive, even after having practically stepping on them.

Rarely do you ever hear of anyone dying from a rattlesnake bite.  The individual that died after being bit by a rattlesnake in Lytle Creek actually died of a HEART ATTACK!  He was responding very well to anti-venom treatment as was expecting to be released shortly.

If you ever are bit by a rattlesnake, NO CUTTING, NO TOURNAQUETS.  While there are some good suction devices that will suck much of the venom back through the original puncture wounds (I never hike without it), just remain calm and get help.

[Butterfly]

I don't know what it is with snakes...big, little, aggresive, or non I just freak out when I see them.  We have actually only had one encounter with a snake at our front porch.  He matched the ground and as myself and my oldest son were walking out I ALMOST stepped on it.  I think I jumped about 5ft in the air!!  (exaggerated of course) gasping and yelling for Ensen to come and get it.  I didn't know what kind it was...I thought for sure it was a rattler.  Neighbor heard my yells and came to the rescue.  He said it was a gardner snake  ?? He picked it up near the end of the tail and put him close to a nearby bush and he slithered away.  I haven't heard anyone talking about them so I don't know much about their aggresiveness...or if they are.  Scared the daylights outta me.  Thats for sure!!  

[rmekemson]

Butterfly, I believe most people are afraid of snakes because of the way they move.  The slithering movement, to me, is translated into an uneasiness of not knowing where it will go next.  Will it reverse on itself and jump at me?  Will it quickly coil up and leap 20 feet at my face?  Of course they won't, but just tell my inner self that.  Then of course being reptiles they don't have that "warm fuzzy" feeling of mammals.  Therefore, they must be something to be feared.  Here again I know better, but just tell my inner self that.

[Nolena]

Snake trivia:
What do you call the 3 types of movement by which snakes get around?  
(I actually know the answer! One of my neurons IS working!  )

[RobertW]

[Nolena]

Very good, Robert!!   I believe that I learned the "caterpillar" movement as "rectilinear." Obviously, I've watched that ever-popular action-adventure classic "The Locomotion of Snakes." (It's a for real short documentary movie.)

[RobertW]

I believe that I learned the "caterpillar" movement as "rectilinear."

I knew there was a more "scientific" term for it.  

[Wrightwood]

I've had people tell me about additional rattle snakes being found in Wrightwood.

Be extra careful & keep an eye on kids and pets.

[rmekemson]

Nolena, hasn't anyone spoken to you about your choice of movies?  I mean after all "The Locomotion of Snakes".  I mean everyone knows a Locomotion is a big engine thingy that pulls trains.

[Mountain_Witch]

OOOhhh.....Poo....Das Witchy Poo got to hold her first wild king snake ever today....Kriky....what a thrill it was. He was so dern cute I didn't want to let him go, but wild....is wild. He was such a beauty considering he was a youngster. It was surely the highlite of my day.

[Wrightwood]

OOOhhh.....Poo....Das Witchy Poo got to hold her first wild king snake ever today....Kriky....what a thrill it was. He was so dern cute I didn't want to let him go, but wild....is wild. He was such a beauty considering he was a youngster. It was surely the highlite of my day.

[wwpt]

On Monday, June 16th I received a call from a rancher on N4 past Mile High Cafe. they needed the brush cleared from their horse corrals immediately because a Pacific Rattler 3 1/2 feet long had bitten one of their Arabians midway between the nose and eye. The yearlings head swelled up to double its normal size within 45 minutes and they had to call a vet to put this magnificent animal down. In 90 minutes a 1/2 ton animal succumbed to the rattlesnake venom. A snake was found and killed nearby that evening but it was a lesson in their deadliness. Does anyone know any good remedies or links to create a barrier that Rattlers won't cross that are enviromentally friendly?

[las]

[RobertW]