Well, son is up to 20 plus on the poisonous snakes around house

[dirtlooter]

My son and his father-n-law have gotten 19 copperheads and two ground rattlers immediately around the house so far. This has caused them to not allow the 3 year old and the 5 ear old to go out and play at all. they have a large raised deck that is about a foot off the ground plus the flower garden along the edge of it. They had killed three on the deck itself and one in front of the front door. Several were around the swing/slide set where the boys play a lot.

I have convinced them to purchase several of the metal minnow traps that are open at both ends. My father has used them for years, placing them along the base of a wall of his home and his shop. the snake simply crawls inside and can't get out. very simple, no bait required and easy to relocate or kill the snake. The minnow trap is pretty much idiot proof as long as you place it an area that a snake will travel, like along the edge of a building. Nothing is hurt unless you choose to hurt it so you can release harmless snakes, toads, lizards or whatever else gets in it. We have even caught a few mice.

My daughter-n-law let out the two small dogs to do their business two days ago and they immediately began barking at something underneath the boy's plastic play lawnmower. It was another big copperhead. If a snake makes the mistake of crawling thru the hog pen, it will pay the price as it becomes food. The boys know that the snakes have been out there but still want to play outside. They know to fear the snakes but it can be so easy for them to be playing and just not see one until it strikes. I am not as agile or see as well as I once did but if I catch the poisonous snakes in one of those traps, I will usually take them farther into the mountains and turn them loose where they are less likely to come into human contact. To me, only an idiot walks around at night with out a good light around here. The copperhead is not as life threatening as most poisonous snakes but they can still ruin several days to a month or more. The big Timber rattlers are another story all together.

 

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[Rookster]

Here we have three kinds of snakes. A live snake, a dead snake and a stick that looks like one. And I agree about harmless snakes like the King, Rat and Black racers. I leave them alone. I ran over a rat snake with the mower around 3 weeks ago and hated it.

 

[Honest Samuel]

dirtlooter: Do you still sell Moon shine?

 

[Kray Gelder]

You have an awful situation there. Are you seeing the babies? They are the size of and look like a nightcrawler. Wish I had a good idea for you. I don't.

 

[GB1]

we have seen 4 copper heads i shot three the other got away

 

[Honest Samuel]

Remember: Snakes taste great and they are free food. I am hungry.

 

[GB1]

Remember: Snakes taste great and they are free food. I am hungry.

Samuel is there no other food around

 

[Kace]

Dirt...I was told to cut down a bunch of cedar trees at the farm in SWMO and run them thru the wood chipper... then outline my yard with the chips. The old timers said that snakes, mice and crawling insects wouldn't cross the cedar chips.

I did that...lining the yard and also around the cabin, smoke house and shop...I have a good size pond/small lake within the yard area also that I lined around. I don't know if that's what keeps all the snakes away or if it's because I keep the yard cut really short but I've never seen any kind of snake, brown recluse spider (ick) or mouse in the yard since I started doing that. I do it every two years.

Kray is right on to ask about those baby snakes... kids think they are worms. They also bite and hang on injecting venom continuously unlike an adult snake that strikes and recoils. I'd put some sticky traps under that deck.

I feel bad for you guys and hope nobody gets bit...

Good Luck To All Of You!

Kace

 

[dirtlooter]

dirtlooter: Do you still sell Moon shine?

no, don't sell it. have walked up several stills over the years (before game cameras) and got very nervous as I hurried off. it is easy to get around here if you want some bad enough. most of the old time bootleggers are gone but there is always shine being made somewhere.

 

[dirtlooter]

You have an awful situation there. Are you seeing the babies? They are the size of and look like a nightcrawler. Wish I had a good idea for you. I don't.

Well, my son and I have seen plenty of baby copperheads, I learned how to handle poisonous snakes back in the early 70s, actually used some for fishing before I knew what a plastic worm was, always respect the business end and handle with care. I would sneak up to a big hole of water on the river and flip it out to the middle. I could see bigger fish racing out to get it, lot of fun and good eats. most of our outside animals (cats and dogs) would end up snake bit sometime or another. lost several cats that way and one dog. most puffed up really bad from a copperhead but survived but the timber rattlers were just bad news. ground rattlers are a lot worse venom wise than a copperhead as well and they tend to strike more quickly.

 

[1320]

Sounds like the home supports a good food supply for the snakes. Mice=buffet

 

[dokc]

Get some guinea hens out there!

 

[Tpmetal]

man I love the north. Closest poisonous snake to me is a timber rattler, and they warn you most of the time they are there. luckily they are in only a select few areas that have enough rocks and cave like stuff they can beat the frost line in, mostly closer to pa.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Please be safe, those snakes are a real problem.

 

[RTR]

With that many snakes I wouldn't think twice about getting a >> The Mongoose - Snake Killers as Pets - Pets Cute and Docile

 

[Kace]

Sounds like the home supports a good food supply for the snakes. Mice=buffet

Ya know...I think you hit the nail on the head...if there is mice around there will be those snakes. I've had no mice,little chipmunks or any snake food source since I did the cedar chips. I do have box turtles come in the yard still.

I should of said on the cedar chips that I made the outline around the yard the size of 8" wide and about 6" tall speed bumps! lol!! I was told it was a bit of overkill but I've got a lot of cedar trees and I hate brown recluse spiders, copperheads and cotton mouth snakes. Can't be too careful with those.

Kace

 

[dirtlooter]

actually I think that I know pretty sure what the food source is and it is nature. I was at his house yesterday evening and heard a lot of the very noisy Cicadas, large 17 year locusts are what some call them. They get very loud with their wings as they attempt to find a mate. He seems to have a very large amount of them this year. I know for a fact that they are prime food for the snakes as my grandfather had the same problem one year and that was what they were eating. The copperheads were even up in the smaller trees, the bushes and his grape vines after them. some of the snakes would have two or three of the locusts inside them. They can feel the vibration of the bugs plus smell them, easy meal. so it is like a constant dinner bell being rang.

 

[Kace]

That's true on the locusts being a food source for copperheads and there are sprays and other ways to get them away from trees, bushes and decks.

It just makes me cringe thinking about kids even going out on the deck or to the car with those copperheads around. I hope you figure some solutions out.

Kace

 

[Megalodon]

Like everyone else, I hope "y'all" manage to avoid being bitten. But that said, accidents happen, and this is a situation where it will not be a surprise. Have you contacted your hospital to ask if they stock a supply of anti-venom, and if not, where is the nearest vial? Also, have you checked your health insurance to see what parts of snake-bite treatment are covered and what your co-pays or co-insurance would be for different parts of the treatment? Would you be covered for an ambulance ride to the hospital? Nobody wants to think about these things - but it could be a good idea to start asking questions.

 

[Megalodon]

If your pets are still allowed outside, snakes are usually an iresistable attraction to them. I don't know if pet health insurance would cover snake bites, but it might be worth checking out. I had a cat bitten by a copperhead and driving him to the animal hospital an hour away was the fastest I had ever driven my pickup truck. It was expensive, but I am one who adopts others' cast-offs and I accept the responsibility for their care - even when it becomes expensive.