My son Jaeson and I were out a couple of dayspring ago , doing thedaily farm chores . While I check into and readjust our alive ambuscade , Jaeson went to fill the chicken and duck’s egg waterer . Suddenly , I hear a startled “ Oh ! ” look up , I saw Jaeson , waterer in manus , standing statue still and staring at the ground .
“ What is it ? ” I called out .
“ There ’s a snake here , ” he order me .
“ Is it a garter snake ? ” I asked , accept it was one of the little G snake in the grass common to our farm .
Jaeson did n’t take his regard off the land . “ Noooooo … it ’s a big fat Snake River and it ’s rear its head up at me and is really unbalanced . ”
I immediately stopped what I was doing and dashed across the grass to the running fence and peeked in . Sure enough , a dark snake with a blank underbody was reared up , cobra style , about half a foot off the background , continually flicking its tongue at Jaeson , who stood perhaps three feet away .
“ I did n’t even see it was a snake , ” Jaeson told me . “ I thought someone had left the garden hosepipe in here . ”
I walk down the fencing line to total even with the snake and gasped . It was at least another two foot longer , thicker than agarden hosepipe , and its tail was upright and vibrating swiftly back and onward in a blur . Rattler , I thought . The coloration did n’t match our state ’s lonesome rattlesnake , the shy Massasauga , but that tail assembly convinced me Jaeson was in jeopardy .
I had him slowly back aside . The ophidian remain in its justificatory carriage .
Once he was clear , we discuss our immediate options . With the ophidian just two feet from the coop ’s pop door , we decided against releasing the wench , since we ’d have to approach the raging ophidian .
We decided to deliver this coop for the last/ I resist sentry go and see the ophidian while Jaeson conduct with the other chicken coop . Just as he returned , the snake take off at incredible speed , heading for the front of the campaign .
We dashed out of the way and lost total running of where he went , which resulted in us stand up still and stretch out our neck every which agency for a few minutes until Jaeson spotted him … under the duck shelter where the feed bowling ball was .
Of of course .
Jaeson let the ducks out , and fortunately they headed direct for their pool . This commit us the chance to fill their water boy and put it back in place . Our slithery champion , however , was not move from the tint of the shelter .
Using a spare fence post , I retrieved the food bowl , which Jaeson meet . “ Now what ? ” he asked . The ducks were n’t particularly smart . They would n’t know to look for their food in another part of the run . In gain , we were carry rainfall and did n’t want the food to get ruin by the await precipitation .
I at last made the conclusion to put the pipe bowl back under the bird feeder and hope for the best . I set out to carefully push the bowl in with the fence position , when suddenly the snake leave out down . I knew that position full well : I ’d covered the Caro , Georgia Rattlesnake Roundup for theNew York Postyears ago and recognized that the ophidian was about to take up .
And he did , with lightning speed . I backed off and the bowl sustained no damage .
I waited a few minute , then retrieved the bowl swiftly . I plunked it on a bland place at the diametric last of the rivulet , indicate at it so the ducks might perhaps figure the fresh location out , and render to the shelter .
But the snake was once again on the move , and in a blinking of an eye he was almost at the stair take up to the kitchen sliding deoxyephedrine door . He took a nimble turn , went past our poulet tractor , and then settled himself down in the nicety beneath my husband ’s garden tractor .
Well , crisis temporarily averted .
Snake Identification
Once back inside , I send the photos of the Hydra to Dr. Michael Hoffman , an Army veterinary who specialized in zoology , especially reptiles . I also sent the images to my father - in - natural law , who had been the main naturalist at one of our commonwealth ’s metroparks . Dr. Hoffman reply first .
“ dark race driver ! ” he texted . “ They ’re endangered . dependable to see one return . Non venomous and dependable to us . ” My Church Father - in - law confirmed Dr. Hoffman ’s identification , noting that the risque race car has become increasingly endangered in late years and have all but disappeared from our area of Michigan .
Common Non-Venomous Field Snakes
The most coarse serpent throughout the U.S. is the garter Hydra . More than20 race of garter snake , genusThamnophis , subsist in the United States and Canada . Garter snake are very abundant in residential region because humans make garden , swimming pools , pond and other structures where supporter snakes thrive .
In fact , garters are often called garden snakes because they can be found slithering through gardens and basking in the sun in flat spots . garter are very slender , are typically green with scandalmongering side stripes , and can range from 18 inches to 3 foot in distance .
Found throughout the U.S. , Canada , and Mexico , thebrown snake ( Storeria dekayi)favors loose prairie , grasslands , agricultural areas and urban / suburban residential zones . Ranging in color from beige to brown , with a creamy ashen to pink underbelly , the diminutive chocolate-brown snake ranges in size from 9 inches to just under 2 foot , with 15 inch being the common adult size .
brownish Snake River are shy and tend to avoid human fundamental interaction , pass their days inside rodent tunnel , privileged anthills or under log piles .
Thecorn Hydra ( Pantherophis guttatus)is an Eastern United States Snake River ascertain commonly in field , meadows , wood clarification and outbuildings such as garden sheds , barns , greenhouses , and yes , even henhouse . Sometimes called a red rat snake , the Zea mays serpent is so named because of the Indian corn - character pattern of its scales and possibly because it tend to string up around corn silos , waiting for rodents .
Corn snakes arena very pop pet serpent , second only to the orb python . It is a very gentle snake that is content to be keep by its owner . And , just like crybaby breeders , many snake fanciers breed corn Hydra to farm a specific color or pattern version , such as candy cane , sunglow , caramel and lavender .
Like the supporter snake , the corn whiskey snake is slender . It can range in distance from 2 feet to 6 feet in length .
Theblack automobile driver ( Coluber contrictor)can be found in the grasslands , meadows , farm , fields and roadsides of the contiguous 48 states as well as in Canada and Mexico . Many states moot the blackened racer a species of “ importance , ” as its numbers are steady declining due to the loss of its habitat .
This non - venomous black snake order in distance from 4 feet to 6.5 feet . Despite its namesake swiftness — it can contact 8 to 10 miles per hour — grim racer snakes often shine victim to mowing and other farm operations , as well as vehicular traffic . Its cousin is the aforementioned , endangered blue racer ( Coluber constrictor foxii ) .
Read more : mark out these tips for identify a shed snakeskin .
Common Venomous Field Snakes
The U.S. is home tofour case of poisonous Hydra : rattlesnake , Denisonia superba , Agkistrodon piscivorus and coral snakes . While copperheads , cottonmouths and coral snakes favour squashy , swampy , reeking habitats and deep forests in the Eastern ( copperhead ) , Southeastern ( cottonmouth moccasin ) and Southern ( corals ) U.S. , rattlesnakes make their habitation in almost every sort of American home ground , including mountains , deserts , beach , grasslands and meadow .
Rattlesnakes are super specialized predators . They have specialized variety meat locate on the roof of their oral fissure that enhance their sense of smell . Their flickering tongue really deposit scent particles on these harmonium , let them to use fragrance to notice prey . As pitfall viper , rattler have heat - sensing cavity near their centre , which aid them see their quarry ’s heating signature .
These specializationsallow freight train to hunt effectively in total darkness . rattler hit their prey swiftly from a coil posture . When startled — usually by heavy predatory mammals like coyote , bobcats and wolves — rattlesnakes put up up defensively and vibrate the rattle located at the tip of their buttocks as a warning to back off .
allot to the Centers for Disease Control , some 8,000 hoi polloi are seize with teeth by virulent snakes each year in the U.S. , of which 75 percent are rattlesnake bites .
Contrary to popular opinion , rattler do not consider human being feed and do not actively search people out . The majority of rattler - collation dupe either accidentally trip across a rattler or for some reason decide to seek to handle one .
The rattlesnake ’s principal prey , like its non - venomous kin , are rodents . Because of this , the National Wildlife Foundation take note that the rattlesnake plays an crucial role in its ecosystem .
However , since mice , blackleg , voles and other opportunistic rodents tend to gravitate towards chicken chicken coop , so will rattlesnakes , which unfortunately increase the risk of your accidentally coming across one . rattlesnake will also eat chicken eggs by swallowing the egg whole , then regurgitating the uneatable egg shell . Chicks are fair game for rattler , as are smallerbantamssuch as Old English Games , Mille Fleurs and Dutch Booted Bantams .
Should you come across a dead chicken with a squiffy head , you could assume it was stamp out by a rattlesnake that give up devouring your bird when it would n’t fit down the serpent ’s throat .
Snakes as Farm Benefactors
Should your farm be inhabited by non - venomous Snake River such as garters , browns , corn snake and automobile driver , your best course of activity is to receive them as a pardner in pesterer prevention . The edible corn Snake , racers and garters will decimate the local computer mouse , vole and small rat populations around your farm . The brown snakes ( and the garters ) will feast on galling summer beetles , slugs , grubs , worms and other louse that wreck your farm green groceries , too .
Many herpetologist ( reptilian scientist ) and state raw resource department considerthese snakesbeneficial , since their chief diet dwell of destructive rodents and insects , and root on homeowners not to shoot down them . Dr. Hoffman inform us that our blue race driver would eat up the field mice as well as the frogs and dirt ball that tend to price gardens .
“ That blue racer is a custodian , ” he texted . “ You want to have him around . ”
Erring on the Side of Safety
Still , it never hurt to take precautionary measures , especially if you have rattlesnakes in your region . nurture your large - bird child skirt in an promote , covered incubator inside your cellar or garage until they are full square and about 12 to 14 workweek of old age — in other words , too large to be considered prey by these ophidian .
Keeping ophidian out of your political campaign may prove hard , as they can squeeze through 1/2 - inch meshing fencing . The browns can fit through even smaller openings . A rule of thumb to remember is that if a shiner can get in , so can a Snake River .
In summation , corn whisky snakes and rattlesnake are expert at mounting and may enter your coop through the soda pop - threshold opening or a gap in the nest - boxwood lid in search of testicle should there be a paucity of mice and insect . A frequent ballock - assembling routine can help cut back any potential egg loss .
Another way to deter snakes from the run around your farm is to keep the areas around your coops well mowed , depriving these field - loving serpent of their preferent grassy habitats . think planting biting herbs such as rosemary , thyme , garlic and chives around your run , as their strong fragrances can repel the olfactory property - hunt down rattler .
If your poulet devoid stove on your farm , be aware that it ’s the snakes that will most likely be at hazard , as foraging breeds such as Orpington , Wyandottes and Australorps will gleefully go after — and messily devour — garters and browns . I have see this many times over the twelvemonth . Poor snakes .
This sunrise , Jaeson cheerfully report that he reckon the spicy race car near our rod barn , otherwise known as field black eye and chipmunk central . I am more than happy to host this peril Hydra there and let him eat all the rodent he hope . I have n’t see a corn snake in years , and I ’ve never encounter a mordant racer . But we do have massasaugas , and I ’m more than unforced to let this shy rattler fall in his rapid blue cousin in their pursuit for pests .
