Snaaakes

[Bill Martin]

Give it a couple more months. Heavy rain feeds the weeds who feeds the rodents who feeds the snakes.

Hmmm, should have had you explain that to the Mojave Green I just chased out of the house and dispatched. Damn thing cost me $300 but now I have a 357 and shotshells. That's the fifth neighborhood Mojave this year, first ever IN my place.

[Mike Simanyi]

Whoa!

Activity Patterns: This snake is primarily nocturnal, but occasionally is crepuscular. It is active from April until September. In hot years, it may become inactive in mid-summer and may, or may not, re-emerge in fall (Stebbins 1954, Klauber 1972).

Sounds like you're at the *start* of the season Bill. Here's the nasty part:

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.

Stay vigilant!

Mike

[Ken Lord]

Whoa!

Activity Patterns: This snake is primarily nocturnal, but occasionally is crepuscular. It is active from April until September. In hot years, it may become inactive in mid-summer and may, or may not, re-emerge in fall (Stebbins 1954, Klauber 1972).

Sounds like you're at the *start* of the season Bill. Here's the nasty part:

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.

Stay vigilant!

Mike

This is the only snake that really frightens me and I work (or used to work) outside all of the time. They are the only poisonous snake I have ever encountered that didn't try to slink away. They actually come toward you.

It is early in the season, here in Orange County right now, snakes will be out and about between about 10 and 4 or so. At El Toro early you might actually see them more on the runway warming up. No Mojave Greens here though, just your basic diamondback and red diamond rattlesnake.

Be aware.

Ken

[Bill Martin]

Yeah, in my younger slimmer days I spend a decade in China Lake Mountain Rescue. We taught this stuff to the community. I've had several encounters over the years -- but not in my house.

i've heard of multiple Mojave encounters in Chino Hills State Park -- not all that far away.

[Will Kalman]

I live adjacent to undeveloped land here in Porter Ranch and we've had quite a few wildlife encounters including multiple rattlers, tarantula, frogs, coyotes, deer, bobcats, a bear, gopher snakes, and large hawks and owls. Outdoor cats don't last long around here. The scariest encounter so far was the very upset rattler on the back porch, not 9 inches from the dog door and maybe a foot from where the people door is. I don't like killing stuff but once they learn that a house equates to food, water, and shelter they'll keep coming back so I had to kill that one.

Found this handsome fella in our front-yard bushes this past weekend. Pacific Gopher Snake - glad to have him around as we are chock-full of gophers around here (and you can't get rid of them because their tunnel networks extend through multiple yards and elevations in our neighborhood - even a whole package of gopher smoke-bombs in my shop vac and the outlet pushed into a tunnel didn't reveal even a single other tunnel opening!).

[Jeff Shyu]

i need to raise a whole nest of gopher snakes in my backyard.. -_-

[Theo O.]

Try flooding them out.

I live adjacent to undeveloped land here in Porter Ranch and we've had quite a few wildlife encounters including multiple rattlers, tarantula, frogs, coyotes, deer, bobcats, a bear, gopher snakes, and large hawks and owls. Outdoor cats don't last long around here. The scariest encounter so far was the very upset rattler on the back porch, not 9 inches from the dog door and maybe a foot from where the people door is. I don't like killing stuff but once they learn that a house equates to food, water, and shelter they'll keep coming back so I had to kill that one.

Found this handsome fella in our front-yard bushes this past weekend. Pacific Gopher Snake - glad to have him around as we are chock-full of gophers around here (and you can't get rid of them because their tunnel networks extend through multiple yards and elevations in our neighborhood - even a whole package of gopher smoke-bombs in my shop vac and the outlet pushed into a tunnel didn't reveal even a single other tunnel opening!).

[Jeff Shyu]

Try flooding them out.

I have, it doesn't work..

at least my method didn't work..

i stuck the hose into the hole, turned the water full blast, came back 30 minutes later, turned the water off, pulled the hose out, and there wasn't even any standing water.. it had all completely drained away.

[Theo O.]

My favorite back in Africa. It doesn't even have to bite you

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naja_nigricollis


I have a paralyzing fear of snakes, I think it has to do with that garden of Eden thing.

[KJ Christopher]

Try flooding them out.

I have, it doesn't work..

at least my method didn't work..

i stuck the hose into the hole, turned the water full blast, came back 30 minutes later, turned the water off, pulled the hose out, and there wasn't even any standing water.. it had all completely drained away.

We live in a glorified desert and you're pumping water in the ground expecting it to fill up?

[Jeff Shyu]

i wanted to use the explosive method, but i don't think the underground utilities would like that.

[Max Hayter]

This beast was on my driveway when I got home today!

[Ken Lord]

This beast was on my driveway when I got home today!

Max - looks like a bull snake. They look too much like a rattler when out in the brush until you see a head and tail

[Max Hayter]

Gopher snake I think, but related to the Bull.

[Craig Naylor]

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.[/color]

Stay vigilant!

Mike

Don't you love the internet... it's even easier to find dissenting answers...

Wikipedia:

Although they have a reputation for being aggressive towards people, such behavior is not described in the scientific literature. Like other rattlesnakes they will defend themselves vigorously when disturbed.

Nearly identical neurotoxins have been discovered in five North American rattlesnake species besides C. scutulatus.

and... Contrary to popular belief, fatalities are uncommon.

I personally don't care what source is more or less correct. I'm terrified of ALL snakes, and lizards too. Their just creepy!!!

[Mako Koiwai]

Watch your animals ... don't know how though?! They're curious and often get bitten in the face/nose ... not a great place to get bitten!

Our cat got bitten by a small rattler in a front paw. It was all swollen up and you could see it was purple through the fur. Surprisingly he survived ... they can't give them anti venoms, which is just as poisonous to them as the venom, per the Vet. For the rest of his live he was scared of snake like things ... extension cords, vacuum hoses, etc. He would rear up ... and bat at it ... stupid cat.

Our smart border collie walked right by a 6 foot rattler at our place in Topanga ... thank goodness. After I chopped it's head off, it extended over my head to the ground when I held it up on a pitch fork.

[Theo O.]

... For the rest of his live he was scared of snake like things ... extension cords, vacuum hoses, etc. He would rear up ... and bat at it ... stupid cat.

Actually I'm thinking very smart cat.

[Mako Koiwai]

Batting at it got him bit the first time ... he should have learned to turn and run! ;)

[Arthur Grant]

Watch your animals ... don't know how though?! They're curious and often get bitten in the face/nose ... not a great place to get bitten!

Our cat got bitten by a small rattler in a front paw. It was all swollen up and you could see it was purple through the fur. Surprisingly he survived ... they can't give them anti venoms, which is just as poisonous to them as the venom, per the Vet. For the rest of his live he was scared of snake like things ... extension cords, vacuum hoses, etc. He would rear up ... and bat at it ... stupid cat.

Our smart border collie walked right by a 6 foot rattler at our place in Topanga ... thank goodness. After I chopped it's head off, it extended over my head to the ground when I held it up on a pitch fork.

There is an anti venom for dogs.

[Arthur Grant]

This beast was on my driveway when I got home today!

Where do you live, the outback?

[Max Hayter]

Where do you live, the outback?

Pretty much. Trabuco Canyon, which is essentially on top of Saddleback Mountain.

[Arthur Grant]

Where do you live, the outback?

Pretty much. Trabuco Canyon, which is essentially on top of Saddleback Mountain.

My daughter works out that way, Trabuco Elementry School, she knows about the snakes but I will remind her.

Saw a Mountain Lion last Thursday night on my way to an Angels game. We take Santiago Canyon road. Was in a culvert by the elementry school on the way to Irvine lake. Rains have made it abundant for wildlife. For me I am up to my butt in rabbits.

[Max Hayter]

For me I am up to my butt in rabbits.

TMI

[Jeff Shyu]

There is an anti venom for dogs.

that's because dogs are better, and cats are useless..

[David Barrish]

Max,

Think "Circle of Life".

The rain grows the grass, the bunnies eat the grass, the coyotes eat the bunnies and the mountain lions eat the coyotes.

"Big" cats are "Not" useless. Just very quiet.

David