snake encounter --need advice!

[tvodrd]

I can only relate to SoCal reptiles- I know all of them (I think) and used to keep them in terrariums many years ago. The wild "food chain" is something to behold! I feed the Kangaroo rats at my shack. Their numbers multiply in response. My last (Memorial Day) trip out to the Mojave shack, there were no "Roorats." But there were 2 burrowing owl nests down the hill and and an extended fox family of about 7! (Had to count them at night by eyeball reflection. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

This was a fairly mellow individual I caught/released in the early '70's. I once was hiking with some friends early morning, and came across one all coiled-up at about 60degF. I reached down and picked up the coiled critter with essentially no precautions. Freaked my buds out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Poor snake had no more ambition/attitude than a slug at 60degF!

I managed to get bit once- it was a 12" juvinile and I was in a friends room while he was eating dinner with his folks. It got one fang into the index finger of my left hand, and I was able to squirt most of the venom out the puncture. Numbed my finger to the first joint, and if it had proceeded to the second, I would have sought medical attention! My finger wasn't really right for the next two years!

I hate and routinely murder scorpions! (Thank you Don, for the McR19 and Nichia UV head! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif )

Larry

 

[DieselDave]

As far as snake proofing.

The guy we hunted with that had a pointer would tie a genuine rattlesnake rattle to a thin rope and hang it over a branch on a bush. He would then put a shock collar on the dog. He used the shock collar for training as well once the dog was ready for the field. You wait until the dog gets close then start shaking the rattle. When the dog stuck his hose nose close to the bush he would zap him. 2-5 days of this and the dog would head the other way when he heard the rattle.

After getting his pointer struck several times over a couple of years it snake proofing became a necessity. We weren't walking the dog, he was generally 25-50 yards out in front of us working. The first pointer was probably struck 3 times its first year and once or twice the second year. The dog would swell up then get better in a few days. The first time it was struck the third year it went insane a few days later so he put the dog down. From then on it was shock collars and rattles.