She looks like she's smillingThis is my yard snake, Stinky. She still musks me when I pick her up so we mostly just nod and go out separate ways.
She looks like she's smillingThis is my yard snake, Stinky. She still musks me when I pick her up so we mostly just nod and go out separate ways.
Now, this pic is just TOO MUCH!!!! He's totally made himself at home in your shoes!!!! Do you think he maybe someone's escaped or released pet?
I like Fred! I think it suits him. Looks you've got yourself an outdoor pet congratulations!I live in a rural area. I doubt anyone around here keeps snakes. I first saw him several weeks ago when i was weed-eating with an electric string trimmer about 100' away from my door, around an old dead hollow tree. I almost nicked him before i noticed him! And he didn't seem to be trying to flee. Silly thing. I stopped and apologized.
Then a couple weeks later i saw him again, just a few feet from there. Spoke respectfully to him.
Then the next time i saw him was the 18th when i took that 1st pic. (I'm confused as to why my first post is dated the 19th when i had just taken that pic. I did not see him the 19th, then the 20th i saw him again.)
I named him Fred. He just looks like a Fred to me somehow. Better than Snakey-Poo, anyway.
He's back on my steps now, despite low-70s overcast humid weather. Another storm coming in.
Garter snake? Really pretty! And I admire you for holding her in your bare hand. Listen to me talk! That snake is so small!!!! It's not like she can kill you... See how crazy phobias are? Totally irrational
Well... Maybe Fred is a... Frederica? With belly full of eggs???Well, i last saw him on the 27th, except for a brief glimpse a couple days ago. On the 27th i built sort of a protective cage under the top step for him, so he wouldn't be so exposed and defenseless if an inquisitive dog comes around.
There is actually a hole in the wall he goes in and out of. I think it only leads to a wall compartment with fiberglas insulation :-( But he is secure in there. Intuitively, i sense him in there now.
Fiberglas won't hurt his hide, but he probably has inhaled a tiny bit.
A couple days ago he was partway out of the hole and resting his head on the step, but as i approached he got uncharacteristically skittish and drew back in the hole.
Yeah, i sure miss seeing him.
Well... Maybe Fred is a... Frederica? With belly full of eggs???
Wow! She does look different somehow... less black, more dappled or something ... Seems not as solid black as the other snake. And "skittish" maybe because of a "vulnerable state". I'm theorizing now, that this is female either ready to breed or gravid and looking for a safe place. Great research topic though on snake breedingJust a hunch Fred is male. However, when i last saw "him" briefly, i had doubts it was him because it seemed smaller and very skittish.
Then this morning i found this other snake there!
which i get a more female vibe off of, and have named her Angie.
I don't know anything about snake breeding habits.
Wow! She does look different somehow... less black, more dappled or something ... Seems not as solid black as the other snake. And "skittish" maybe because of a "vulnerable state". I'm theorizing now, that this is female either ready to breed or gravid and looking for a safe place. Great research topic though on snake breeding
maybe it's been Fred this whole time living there, growing, shedding...I just went into my crawl space to look around. Evidently the snakes have access to the whole place.
Here is their hole:View attachment 176629
I have seen Fred go in there a couple times. Despite that he looks too fat for the hole.
You can see part of the protective cage i built for Fred, although i have not seen him since.
Ever since i had this cabin built in 2012, i have had mice down there, and neither i nor the carpenters could figure out how they get in.
So i had a bunch of mousetraps down there, which i just sprang, out of fear that a snake could be harmed. Plus, the snakes seem to be doing a better job, anyway. I did find 2 dead mice in the traps, but they were old and dessicated.
But i'm not sure how mice get in because this hole is hard for them to access. But if this becomes a traditional habitat for a snake clan, the issue should be resolved.
There are also crickets down there.
In 2014 i had a smaller black snake living down there that is saw about 3 times. Then a few months ago, i found a larger snake skin right near the area where the hole is.
Looks like she has some red color on her. Glad she's making herself at home there. I love this thread!!!Now Angie is getting tamer. 2 days ago she was shyly peeping ar me with just her head sticking out of the hole.
This morning she's sprawled on the ledge. In the shade by the time i noticed her, but that spot would have been in the sun a bit earlier.
View attachment 176923
I talked to her and took a few pics. She did not seem alarmed.