PART DEAUX : SNAKES R- US II

PART DEAUX: SNAKES R US II

WARNING: SNAKE PICS!

The Eastern Water Snake up close and personal. My next door neighbor and her two small daughters were jumping over a small mud puddle in the middle of our dirt road driveway. The 2 girls jumped over and then the mother. They were just playing and it was the puddle in Shadow Shot Sunday that had shrunk considerably.

When the mother jumped over, the snake struck at her. It was just too much of a threat for it I guess. The squeals of laughter, the vibrations, and the movement. I shortly received a frantic phone call from the mother concerning this, and was asked to dispatch the culprit. I said I would- "Wink, Wink", take care of it.

The snake was making best use of her resources--(this is the mother of the one that was severely wounded the other day, that I had to euthanize!). Hunting frogs in a small puddle (where they happily congregate) instead of the entire pond, is pretty smart I'd say.

How to tell a Non-Venomous snake from a venomous one.

DO NOT USE THIS AS A BE ALL: END ALL SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE.

IF IN DOUBT, HAUL BUTT AND SHOUT! 
MY VERSION OF STOP, CRAP,  AND ROLL!

Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota):  A large (to 4 feet), chunky, brown, patterned snake with eyes almost on top of its' head.  These fish-eaters climb well, and are commonly seen basking on tree branches hanging above the Canoochee and Ogeechee Rivers.  Bites only if molested, swims underwater rapidly to escape.

Copright Barry Mansell 

http://www.stewart.army.mil/dpw/wildlife/nonvenomous_snakes.htm

http://www.trailquest.net/SNsnakes_us.html#faqS

How can I tell the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes?

There are only 4 species of poisonous snakes in North America; cottonmouth water moccasin, rattlesnake, copperhead and coral snake. Learn to identify these snakes from photos, and you can safely assume that all other snakes you see in North America are non-poisonous.

Are snakes really afraid of us?

Absolutely. They live in a world of eat or be eaten. They take one look at us and “think”, “I can’t eat this thing, but it’s big enough to eat me”. Consequently, they are very much afraid of us.

MY GAL: SSSSHISSY!!!

I'd say it's a CLOSE match with  the top pic yes?

 MAKING A GETAWAY--THIS IS THEIR NORMAL REACTION!

WELL ROUNDED PUPIL: GOT AN A IN PARCEL TONGUE--THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE POST OFFICE!!!!

HANDLE WITH CARE: THIS SIDE UP!

 ROUND PUPIL:

Nonvenomous snakes usually have a round pupil in the eye. Venomous snakes in the U.S. (except for the coral snake) have an elliptical pupil like a cat's eye. It looks like a small vertical slit in the middle of the eye. This can be difficult to determine without getting dangerously close, however.

http://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Creative-Commons

POOR PIC OR "DOUBLE ROW" OR INTERLOCKING SCALES AT END OF TAIL

SEE THE DARK COLORS MERGING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE AT THE VERY END AS THEY WERE MORE ON THE OUTSIDE BEFORE?

If the end portion underneath the snake is going straight across, then it is venomous. If it starts to interlock, looking diamond shaped, then it is safe.
Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Venomous-Snake, Herrick, Jack et all, Internet, April 27, 2011

NOTICE THE STRAIGHT ACROSS SCALES ON THE BEAUTIFUL UNDERBELLY. THIS HOLDS TRUE FOR VENOMOUS AND NON-VENOMOUS SPECIES: IT'S AT THE VERY END PAST THE ANAL GLAND AND SEX ORGANS THAT THE EITHER STAY STRAIGHT OR CRISS CROSS.

THE ROUND PUPIL IS OBVIOUS--BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO GET THIS CLOSE! AND IN THE MOUTH THERE ARE SMALL TEETH. IN A VENOMOUS SNAKE THE FANGS ARE FOLDED BACK IN A MEMBRANE- SO JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE THEM DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY ARE NOT THERE!

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT! SNAKE ED- 0.101

LOVE YOU ALL:

NEXT: HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT GETTING RIPPED OFF BY YOUR UTILITY COMPANY!!!!

NO SNAKE PICS I PROMISE!

JMc