killed a snake, whats next?

[OilyPablo]

As with most internet forums, next is being chewed out for killing a snake.

Called.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

If you are afraid of snakes (some folks are) you need to study them so you don't make another mistake. It's one thing to kill a cottonmouth or eastern diamondback if they pose a threat or live on or near your property, but I can assure you that a black racer does more good and is completely harmless. As a matter of fact I'm surprised that you were able to kill it as they don't call them black "racers" for nothing. My sister has a thing for snakes (she's afraid of them too) and I had to point out to her that some snakes are completely harmless and should be left alone. I have seen hundreds of black racers in Fl and not a single one stood it's ground like a cottonmouth and posed no danger whatsoever.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Well, you just taught your kids to kill black snakes.
I know grown men who are perfectly sane about most everything, but they will kill any and all snakes of any persuasion. Has to go back to something ingrained in them as a child.

 

[35 Whelen]

No point in killing non-poisonous snakes. "They won't hurt you, but they might spook you into hurting yourself."

I found some sort of "grass snake" on the kitchen floor, a couple of nights ago. Grabbed the tip of his tail (little guy, maybe two feet long, thin as my little finger) and tossed him out into the front yard. Don't know what he was although I've seen his sort hunting for humming birds at a feeder--but our hummers have gone away for the winter.

I'm with Art. We are generally plagued with rattlesnakes where I live and I kill them on sight, without hesitation. But I never kill non-poisonous snakes. They're too useful!

Don't beat yourself up over having done it as I'd imagine we've all done it at one time or another...I know I have.

35W

 

[Sentryau2]

I dont agree with the "they wont hurt you" any snake WILL bite if pestered or stepped on and it does suck. (large pet grey rat snake) Flush with iodine clean good and youll be fine tho.

Bury the snakes head, wash the meat in cold salt water and then rinse in cold running water. Grill till its firm and a little black around the edges. If you want you can season with garlic, pepper and salt. Maybe some cayenne peppers too. The eel smell is fairly common sometimes you will clean one and it will smell like a old damp basement lol

Edit- if you kill a large amount of snakes you can also eat venomous ones, just make sure you have NO cuts while cleaning the snake (incase you busted the venom sacks), and cut 2-3inches behind the head. Clean as I said before with a sink full of salt water and just rinse. (gets the blood off and any fecal matter) then just cook well

 

[gibson_es]

Well, you just taught your kids to kill black snakes.
I know grown men who are perfectly sane about most everything, but they will kill any and all snakes of any persuasion. Has to go back to something ingrained in them as a child.

My wife took the girls inside before I killed it.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Good for you, do you want a cookie?

No thank you, but thanks for asking. I want to teach my daughter the difference between something that will hurt her and something that is harmless. You know, so she doesn't freak out over the least little thing and just kill things for no freaking reason at all except that shes scared.

If not knowing whether or not a snake is going to be dangerous to my one year old and my two year old is fear, then sure I shot him out of fear.

No that would not be out of fear, that would be out of ignorance.

 

[TennJed]

I say cut the guy a break. I am against killing non poisonous snakes around me house. For all the reasons mentioned above. They are helpful and not dangerous. But the black racers here in Mississippi are fast. I dont know if they techincally chase people but they dont stay still when approached. They will often come in you direction (probably looking for a good place to hide). Once as a kid I had one come my way and I tore through a bunch of thorny bushes by a creek to get away. Hurt like heck. One scared my brother when he was 10 and he fell down a gully and got scraped up pretty bad.

Call me all the bad names you want, but I don't need a black racer around my kids. I grew up in the country as do my children now. My children have no problem being around chicken snakes and water snakes. They know they are not copperheads and cottonmouth. But Most good snakes don't "chase" or "flee" like a black racer. You can teach little kids to be mindful of good snakes, but you can't kill the instinct of a child when a big black snake is hauling butt around it.

 

[Black Butte]

I suggested that harmless snakes shouldn't be needlessly killed in another thread and received a bad mark from the moderators.

 

[Sentryau2]

Killing needlessly is wrong, but there are some here that seriously need to calm down. One single snake lost from a species that is of least concern (in no danger of becoming extinct or endangered) is not a great loss.

He has kids, perfectly understandable to kill it. Next time tho, try using a stick to pin its head down and grab it by the tail and just toss it out into the woods.

If I had children Id rather them fear all snakes (atleast while young) then blindly chase after them Especially when they are that young, they cannot clearly identify the type of snake and all it takes is one mistake (say that black racer for a cotton mouth) and it could go south really quickly, considering cottonmouths will chase people away from their area (they are a breed of snake that can be highly aggressive)

 

[Outlaw Man]

Sounds like they're about like rat snakes are in these parts - so common we probably should be killing a few, though I'm certainly not a herpetologist. I did consider that at one time...

I'm not going to fault you for killing it. I've seen people identify rat snakes as cottonmouths without looking closely, and to be honest, I've had a couple that nearly fooled me. With family nearby, I don't know that I'd have taken a second look.

I applaud you for wanting to at least try to make use of it. That is teaching your kids something.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Killing needlessly is wrong, but there are some here that seriously need to calm down.

I agree. I didn't get aggravated until he asked if I wanted a cookie. But you are correct.

If I had children Id rather them fear all snakes (atleast while young) then blindly chase after them

While they're very young, I agree with that too.

 

[eddielewis]

If not knowing whether or not a snake is going to be dangerous to my one year old and my two year old is fear, then sure I shot him out of fear.

I would call that young.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I agree. A child that young should have a healthy fear of snakes. The child should.
I understand that fear of snakes is common and widespread. I have a friend that is the same way. He has the "the only good snake is a dead one" mentality and I argue with him about it all the time.

 

[Dave P]

I sure hope you know the difference between a black racer and an indigo.

No good reason to kill either one.

 

[ZeroJunk]

When I was a kid if we were out and found a black snake we would bring it home and put it in the corn crib. You would have a funky smell on your hands for a day or two. Sometimes they would hang around and eat the mice for a while. Other times you would never see them again. If they hung around we would name them.

 

[Sam Cade]

I sure hope you know the difference between a black racer and an indigo.

That is what I was thinking.
A $25,000 civil fine, $50,000 criminal fine and a year in the pokey sure would be a bummer.

 

[breakingcontact]

I don't know, he's planning on doing something with it so it's not a total waste. However, I do agree that way too many are uneducated about snake species. I've only recently seen a real water moccasin but every snake in the water, when I was a kid, I was told "that's a water moccasin!"

Some species are hard to identify, especially juveniles and due to regional/seasonal differences.

 

[ldlfh7]

The guy killed a snake around his kids..Big deal. I would have done the same thing. As for eating it, if you have to then ok but I don't see what could make someone want to eat a black snake...Nasty

 

[Art Eatman]

Seems to me that the important things are 1) Learn to quickly differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes and 2) Don't be afraid so much as be cautious and practical.

My grandfather bought some land, 150 acres, that had a fairly high rattlesnake population. For me at age six, his instruction was, "Don't walk where you can't see your feet."

That still works.

 

[35 Whelen]

Seems to me that the important things are 1) Learn to quickly differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes and 2) Don't be afraid so much as be cautious and practical.

My grandfather bought some land, 150 acres, that had a fairly high rattlesnake population. For me at age six, his instruction was, "Don't walk where you can't see your feet."

That still works.

Pretty close to what I told my kids. "Assume there's rattlesnake under everything you pick up and NEVER put your hands where you can't see them."

35W

 

[beeenbag]

Don't feel bad, I HATE snakes. If I see one on my property, it's dead. I have other means of dealing with rats to worry about letting black snakes have free range of my place. I have a little one (soon to be two little ones) that loves being outside. She just turned three and I would not feel comfortable letting her play around where I seen a snake and let it go, "harmless" or not.

 

[Sentryau2]

The problem with the cotton mouth is this, yes I stole these pics from wiki dont judge me lol. Sorry for all the links I just wanted to show how vast the coloration pattern can be, it is VERY easy to mistake a non venomous snake for a venomous one. Especially when its moving, in a dark area or you are not VERY familiar with snakes. I once grabbed a snake by the tail, that I misidentified as a common water snake, only after I had it by the back of the neck did I realize....."this thing has fangs".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cottonmouth_quarter.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cottonmouth_image_001.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Agkistrodon_piscivorus_5.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tiki3_cropped.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cottonmouth_Snake,_Gaping.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Juvenile_Agkistrodon_piscivorus_leucostoma.jpg

 

[Beach Nut]

I welcome black snakes on my property and would never kill one. We have
plenty of copperheads in my neighborhood (I usually see at least five every
year in my yard) and black snakes help to keep their population in check.
I wouldn't even bother the copperheads if I was the only person living
there but I have a wife and stepdaughter and pets too and I don't want
them to get bit. I never kill harmless snakes, in fact, I will usually pick
them up whenever I can to show (scare) my wife whenever I get the chance.

 

[JERRY]

Gibson es, use google to see what venomous snakes are in your area. once you've educated yourself you will be less likely to kill harmless snakes, and wont have "to take any chances".

just learn from this.