Do you kill snakes you find in your yard?

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Originally Posted by anatess

Some strange aggressive guy comes into my house and puts my kids in danger. Maybe if he goes inside your house you will try to "relocate" him. Sorry, but if he comes into my house, he is going to get shot. I guess that's where we differ.

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I am about as militant as they come, and I see what you are saying. But if someone breaks into my home, they will likely be shot, but if I am able to deescalate it I will. Same with a snake, or anything that I don't have to kill.

i would never kill a snake! i couldn't even picture myself hurting a snake of any species! we get the occasional rattlesnake in the yard. when that happens we just relocate them so the anklebiters next door don't get bitten.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I will say that over and over, no matter how often you bring up the "kids are in danger and always come first" bull hooky. I will remain stubborn on that fact, because someone has to.

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This will change when you have kids I hope.

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

This will change when you have kids I hope.

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There is a difference between keeping your kids safe, and being overprotective.

I voted yes, however, venomous snakes only. We have livestock, and thus, tall grass around the house (pens up around the hosue is for the silk animals), so, walking the yard to make sure that there's nothing nasty is pointless, as is putting up special anti-snake fencing on the fences (goat horns get tangled in almost anything small).

Last year, we have a purebred baby goat that we were talking about registering. One evening, he came home with the rest of the herd. Back end wasn't working right. We looked him over and discovered where he had been struck on the leg by a snake. He never really recovered. A possible $500+ gone...That, and I've been chased by cottonmouths a few too many times :|

On the otherhand, I havne't seen a venomous snake in a couple years now.

Old ass thread... LOL

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by Raptor

That, and I've been chased by cottonmouths a few too many times :|

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I'm skeptical. To say the least. Seriously, do you mean what you say?

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

I'm skeptical. To say the least. Seriously, do you mean what you say?

Later, Matt

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Absolutely. I don't use the word "chase" per say, but I have been charged by a couple PO-ed cottonmouths. They don't just stand in S-position waiting for you to get close when they feel threatened, they come at you a couple feet at a time, position, stare you down, charge a few feet again.

Granted the couple of times it happened, I gave the snake more than enough reason to be pissed off (stepped on a log that the snake was hiding under, almost stepped on a near-invisible mud-covered snake itself more than once)

I don't know if they would have actually tagged me, but they put on a very aggressive show to try to scare you off. They are the ONLY snake I know to actually move TOWARDS a human when they feel threatened. Most snakes pose, hiss, and try to run away.

I can't believe some of you actually voted yes.

i agree with serpentes. it would be one thing if a venomous snake was getting ready to bite someone in your family but for one to just be in your yard you would kill it. coming from people that are suposed to stand up for snakes thats strange to hear. you can call someone to remove venomous snakes.

How are we supposed to convince the general public that snakes have their place when some of "our own kind" don't even respect them? Quite hypocritical to say the least.

No way!!! NEVER.

I voted no simply because even if the snake is dangerous, it's not intentionally trying to cause you any harm, plus I don't believe in killing any snakes, no matter how dangerous or big they are. What I would do, and have done in the past dealing with copper heads & cotton mouths, I catch them, walk down the road, and set them free. If you have kids, I still wouldn't justify killing a snake, but that's my opinion. I would just teach them about snakes, and the danger. Although I rarely see anything venomous anymore due to a 4-5" kingsnake roaming around, and the help of me relocating them.

I do not kill snakes I find in my yard,venomous or not. They are doing nothing wrong. My kids are taught to not touch snakes they find outside and by god it works.

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Originally Posted by Raptor

I voted yes, however, venomous snakes only. We have livestock, and thus, tall grass around the house (pens up around the hosue is for the silk animals), so, walking the yard to make sure that there's nothing nasty is pointless, as is putting up special anti-snake fencing on the fences (goat horns get tangled in almost anything small).

Last year, we have a purebred baby goat that we were talking about registering. One evening, he came home with the rest of the herd. Back end wasn't working right. We looked him over and discovered where he had been struck on the leg by a snake. He never really recovered. A possible $500+ gone...That, and I've been chased by cottonmouths a few too many times :|

On the otherhand, I havne't seen a venomous snake in a couple years now.

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That is a very understandable reason.

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

Absolutely. I don't use the word "chase" per say, but I have been charged by a couple PO-ed cottonmouths. They don't just stand in S-position waiting for you to get close when they feel threatened, they come at you a couple feet at a time, position, stare you down, charge a few feet again.

Granted the couple of times it happened, I gave the snake more than enough reason to be pissed off (stepped on a log that the snake was hiding under, almost stepped on a near-invisible mud-covered snake itself more than once)

I don't know if they would have actually tagged me, but they put on a very aggressive show to try to scare you off. They are the ONLY snake I know to actually move TOWARDS a human when they feel threatened. Most snakes pose, hiss, and try to run away.

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Then we do indeed have different definitions of the word "chase" ;)

Later, Matt

Well if it is venomous I don't want to mess with it so I let my dad do whatever he wants with it, which is usually killing it, but then if it isn't, I will just put it back where it was or relocate it. I would deal with the venomous, but then that is really dangerous so yeah.

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Originally Posted by SerpentesCiconii

How are we supposed to convince the general public that snakes have their place when some of "our own kind" don't even respect them? Quite hypocritical to say the least.

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Sorry if I want to protect my animals..Which themselves can be worth as much as some of the ball python morphs.

Think of it this way. You have numerous bps that are worth lots of money. Would you sit around, twiddle your thumbs and let something injure or possibly kill them?

No!

I'm protecting an investment. Unlike you and me, goats aren't going to go 'hey, that snake is venomous. I should stay away.' They're going to walk right up to it and stick their nose in its face. Goats are exceptionally curious animals, which gets them in a load of trouble. A snakebite from a venomous snake will result in a dead goat, be it right there, or later down the road.

Unlike those who talk about moving the snakes, I don't have the balls or expertise to be handling a venomous snake. Calling someone to remove it? Pft. They'll just say kill it.

But like I said, I haven't seen a venomous snake in a few years.

NEVER IN LIFE!

Daniel

My vote is no. Anytime I see a snake in my yard or on the road I stop and either take it off the road or if its in my yard I take it way down back to the woods and release it out there. My children know not to mess with outside snakes as they call them. venomous or non. Both venomous and non venomous snakes do a great job maintaining the ecosystem where I live and I would much rather have them slithering round my yard then a ton of rats and mice lol. Also in my experience venomous snakes around here actually seem alot less cranky then our non venomous. I have had some really pissed off kingsnakes take a whach at me and Ive had some others muck all over me. But the copperheads and cottonmouths usually just let me hook them and move them

[QUOTE=Raptor;1123838]Unlike those who talk about moving the snakes, I don't have the balls or expertise to be handling a venomous snake. Calling someone to remove it? Pft. They'll just say kill it.
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you can find people that will remove the snake and dont say just kill it.. what kind of goats do you have that are that expensive i have a friend that has goats and i havent heard of them being very high priced. he told me about a goat that was pretty expensive cant remember the strange name it had tho lol.

Never found any snakes in my yard, since snakes are not likely to come down here from the mountains. Though, I find many lizards around such as Arizona Whiptails. If I ever find a snake that is not venomous I would most likely just take a look and it and handle it a bit, then most likely go somewhere where it wouldn't come in contact with people much or on a hiking mountain. If it were to be venomous, simply calling animal control to remove the snake would be the safest way. The snake doesn't want to die, and was probably out hunting for something to eat. And I always remember, it's us that have moved into their territory so there is no need to kill them for coming into our yard that once was their territory.

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Originally Posted by jparker1167

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Originally Posted by Raptor

Unlike those who talk about moving the snakes, I don't have the balls or expertise to be handling a venomous snake. Calling someone to remove it? Pft. They'll just say kill it.

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you can find people that will remove the snake and dont say just kill it.. what kind of goats do you have that are that expensive i have a friend that has goats and i havent heard of them being very high priced. he told me about a goat that was pretty expensive cant remember the strange name it had tho lol.

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Lol, like I've said in the past two posts, I haven't seen a venomous snake in years. I've just seen the standard colubrids and such. As for the goats, we mainly deal with Kikos; it's a breed that was imported from New Zealand. Here are some auction results from the associations showcase sale: http://www.hcrhorses.com/AKGAcatalog.html On the last page, there's a goat that sold for $3600 (shame there's not a picture, would have loved to have seen her). The majority range between $500-$700 which is about the average price for some of the more common BP morphs.

Relocation of snakes often has the opposite of the desired outcome.

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Relocation of snakes often has the opposite of the desired outcome.

Later, Matt

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That's nice, but perhaps you should explain why for the people on here who don't know. They're less likely to take advice if it's just yelling at them in big bold letters without anything supporting it...

I won't kill any snakes I find in my yard, venomous or not. It's good to be familiar with local herp associations or clubs in case you find something venomous (especially here in Phoenix) cause they can send people out and deal with it properly.

I voted no. We live in NE Florida right by swamps and several state parks. Inevitably, we end up with snakes on our property. I don't see the point of killing them, since because of where we are, more will always come anyways. Indeed, I enjoy finding snakes! Even the venomous ones. I've lived in areas with venomous snakes my whole life, and my family just taught us to recognize and avoid venomous snakes, and to keep an eye on where we walk. As for snakes in our yard; we usually just keep the dog inside if we see them, and wait for them to go away on their own. For a while we had a black racer camping out in our garage eating toads, lol.

Whenever I'm walking in the woods, I carry a stick to prod the ground ahead of me, and to lightly poke at any brush where a snake might be hiding so that I will give them plenty of warning to get out of the way, and I watch what I'm doing. So far, I've had no problems. I do relocate any herp I find in the road, and take it into the woods to release. That includes a coral snake, and, I suppose, would include any other venomoid, if I had the safety equipment necessary to move it.

I can understand the fear of your animals or children finding them, and it's really up to each individual to assess each individual situation to find the best possible solution. I, personally, don't like to think of killing an animal as a solution at all, but that's just me. I don't know how I missed this thread, lol! In any case, while I don't like hearing the "yes" answers, I also cannot condemn them. Unless, of course, they're killing animals that don't pose a danger just because they don't like them. :/ I would argue with someone who did that, lol.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Relocation of snakes often has the opposite of the desired outcome.

Later, Matt

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Its true, there are many delicate species that DO NOT take well to relocation and often die because of those changes. ( I learned about this myself not too many moons ago :) )

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Originally Posted by Hulihzack

That's nice, but perhaps you should explain why for the people on here who don't know. They're less likely to take advice if it's just yelling at them in big bold letters without anything supporting it...

I won't kill any snakes I find in my yard, venomous or not. It's good to be familiar with local herp associations or clubs in case you find something venomous (especially here in Phoenix) cause they can send people out and deal with it properly.

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Snakes, especially the ones that use communal hibernacula, usually do not fare well when relocated. The reasons range from not finding suitable places for hibernation, not finding enough prey, competition with other snakes/wildlife, etc.

However, baby snakes that do use wintering dens generally do better than their older counterparts.

Later, Matt

Well when I say relocate, I mean like down the road, which is only a 1/4 mile, but down at the beginning of my road is pretty dense woods.

No! I will not kill them I will relocate them. I do not have kids yet but I do have dogs and it is always in the back of my mind. With me having 30 plus Ball Pythons and 20 plus Bearded Dragons I don't think my dogs would know to be afraid of a wild snake. I would hope that they would start barking and and keep their distance from it. I hope! I could get Northern Copperheads and Timber Rattlers as far as the venomous stuff goes. I think I am more concerned about the four legged creatures that could crawl under my fence and give my dogs a disease.

I don't kill any snake on my property. If it's venomous and in the yard, I just use a snake hook and urge it to go back into the woods....timber rattlers and copperheads thrive where I live.

After working with snakes for over 15 years I've learned one thing, most venomous snake sightings are not copperheads or cottonmouths at all but harmless water snakes. Ppl know I love snakes and over the years I've had tons of ppl bring me carcasses of dead 'cottonmouths' or 'copperheads' or pics for a positive identification and not one of them has been a cottonmouth, copperhead or even a venomous snake for that matter.

Mostly northern water snakes and everything from rough green snakes, garter snakes, speckled kings to prairie kings and even a ringneck, yep a ringneck was misidentified and killed as a cottonmouth.

As for the kids, you have to teach them to leave wild snakes alone. Just as you teach them to look both ways before they cross the road. If one wants their kids safe, then one better lock them in their bedrooms and even then they can break their arm falling off the top bunk bed! And when that happens do you get rid of the bed? It's dangerous and caused a broken arm and pain.

Well i live in new york... So the only snake i've ever seen out here was a copperhead when i went upstate to my cousins house... But i really want to move to florida.. The only thing that makes me not want to move there is the venomous snakes... I have dogs, and i wouldnt want to risk them being out in the yard and getting bit.. The same way you wouldnt want to risk your children getting bit.. My dogs are like my children lol... So i would try to get something to maybe Repel the snakes away.. And if the snakes werent close to my dogs, or kids, i would catch it and move it somewhere else... But if it was too close to kids (family..), or my dogs, and i didnt have time to get a stick, pin it and bag it, you better believe im gonna put the snake out, b4 its ever touching kids or my dogs... If 1 of 2 things had to die.. its going to be the snake, rather than my dogs or kids & family, etc... But I hope I'll never have to do that... Killing a snake is really a desperate last resort.... I hate to kill anything thats alive... Except rats.... And cows.... Maybe even turkeys... And i guess chickens too... And.. Yeah ill stop now..

I wonder how much of a threat our native venomous snakes are to dogs. My stepmother's rottweiler was bitten on the face by a timber rattlesnake and, except for the pain and swelling at the site, the dog was fine. The vet told her to keep an eye on the dog and gave her some antibiotic pills. Her other dog was bitten by a copperhead and the vet told her not to bother bringing it in.

Within a few days of being bitten, both dogs were fine. The rott lived to be 12 and the shepherd mix 11.

I was very shocked at how many people, on a snake website no less, think it's okay to kill snakes. I belong to caged bird websites and none of those people kill the animals they chat about. Yeah, yeah, birds aren't venomous, I know that. But I think ya'll are blowing the danger factor of a venomous snake in your yard way out of proportion to the actual danger those snakes propose.

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Originally Posted by 9Catsz

But I think ya'll are blowing the danger factor of a venomous snake in your yard way out of proportion to the actual danger those snakes propose.

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Tell that to the goat I had that ended up have nerve damage in his hind legs from being bit.

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Originally Posted by Raptor

Tell that to the goat I had that ended up have nerve damage in his hind legs

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Out of context.

Later, Matt

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Out of context.

Later, Matt

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LMFAO, I seen that one coming.

i liev in north Mo so i dont find anything really but grters and usually a cat is carring one so I CATCHIT and SAVE ITS LIFE!:gj:

I don't, but the only snakes I would ever find in my yard, which I never have, are garter snakes. When I lived in the country as a child we had a lot of bull snakes, but we never killed them. In fact my brother liked to bring them in the house as pets and would "accidently" let them loose.

I don't kill any but if I found a venominous then I would kill it (I live in central Florida, only snake I've seen in my yard was an indigo, but my brother had a run in with a water mocasin.

If I came across a non-native, harmless snake, I would make every effort to catch it, QT it, and get it to a good home. Non-native animals to me, should be removed from the wild if at all possible, because they don't belong where they are, and are dangerous to native wildlife. Some would kill them on-sight; I think that it'd be kewler to rehome or keep one. Like if I found a ball python in my yard...
If the snake that I saw, was a threatened/endangered species, I would definately not kill it unless I was cornered or something. If it was a common nonvenomous, I would definately never kill it if it was native. And if it were venomous and I personally, or someone I was with, was in danger by it at that moment, then it would die because I am all about self-preservation. But I would not kill them on-sight. That would be like killing mountain lions or other dangerous, native animals on-site because they "could hurt a person." To me, that is wrong. Humans enroach on animals' territories enough as it is; if we are around them, it is up to us to beware. Accidents happen and I feel bad for people who get injured by snakes; but I am not about an animal's guilt until proven innocent.

well I live in SW Arizona and 99% of the snakes in our yard or near our yard are rattlers. I am so scared that my 9 year old is not going to be paying attention and step on it. Soooooo....I do not go anywhere near them. If we see them we call the Fire Department and they relocate them.

i voted no. i saw a garter snake for the first time in about 20 years up close. i was working and walked up to a house and saw the last 4-5 inches slithering in the cracks in the sidewalk. i thought it was cool. far from wanting to kill it

I've never actually found a snake in my yard, but I see plenty hiking in the foothills ten minutes away (walking). Rattlers, Cali kings, garters, etc. Even if I found a N. Pacific rattler in my yard, I would NEVER kill it, but I would sure as heck remove it. I've got 4 cats living outdoors.

I voted NO.

I live in the burbs as well and it is uncommon to find anything other than a rat snake or garter around here but it is not unheard of. In fact, there have been rattlesnakes found in grant park in the city of chicago. Not to mention the cougar they killed in the city last year. (for no good reason might i add)

So no. Even if i did come across a venomous snake i would not try to kill it. I would avoid it but i would not hurt it. About the only thing i kill is rodents (humanely) for my snakes, & the occasional spider or house centipede if its in my house. Those things just CREEP ME OUT!

I would if it were poisonous and near my door. Otherwise I'd pretend I never saw it.

Normally I would read an entire thread prior to responding but in this case i do not need to ebcause it is an opinion thread so here we go.

I would not kill any snake if it is on "my' land because the snakes were here first this is where they live. The reason we have "problems" is because we decided that we needed to live where the snakes once lived and now the snakes are pushed as far away as possible from us and now have nowhere to go. When I see snakes in my yard I just leave them alone or move them as far away from humans as possible. Currently I live in WA state but did once live in Florida and I never once killed a snake for any reason. There are many points of view and i am not going to argue with anyone on any part of that. I just state my points. I know for a fact that a snake will not bother being close to you if the yard is kept well cut because they do not have any where to stalk or hide. Any snake I have ever seen in the wild have either been in tall grass, under a log or other such item, or on the road at dusk when it is still warm. Ok done now.

I would not kill a snake if I found one in my yard (though I rarely do). My children are taught to stay away from all animals that they are not familiar with (even a neighbors dog) without asking. I was taught that if you don't do what you are told, there are consequences and if that consequence is getting bit by animal I should not have been near, maybe I'll learn. Being over-protective of our children is not going to teach them how to live in the real world. We are told by the powers that be in my state that there are no venomous snakes here, but I have heard several accounts of sightings in limited areas. I have caught several snakes at different places where I have worked without knowing what the snake is because leaving it there would have meant someone else would kill it. These snakes I just moved in a bucket to a more wooded, less traveled area of the property for their protection. If you really want the general public to be more tolerant of all species of animals, you can't say, "but that one was threatening me or my family". We, as herpers (and animal lovers), have the duty to educate ourselves (as well as the general public) on the best ways to deal with that threatening native species that does not involve death to the animal. If our fear of the possible threat makes it okay for us to kill, then anyone that perceives a threat from any animal should have the right to destroy it. Just my opinion. I am not a PETA supporter and feel that the AR groups out there are more of a threat to animals than a help, but I do feel killing creatures that we feel threatened by is wrong.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Old ass thread... LOL

Later, Matt

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Not trying to be rude, but if us newbies don't read/search through old posts for info before asking a question, people will respond to our questions with "why don't you try searching for that info" but if we do search and bring up an old post like this, there is always a comment about it being an old post.:weirdface Sheesh, sucks to be a newbie trying to educate yourself.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

I would if it were poisonous and near my door. Otherwise I'd pretend I never saw it.

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snakes aren't poisonous, they're venomous. (with 1 or 2 exceptions :))
I wouldn't kill one no matter what kind it was. If it was venomous I would relocate it for my own safety. I would leave it be in any other case.

I live in arizona with alot of open lots near me, go outside and pretty often hear a rattle I have not killed one ever just find me a nice long stick and point him in the correct direction. Now I do not own any dogs or kids that would go outside but if I did the story might be a little different.

In my eyes it is awesome to find a snake near my home. When I lived in the hills I found a couple of small (small as hatchling western hognoses) snakes. I looked them up back then and I believe they were juvenile sharptail snakes. Both snakes and I were lucky because I was busy with the weed wacker. They were gorgeous little things!

If I found a venomous snake near my home, I'd secure it and call in someone appropriate to relocate it. The only critters I ever knowingly kill without intent to eat are silverfish, ants, an occasionally a spider. :)