How are you spending this gorgeous Saturday?

[zina10]

I would urge you to call an expert to remove the snake next time, as killing a snake is an excellent way to get bit.

If there were any to call and there had been time...I would. This is a boarding barn on a military installation. Civilians can't just come in without applying for a pass. On top of it in this area there are no experts because sadly, most people just kill any snake they see. Out there at the barn most often you see snakes out on trails and on the wood line. Where they are just being left alone. This was a different situation and there wasn't much time to even think. I did keep the thought of people who mess with them ending up being bit in my mind.


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[AntTheDestroyer]

I find it hard to believe there is no one in your area to remove venemous reptiles. Of course doing a search for reptile removal specialists may yeild some results. If not you could check with general pest removal services, or find someone who is experienced with keeping hots.

[Craiga 01453]

I find it hard to believe there is no one in your area to remove venemous reptiles. Of course doing a search for reptile removal specialists may yeild some results. If not you could check with general pest removal services, or find someone who is experienced with keeping hots.

Although there probably is somebody in her area that removes venomous snakes, it seems as if time was short and a decision was made to protect the other people around, the horses, etc... Based on the surroundings and the situation, I feel the right call was probably made. Obviously, Zina is a snake lover and I'm sure it was extremely difficult for her to make this decision and act on it. It sucks that a snake had to lose it's life, but perhaps it saved the lives of the horses and people in the area...
That being said, maybe having somebody basically on speed-dial might be a good idea moving forward? At least if the situation arises again you can get them on the phone and see if safe removal is an option based on the timing, surroundings, the location of the specialist, etc...

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I find it hard to believe there is no one in your area to remove venemous reptiles. Of course doing a search for reptile removal specialists may yeild some results. If not you could check with general pest removal services, or find someone who is experienced with keeping hots.

Although there probably is somebody in her area that removes venomous snakes, it seems as if time was short and a decision was made to protect the other people around, the horses, etc... Based on the surroundings and the situation, I feel the right call was probably made. Obviously, Zina is a snake lover and I'm sure it was extremely difficult for her to make this decision and act on it. It sucks that a snake had to lose it's life, but perhaps it saved the lives of the horses and people in the area...
That being said, maybe having somebody basically on speed-dial might be a good idea moving forward? At least if the situation arises again you can get them on the phone and see if safe removal is an option based on the timing, surroundings, the location of the specialist, etc...

[rock]

I think there is an added responsibility and difficulty with this situation in a public area. She risked herself for the safety others. As stated, even killing it had tremendous risk of failure.

Even next time, speed dialing a professional and waiting for his arrival and giving the opportunity for the rattlesnake to retreat and hide offers a whole new complexity. The risk of an animal or child stumbling upon this snake at a later time poses a whole new set of potential grief and second guessing if the outcome is a bite.

In this situation in this public place with animals and people, the person who finds the snake captures or kills immediately. How good are someone's hot skills if they do not practice often?

Its easy to say you would like to find someone to teach you or start to learn those skills. However, the decision is made right now, yesterday, etc... Here's the snake, no delays, are you ready to capture it safely?

[AntTheDestroyer]

Although there probably is somebody in her area that removes venomous snakes, it seems as if time was short and a decision was made to protect the other people around, the horses, etc... Based on the surroundings and the situation, I feel the right call was probably made. Obviously, Zina is a snake lover and I'm sure it was extremely difficult for her to make this decision and act on it. It sucks that a snake had to lose it's life, but perhaps it saved the lives of the horses and people in the area...
That being said, maybe having somebody basically on speed-dial might be a good idea moving forward? At least if the situation arises again you can get them on the phone and see if safe removal is an option based on the timing, surroundings, the location of the specialist, etc...

I am leaving my personal feelings out of the conversation as there is no way for me to fully understand the situation. I am just encouraging finding someone more qualified to deal with venomous reptiles in the future, if not for anything more than for her safety.

[zina10]

Its ok. I don't want this to end up into arguing back and forth. On a snake loving forum, I expect be criticized or questioned about what happend.

I thought about it afterward, if there was something else I could/should have done. And there wasn't. There was no time to wait for someone. Not without grave risk to the horse whose stall the snake tried to get into, or the people / animals around.

In order for any civilian to get on the installation, they have to go get a pass. That office closes after business hours. You have to get fingerprinted and have a background check done BEFORE you get that pass.
You have to find someone willing to go through this process. Before you bring in someone like this you would have to clear it with the installation authorities. None of that could be done fast or easy and esp. not on a weekend.

On a search for rattlesnake removal service, I've come across "experts" that show a Hognose snake as a rattle snake and say they use fumigation to flush them out. This is rural Alabama.

That snake would have ended up in the stall. Or if pushed and re-directed from that wall, it would have ended up in the other peoples area. You take your eyes off, and they are hard to see, "disappear" until you grab for something or step near them. There was nothing on hand to use for a safe capture and re-release.

I know I sound defensive and like I'm making excuses. That is not the intent, it is simply to show just how bad the situation was. I definitely do not want to kill snakes. I most definitely do NOT want to be bit by a diamondback rattle snake, as I know full well what the consequences are. I hope I won't be in this crappy situation again. I want to apologize one more time if I upset anyone. That was not my intent, but I should have thought it through before posting. I accept if someone doesn't agree with what I did and feels it should have been different.