Do you kill snakes you find in your yard?

[DutchHerp]

I was a kid, and we have Timbers as well as Copperheads up here. Never had a problem! I knew that if i came across a snake that i couldnt identify, i would leave it alone!

I say, have some common sense, and check your yard before your kids play, if they are THAT much of a concern and you live in a very active area for snakes. Take some initiative! Why not be responsible for your childrens saftey, AND animals by preventing a problem, possibly before it starts?

LOL... that is exactly what I do. If there is a water moccasin in my back yard, that sucker is history! Then he is fish food!

I think what he's referring to by being responsible is to NOT kill it... getting rid of venomous snakes is not hard.

[mooingtricycle]

I think what he's referring to by being responsible is to NOT kill it... getting rid of venomous snakes is not hard.

Thanks.

She! though.

[BMorrison]

All we get around here is corns and garters and the occasional rattler or black rat snakes so I don't kill them. I catch them and play with them for a bit and then take them far enough away and let them go. Minus the rattlesnake. I put thick gloves on for that - no play time.

In MI it would be impossible for a Ball or Burm or most pet snakes to survive too long with the night drops but I'd take them in and keep them haha

[DutchHerp]

Thanks.

She! though.

[temec]

i voted no.. i get lots of venomous snakes in my yard but i live about 20ft from a huge dried river bed... but the crazyest thing the happened was when an escaped yellow anaconda ended up in my garage.. it was my neighbor's down the street..

[redpython]

Even on a snake forum you get a lot of dumb responses about snakes.

Even supposed snake people do not know the snakes that occur in their own backyard. how sad.

Some rattlesnakes are very delicate, when they are relocated they often times do not survive.

It should not be a matter of relocating a snake, but a matter of dealing with the fact that you live in a certain species' habitat.

I expect the general public to be ignorant when it comes to snakes, but "snake" people...LOL come on!

There are 10,000 venomous snake bites in the united states each year. 8 people die. Your odds are pretty good of surviving if you are bitten.

The majorioty of the bites occur in a situation where the human is touching or attempting to touch the snake...in other words they could've avoided the situation.

True, sometimes people do experience death from a venomous snake bite, but your odds are much better at dying from some other cause. You are 500 times more likely to die from lightening than a venomous snakebite in the United States.

So, even if you do not live in a venomous snake infested area, you should lock yourself and your family inside your home so that there is zero chance that anything you encounter will kill you.

[_Venom_]

No snakes in Chicago.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

It should not be a matter of relocating a snake, but a matter of dealing with the fact that you live in a certain species' habitat.

How many kids do you have?

[Mike Cavanaugh]

another interesting fact... the poll shows like 95% of the people voting no. However the actual typed replies show many more would if it were a venemous species.

Relocating sounds like a great idea, just not one that happens here. There is nobody I can call to "relocate" a water moccasin. Also, to be clear, I don't live on a big property backing up to a nature reserve... nor do I live out in the woods somewhere. I live in a community with LOTS of cookie cutter houses.... the traditional florida kind where your neighbors house is literally 5 feet away from yours. No woods. Nothing but houses and sewage retention ponds in this immediate area.

[mooingtricycle]

No woods. Nothing but houses and sewage retention ponds in this immediate area.

All the more reason you can take preventative mesaures in your yard, to keep snakes out.

Jason made a good point, that some rattlers are delicate and do not do well when relocated, and that was something i had forgotten about. ( thanks for pointing that out, it should be mentioned to anyone looking to "relocate" snakes from their yards.

Your children playing in a yard where your native species might be hanging out, is not an excuse to kill those snakes. BUT your children would be good enough reason for you take a more proactive role in prevention in the first place.

There is NO reason you cannot find other means in which to protect your children from venomous species other than your own unwillingness to find a better way to protect your children.