desertdweller
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2006
Posts: 1,803
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Post by desertdweller on Oct 11, 2006 16:24:40 GMT -5
I can't remember who I was talking to from the RTH that wanted to see a picture of a rattle snake so I am posting it here. This year we have had to deal with a rediculous amount of rattlesnakes in our yard, they have never really bothered me to much since my brother and I had snakes as pets while we were growing up but this year my Dog got bit in the face. Needless to say, the vet bill was unbelievable and because of the way I feel about my dog, the whole thing was very traumatic. She has recovered but chances of either of my dogs getting bit again are pretty high. Does anyone know of any thing that has been proven to repel snakes? Any advice on how to snake proof a yard that has a chain link fence around it? Unfortunately, they really love our rock wall, (that would be all of our lapidary material we keep in the yard). I would greatly appreciate any advice, pearls of insight, little gems of knowledge, any anything!!!    This is my dog that got bit, she loves the pond we built.  |
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Post by docone31 on Oct 11, 2006 16:36:20 GMT -5
Wow, you sure built a beautiful turquoise nest for the snakes.
The best snake repellant we know of here in Floriduh, is King Snakes, or Black Snakes. They love Rattlesnakes. Here, when we see those black snakes, we relax. They eat fry, adults, and every Rattlesnake in between.
Rattlesnakes however, love mice. If you eliminate the Rattlesnakes, what will the mice do?
I really feel for you and the dog. That is a beautiful, well cared for animal.
Rattlesnakes love little holes they can hole up in. I might consider building a block wall just high enough so the snakes cannot reach the top to climb over.
The Western Rattlesnake would rather flee than fight. The Eastern Diamondback is agressive, and will chase humans, and every other thing that it sees. It will strike without abandon. They are large, and hit hard. The Pygmy Rattler is a very agressive snake. It will see you well before you see it, and it will hit without provocation! The Water Moccasin will also chase you without any noise. The Coral Snake, you have to work on it to get bitten. The fangs are in the back of the mouth and it does not open its mouth wide to strike.
Good luck with those little buggers. I hope you win.
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Post by rhodescabbin on Oct 11, 2006 16:55:30 GMT -5
Oh man I can relate to your problem. I have had two dogs bit and two very loved cats killed. A cat can't survive a hit they die within minutes. Dogs are very tough, worst was a Bassett getting bit right on the throat and she went into coma for two days but snapped out of it. Both dogs swelled so big at the bite area that it burst and the vet had to trim the gangrene away.
I have found several ways to cut down on snakes. One is to keep a shotgun in my rockshop. Always carry a prodding stick, literally go looking around your rock piles, sometimes a Rattler won't rattle unless they are touched...
Believe it or not chickens are a great way to deter snakes. We average about 3 dead chickens a summer from Rattlers BUT I find the remains of countless Young, 12" Rattlers that have been killed by chickens, they hate then snakes. Guineas will also not hesitate to attack a full grown Rattler but they are a noisy bird. The oldtimers here say free (Open) range some Weiner pigs. That does work but who wants hogs running around their yard. Chickens are by far the best in my opinion. Buy pretty breeds, Barred Rocks etc...They roam and root out rattlers and pretty soon the adult snakes get tired of it and move on...
As far as fencing, I have sit and watched a Rattle climb a (Snake proof) fence. I have watched them climb right up a barn wall too...
I hope some of this helps. On a note, Spring and Fall are the times that most bites occur as the Rattlers are sluggish.
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earthdog
Cave Dweller 
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Oct 11, 2006 17:00:19 GMT -5
To repel the the snakes, I would sit by the pond with a 410, or a 20 gauge and be a snake hunter by the pond.
Do you ever get them in the pond?
You need to show me some better pic of your pond...
Pond people are nice people....
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Post by rhodescabbin on Oct 11, 2006 17:01:39 GMT -5
I just seen docones post. I don't want to denote what he said about fencing. If a fence is built make sure it is slick, nothing can be on it that their scales can grasp as they slither.
I know about the nasty Cottonmouths from living in KY and TN. Once I had a Cottonmouth come after me while I was sitting in a lawn chair fishing. One of my sons spotted it before it got to me. Needless to say I fell over backwards getting away from it then sent him to the snake after life with my sidearm...
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Post by docone31 on Oct 11, 2006 17:40:59 GMT -5
Yeah, the fence has to be smooth. We had our palm trees pruned down in Punta Gorda. In one of the trees was a monster of an Eastern Diamondback. It was up about 25ft, in the dead fronds. I did not even think we had any, let alone a big one up in a tree.
We have two Bengals. They stay indoors. Period. It is sometimes inconvient, especially when the female goes in heat, every three months. Aside from that, my heart would be shattered if anything happens to them. I can only imagine what you must have felt like when she came home bit. It must have been undescribeable.
I hope you find an answer. Imagine if a child got hit. You have some beautiful land, I cannot see a sheetmetal fence bounding the property lines. Snakes also dig.
Try a search for snake repellant devices. Who knows.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 11, 2006 18:10:01 GMT -5
Jamie: I feel for you. Our ranch area is full of rattlesnakes too as we don't kill them because we operate the ranch partially as a wildlife refuge. I'm always worried about our dog too but he seem to keep his distance and bark like crazy rather than approaching the snakes. Then I catch them and move them far from the house. I've never really found a good repellant. When I worked for the AG dept we dealt mainly with habitat modification as a means to control the snakes. Eliminate the rodent population and remove cover and they don't come around as much but it's basically a crap shoot. They seek shade and water too, so short of a snake proof fence, it's pretty difficult to totally control rattlesnakes......mel
Incidently, Dale's advice is very good. Most large fowl do a pretty good job of eliminating rattlers esp Turkeys, large chickens and geese ( they give good warnings sometimes too). He's dead on as far as the rattling thing goes too. Actually there's a theory that pretty soon rattlers won't rattle much at all because the one's that rattle attract attention and get killed so don't reproduce. The quiet ones live to breed so natural selection by humans is gradually weeding out noisy snakes and favoring the mellow, quiet ones that go about without being noticed and killed....mel
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StompRocks
spending too much on rocks
Gonna need a bigger tumbler!
Member since July 2006
Posts: 263
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Post by StompRocks on Oct 11, 2006 18:59:24 GMT -5
Get some turkeys. They attack snakes just as chickens do and are bigger. King snakes kill rattlers but you'd have a hard time keeping them on your own property. I used to hunt rattle snakes years ago with a friend. One day we went to see this guy in N. California that had a large natural rock area on his property that we had heard from someone else was full of rattle snake dens. When we got there, he told us he had already gotten rid of all the rattle snakes 2 years ago by having the rocks dynamited and then he burned the area. We asked if it was ok if we went and took a look anyway. Well...we caught 8 large rattlers in those rocks within 30 minutes! Freaked him out!  |
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StompRocks
spending too much on rocks
Gonna need a bigger tumbler!
Member since July 2006
Posts: 263
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Post by StompRocks on Oct 11, 2006 19:05:31 GMT -5
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Post by ladyt on Oct 11, 2006 19:36:58 GMT -5
We had a problem with pygmy rattlers in West palm Beach. Two of my dogs and one cat got bit. Got them to the vet in time and they all survived. The cat cost $200.00 because he needed anti-venom. We put moth balls everywhere in our yard. In the bushes, on the grass, in the rocks. Everywhere. It worked. The snakes don't like mothballs. The dogs won't eat them because they stink to bad. Burns their little noses when they sniff them and then they will leave them alone. Give it a try. Moth balls don't hurt the environment or anything.  Tonja LOL My husband said to release the moths when your done.... men!! |
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Post by Jurrasic Jonje on Oct 11, 2006 21:04:09 GMT -5
I don't know anything about snakes. But I would love to come and visit sometime your views look spectacular....
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Post by cpdad on Oct 11, 2006 21:31:09 GMT -5
hey jamie...i hate snakes...but yet i play with them...the non poisonus ones ;D with out harm of course ;D...but there isnt much you can do about the rattlers...but give up your rock wall...or barn...or shed. when i was a kid in floriduh as doc says ;D...my grandad said he could smell the king snake in the area...and that the rattlers would be gone shortly....but yet he removed all debris from around the house...he said the KING could do only so much. i was bit by a water moccasion... twice!! (cotton mouth)...totally my fault for stepping on it....it hurts all to be damned!!!. heres a link....not a lot of help....but its pretty much straight up...scroll down just a little to read about what works and what dont. msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2277.htm |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 11, 2006 22:07:46 GMT -5
Jamie: Checked the Snake-A-Way label and it is basically just timed release mothball granules ( Naphthalene). As Lady T said, snakes don't like it but it gasses off fairly fast esp in hot weather so it might be a pretty expensive control method...mel
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Post by rhodescabbin on Oct 11, 2006 23:55:04 GMT -5
I have heard of the moth balls but never tried them as the smell gags me lol but if they work thats great!!! I also read, I'll bet, the same article on how Rattlers are evolving to be quite. I also read another where more (Stump Tails) No Rattles at all, are showing up. Thats a scary thought...
Both times my dogs were bit they showed these same symptoms. Shaking all over, glazed eyes, the bite area swelling so fast you can almost see it grow. By then hopefully your at the vets. Theres now a new anticdote that a Cowpoke was telling me about for his cattle dogs. Its suppose to be like a booster. Just give them the shot every spring and its suppose to help their body fight the venom if bit as Cattle dogs get bit allot in this country...I'll see if I can find out more about this shot...Also ya Turkeys-I forgot, they are the best In my opinion as they are so pretty and they get pretty loud when they come acrossed a snake, the hen Turkeys seem to be the most aggressive towards the snakes...Theres some good info from everyone in here...Good posts!!!
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Post by LCARS on Oct 12, 2006 3:16:56 GMT -5
How about an amplified multi-harmonic transducer placed in the ground to disrupt the snakes natural equilibrium, causing them to retreat out of range of the disorienting vibrations. Hey, it sounds just crazy enough to work.  I like the turkey idea myself, get rid of the snakes & have tasty vittles come thanksgiving, win win situation.  |
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Oct 12, 2006 11:43:06 GMT -5
LMAO- LCARS- my sister has a hottub and when the exterminator came by to spray for the Bugs (Houston TX is loaded with nasties) he found a nest of copperheads that were drawn to the heat and vibration of the hottubs pump!!!! He came back in the evening (when it had cooled down) and removed 6 adult copperheads- and put down snake repelent (mothballs) TOld her that Mothballs were the best manmade repelent- and that Fowl (especially Turkeys and CHickens) were the best natual defense-
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181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
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Post by 181lizard on Oct 12, 2006 12:09:18 GMT -5
I used mothballs once to try & get my dog to stop digging holes in the yard. (someone told me this would work) So...there I was putting these nasty oldpeople smellin things into the ground (sorry...but they smell like one of my grandmas use to) & following right behind me was the dog...diggin em back up. Didn't stop her for a lick!
I'd fer sure git a turkey or chickens too!
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yeahda1
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2005
Posts: 201
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Post by yeahda1 on Oct 12, 2006 19:59:59 GMT -5
Jamie,
I've read all the advice that was given here . altough it was probably given in the best interset I really feel that the only sure fire way to keep the snakes down would be to load up all the rocks and bring them for safe keeping to my yard in Michigan I don't have the snake problem here and just to be fair I promise to send you a picture of them once a week
Dick B.
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Oct 15, 2006 16:25:51 GMT -5
Jamie,
Not trying to be a smart a-- but the best way to get rid of Rattlers is to place 3 to 4 in. pieces in boiling water for 2 to 4 minutes. After allowing to cool, bread and fry to golden brown. The boiling sets up the muscles and stops the rolling around the pan thing . Rattlers are nocturnal and I believe the maximim / minimum ground temp. range runs between 65 to 75 degrees.
If you decide to go out Jacklighting critters in the yard area, the critters you can find will be usually moving from one bit of cover to the next, so, instead of a mind set of a coiled little bugger, look for a piece of straight stick as they will be stretched out straight when cruising.
The wife and I have an old fishing shack on the Wisc. side of the Miss. river. We feed half of the birds in the state. All the loose feed on the ground attracts chipmunks and lotsa mice.
The Miss. river valley is full of Timber critters. Timber Rattlers love mice and chipmunks. We keep a snake hook over the front door and a strong sealed beam on the window ledge next to it. The grandkids don't go out at night without it. Rattlers can be relocated but in the case of timber critters , they are known to migrate up to 21 miles from the den area. Be prepared to burn some gas. The snakes we've taken from under our porch in the last twenty years has gone down from the good old days but they still show up offen enough to keep me and the crew [intensly aware of our immediate surroundings] as soon as the sun starts down on the Iowa side of the river.
I am not a snake expert but I have read everything I could find on Timber Rattlers , The snakes we have pulled from under the portch have averaged 45 in, with a head the size of your fist and a body as large as your forearm . Learning their mode of operendi (hope I spelled that right) just makes good sense.
If you decide to bite back , I wouldn't advise using butter for your frying, the cells in snake meat seem to be open or porous and absorb a tremendous amount of salt from the butter.
Harley
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Post by BAZ on Oct 15, 2006 16:29:24 GMT -5
Always wanted to try rattler for dinner. I hear it is tasty!
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