I've seen 2 snakes in my yard in one week. I don't think before this week, I'd seen but 3 since 1991.

I don't like snakes

After seeing that 2ond one, I went into my workshop, got the hoe out. Looked at it, and decided it needed a good sharp point on that blade. The hoe is now sharp, and sitting on my back patio.

And don't ask me what type both were! One was tan looking, fat, and moving fast....right across my front sidewalk! I'd opened the front door, and was about to open the glass storm door when I saw him. I hollered snake and jumped back. My neighbor who was behind me took 2 large steps backward and was dang near in the hall! I don't think he likes snakes either.

The 2ond one was yesterday. I found several pics of him in a book. I think he was a gartner (sp) snake. He was brown, with yellow stripes, and skinny, and looked as he was as scared of me, as I was him.

I could put stuff in the yard to keep them out. But you have to make sure they aren't in your yard when you put it around the perimeter. I can't get that stuff under my workshop.

I just don't like them at all. I don't care about the food chain bs either. I hope there are no snake lovers here. My opinion (and my opinion only) is the only good snake is a dead snake.

If I see another out back, this hoe is going to grab that hoe on the back porch, and start chasing him! I won't stop till either I get him, or hit that tall wood fence all the way around the back yard! Thinking maybe I need to sharpen a shovel, and keep it out front too.

Did I mention, I hate snakes?

BC, my probem with identifying them, is neither me or snake sticks around long enough for any identifying. They move too fast for me to look at the heads to see if they are triangle or worm like.

I'll take a mouse over a snake anyday. At least you can get mouse traps at dollar tree. They are cheap enough to get a flat shovel to them, and deliver them to the trash at a 5 foot distance with that long handle.

Saw a mouse or rat at my sis's today. Her dogs were chasing it in a stoage room. That thing looked at me and he was shaking, as if he was saying "please help me lady, those 2 dogs are ferocious".

Sis's bf swears he's never seen a snake there. Says if anyone see's one, it'd be me while I'm there this weekend!

LOL, Sorry...I made it a point to learn to identify snakes, lizards, and spiders a long time ago. As an organic gardener and green house operator I had to learn what, not only to tolerate, but what to encourage. Many spiders and reptiles were very beneficial, but NEVER found even one good quality for a wild rodent.

There are copperheads around here, they aren't very aggressive. There are a few water moccasins,,they tend to be very aggressive. Several people I know have been bitten by copperheads because they stepped on the snake. (It wasn't like the way rattlers struck out in old westerns). My major hazard is black widow spiders, they thrive in my green house and I am always vigilant.

I don't 'love' snakes but I do respect them and I also believe that your fear is a greater danger than the snake itself. I don't blame you for wanting to be rid of them, just please don't hurt yourself trying.

MERRWID, I love your solution. Let our critters handle it.

Bnot, catch the snake and send it to Carol.
She can open the box in her yard and it will chase the rats.
Or I'll loan both of you my dog. He will take the head off your rats, and will fling the snake around like he was a discus thrower.
I had a snake stretched across the driveway once, just enjoying the sun. Hours later, when I looked again and he was gone, I took the car from the garage to go check the mail, which was in the box at the edge of the driveway.
I'm sure you can tell I have no fondness for those creatures either!

bnot
I am surprised to have a garter snake in my garden pond, in and out. He scares the frogs too.
It's dry here and we have a dog that hunts everything, AND there are no poisonous snakes in our country at all.
I sympathize. When we lived in Alabama a snake was something to be feared as the kids might come across it first.
All we have here are black widows, mosquitoes bearing West Nile Vius, Hanta Virus through deer mice and Plague from prairie dogs, all quite potentially fatal.

Carol, at least you CAN buy mouse traps! And you can pick the traps up with a shovel, and throw the darn critters away.

I haven't found a snake trap yet.

I saw another one yesterday. He was black, and laying on the step to my workshop. I didn't see him till I was about 10 foot away, cause of the Lantana bush. Well, Lantana is now ankle high. Sorry butterflies and humming birds.

This is getting pretty darn freaky for me.

I think you hate snakes, but I KNOW I hate rats. I can't stand the way they move when they run, sort of like a Roomba on steroids. I'll kill your snakes if you'll handle my rats (thank goodness no rats in my house since 1994). I'm so pitiful that I can't even dispose of a dead one. I had to get one of my daughter's friends to put one that the cat killed out in the yard in the garbage for me.