I wish our resident black snake would let me get that close. He's a real character. Sometimes he zooms through the bushes in the backyard just to watch the cardinals that nest there come screaming out. He once chased my dog back through his doggie door. But when I try to get close enough to pick him up, he just runs away.
Makes me miss our pet rat snake that used to live in our chicken coop back home in Texas. He wasn't exactly cuddly, but he'd let me pick him up if I caught him in a nesting box. Rat snakes are known for being mean, but this big guy (at least 5' long) was a sweetheart. On one cold March evening, I was locking up the coop and found him trying to warm his head under the wing of my favorite chicken "Edith". She was making strange noises, but didn't seem concerned enough to move, and the other chickens were ignoring him altogether. I guess it was just Edith's turn that day.
I have never understood why people are so afraid of snakes. They are so interesting and intelligent -- and pretty. What's the deal?
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