What is the snake population like in TV?

[DruannB]

I was following a recent post on mice in barbecue pits and someone mentioned finding a snake in theirs. Has anyone else had a snake encounter? What type of snakes are common to TV? Should I be nervous, or only if I live near water?

[Bogie Shooter]

Probably no more than you would see along the Blanchard river!

Here are a few previous threads on this topic.
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/snakes-garage-67653/
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/coral-snake-112689/
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/snake-id-92767/

[redwitch]

Most of the snakes here are harmless. Black racers are the most common. To me, anything that eats mice and rats is a good thing, so I love seeing a snake near my house. They keep the vermin away. That being said, I don't think there are that many here, considering we live in Florida with lots of ponds around us.

[travelguy]

almost everyone that i know has seen one at one time or another in their yard. black racers eat rodents, and keep poisonous snakes away (snakes are territorial). we have lots of shrubbery and the snakes like that environment. i welcome them to reside in my yard. and my cat finds them fascinating to watch from her vantage point on the lanai.

[sunnyatlast]

Have never seen one here. Am careful to keep all screen doors and garage door closed, and have nothing they'd like to eat on or around the patio. The dense population of people and dogs probably scares them away.

I would never go looking for a golf ball in the rough.:22yikes:

[billethkid]

almost any discussion of snakes here in TV is about equal to the same subject back home....no matter where it happens to be.

Just because it is warmer here more of the year does not mean we get more.....maybe....a big MAYBE is because there is more of the year to see or find one.

Snakes in FL are a non issue/event.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

It's rare to see a snake. We've been here about 28 months and have seen a snake about half a dozen times. There is a 3 ft long black racer that lives under a rock near our neighbors house. We see him every once in a while.

[DruannB]

Glad to know everyone is calm about seeing a 3 foot snake. Poisonous or not, snakes scare the beejeezits out of me. If I get one in my yard, you are all welcome to adopt it. I will promise, however, not to kill it...or get near it.

[KayakerNC]

almost any discussion of snakes here in TV is about equal to the same subject back home....no matter where it happens to be.

Just because it is warmer here more of the year does not mean we get more.....maybe....a big MAYBE is because there is more of the year to see or find one.

Snakes in FL are a non issue/event.

I'm unable to think of another state that has Burmese Pythons. They do seem to be moving north, so maybe in a few years they will be in The Villages on their way to Georgia. :22yikes:
Are Florida Pythons On The Move toward Georgia? | OutdoorWriter.net (http://www.outdoorwriter.net/hunting-fishing/florida-pythons-move-georgia/)

[DruannB]

Read the python link. That sure made me feel more secure.

[buggyone]

Most common are the Eastern ribbon snake and the black racer. Both are non-venomous and good to have around.

There are quite a few pygmy rattlesnakes in the tall grasses on the golf courses in low laying areas. They are venomous but not deadly by any means. They can and do kill dogs that get too close.

You will find some but not many water moccasins and coral snakes on a rare occasion.

Burmese pythons have been found in Hillsborough County less than 100 miles away from The Villages.

Do not be scared of snakes here. You will probably not see them - but they will see you.

[llaran]

we have seen 2 dead corn snakes - a live garter snake and recently a yellow ring neck snake. i have heard if you have anoles, you don't have snakes, the snakes eat them.

[mtdjed]

All I have seen are very tolerant of us invading their area. Note they are very fast and can out run senior citizens.

[Bonanza]

While I have not seen any, TV is an area within the southeastern U. S. where water moccasins (cottonmouth) live.
Although no one may not have seen any, be aware that they definitely are around here.
They are poisonous!
They thrive in marshy areas and lakes/ ponds, etc.

In addition, snakes love to hide in pampas grass and similar type grasses.
Residents who have planted these grasses close to their home need to be aware
that snakes love to slither in and out of these plants and hide in them.

[Barefoot]

almost everyone that i know has seen one at one time or another in their yard. black racers eat rodents, and keep poisonous snakes away (snakes are territorial). we have lots of shrubbery and the snakes like that environment. i welcome them to reside in my yard. and my cat finds them fascinating to watch from her vantage point on the lanai.
We have a small family of snakes living under our air conditioner. I don't mind snakes. The Pest Control people said "Leave them alone" and we do. We rarely see them and have no mice or rats.

[graciegirl]

I am told that if the gecko's are on your screens instead of on the ground, there is a snake nearby.

[mixsonci]

All I know is that when I finally get to my house in Collier in January, if I see a snake near me or worse in the garage, you will hear me scream in Sumpter Landing, not kidding. At least you'll know I have arrived.

[lovsthosebigdogs]

I absolutely do NOT like snakes and they freak me out! Having said that, every snake thread I saw here worried me. I moved into my house 2 months ago and saw my first snake yesterday. He was very skinny and about 18" long and slithering slowly in front of my car. To my surprise it didn't really bother me. I got in my car and he went his way and I went mine. He didn't try to fling himself into the air and wrap himself around my throat and kill me (LOL) and everything was fine. I think I am over my fear of snakes as long as they were as gentlemanly as this first encounter and not a 8" diameter, 25' long python which I know I won't see.

[Lauren Sweeny]

Have found 2 small snakes under lanai front door last few days. I want to identify them...both were the same color,light brown,with orange markings. Ideas please , as to where to look on I pad to identify snakes in any future sightings. Thanks not afraid just curious...I am one of the few woman who actually like reptiles!

[Uberschaf]

Have found 2 small snakes under lanai front door last few days. I want to identify them...both were the same color,light brown,with orange markings. Ideas please , as to where to look on I pad to identify snakes in any future sightings. Thanks not afraid just curious...I am one of the few woman who actually like reptiles!


Need a photo.

[KayakerNC]

Have found 2 small snakes under lanai front door last few days. I want to identify them...both were the same color,light brown,with orange markings. Ideas please , as to where to look on I pad to identify snakes in any future sightings. Thanks not afraid just curious...I am one of the few woman who actually like reptiles!

Photo gallery of common FL snakes.
Florida Snake Photo Picture Gallery (http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/snakegallery.html)

[Madelaine Amee]

Have found 2 small snakes under lanai front door last few days. I want to identify them...both were the same color,light brown,with orange markings. Ideas please , as to where to look on I pad to identify snakes in any future sightings. Thanks not afraid just curious...I am one of the few woman who actually like reptiles!

If you actually see a snake it probably means you have something they like to eat and when they have eaten it they will move on. I don't particularly care for them and if I unexpectedly see one, then I jump, but they are really good at eating the nasty little things we have here.

Come to think of it, I had garter snakes in NH every summer, they used to get down under the mulch in my veggie garden and scare the h*** out of me. I have to believe every State in the Union has snakes.

[Madelaine Amee]

I absolutely do NOT like snakes and they freak me out! Having said that, every snake thread I saw here worried me. I moved into my house 2 months ago and saw my first snake yesterday. He was very skinny and about 18" long and slithering slowly in front of my car. To my surprise it didn't really bother me. I got in my car and he went his way and I went mine. He didn't try to fling himself into the air and wrap himself around my throat and kill me (LOL) and everything was fine. I think I am over my fear of snakes as long as they were as gentlemanly as this first encounter and not a 8" diameter, 25' long python which I know I won't see.

:a20: Love your very descriptive and funny post!

[Trish Crocker]

I've been here for almost 2 years now and I haven't seen any. I keep my eyes on the ground when walking on the grass...not for snakes but for fire ants! I'll take a harmless snake anytime over those things!

[Bizdoc]

Many years ago, I was at a AAAS meeting. Ended up riding in an elevator with (among other folks) Margaret Mead who was carrying a snake stick. Someone asked her why she was carrying a snake stick in DC. She replied "Because there are a lot of snakes here."

Not all snakes are in the grass.

[DruannB]

Today I was driving home from work in the little town of Ada, Ohio, and a young man was walking down the street toward my car. First I noticed his body was covered with tattoos. Then I noticed that he had about a 12 foot yellow snake wrapped around his shoulders. It was probably 8 inches wide. Life is never boring in little Ada, Ohio. Oh, new question...how much danger are my medium sized dogs going to be in with snakes in TV?

[Steve9930]

I'd worry more about the Black Widow Spiders then the snakes.

[DruannB]

OK. With Black Widow Spiders around my husband is going to want to buy himself a plastic bubble to live in. Seriously?

[collie1228]

First of all, snakes give me the willies, venomous or not. We have lived in our courtyard villa for two years now, and never saw a snake - until last week. Our beagle, Bob, was standing at the sliding patio doors, growling and bobbing his head up and down when we noticed there was a 3' black snake outside the door bobbing his head up and down at the door seal, apparently looking for a way to get inside. I ran to the garage, got a rake, and went into the yard to chase it away. I was able to get it moving (wow do those black racers go fast), but it got up into a bushy plant where I couldn't see it, so I left it there. As far as I know, it's gone now. I'll give it one chance to vacate the yard, but if I see it out there again, it'll be history (if I can catch it). Snakes are beneficial, but I can't stand the thought of one living in my yard.

[pbkmaine]

We had a little baby one swimming in our pool. We fished it out with the skimmer and sent it on his way. Love snakes. Very beneficial.

[buggyone]

Today I was driving home from work in the little town of Ada, Ohio, and a young man was walking down the street toward my car. First I noticed his body was covered with tattoos. Then I noticed that he had about a 12 foot yellow snake wrapped around his shoulders. It was probably 8 inches wide. Life is never boring in little Ada, Ohio. Oh, new question...how much danger are my medium sized dogs going to be in with snakes in TV?

One of the trivia questions I usually include in my contests deals with Ada, Ohio.

What brand of football is used in all NFL games? It is Wilson and they are manufactured in Ada, Ohio.

The snake was an albino Burmese python most likely. They do not make good pets. A few years ago, in Oxford, Florida, just outside The Villages, a 2 year old child was killed and partially eaten by his parent's pet python. The parents are now in prison for manslaughter.

Your dog will be safe IF you keep him on a leash at all times and do not go in the tall grasses.