Black Snakes

[fritzgb1]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

[bobdeb]

Black racers. Good to have around your yard. I've seen a good number of them. Never heard of them coming inside.

[DonH57]

I simply keep the garage screens closed when I do have the garage door itself up. I know some homes don't have garage screens but recommend them.

[vintageogauge]

If there is nothing to eat in your garage it will leave. We had two large ones recently that ate all of the anoles and then I never saw them again however more anoles came back.

[DAVES]

If there is nothing to eat in your garage it will leave. We had two large ones recently that ate all of the anoles and then I never saw them again however more anoles came back.

Far from an expert. I have never seen two. Perhaps, a mating pair? Snakes, and lizards (anoles) are cold blooded. They are tied to temperature for everything. Mating, eating even potential speed.

[Mortal1]

I've removed a few from my garage that got stuck in the bug traps. Removed one from the kitchen and one from a bush we were removing(it was into a birds nest). I took it out and released it. I bought a snake stick for that purpose. They are useful.

[davefin]

Get some "Snake B Gone" from Ortho. Sold at ACE Hardware. Sprinkle around foundation of the house. Have used it for a couple of years now. And, yes, there are many Southeastern Black Racers in my neighborhood, just not next to my home.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I'm glad we have black snakes in our area. It means we're less likely to find cockroaches in the house. We have roach baits anyway near the dishwasher and under the sinks but the fewer I have to see, the better. Those little buggers don't care how clean your house is. If they can get in, they'll get in. Snakes are welcome ANYWHERE on my property. But I'll get them back out where they need to be, if they sneak into the house or shed/golf cart garage.

[vintageogauge]

Far from an expert. I have never seen two. Perhaps, a mating pair? Snakes, and lizards (anoles) are cold blooded. They are tied to temperature for everything. Mating, eating even potential speed.

There were two, one was longer than the other and both of them had mocking birds chase them from the pond up to our lanai shrubs where they hid and the birds then left, 2 snakes, 2 mocking birds both at the same time. I then saw them off and on for about 2 weeks, this was in late April and now they are gone. I never claimed to be an expert just sharing my experience.

[ureout]

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I had both of these, the orange 1 on back lanai about 2 yrs ago
and black one last year in front wrapped around a planter near living room window

[Blueblaze]

I was sitting in my lanai yesterday, when all of a sudden there was commotion in the hedges. I got up to see what was going on, and the family of thrushes that live in there came flying out. A few seconds later, a little 2' black snake slithered out, saw me, and instead of running the other way, he zoomed right past my dog towards me and then dove for cover in the Mexican Petunias next to the lanai door where I'd been standing a moment before. If I hadn't somehow levitated back inside the door, he'd have probably run over my foot.

It was weird. I've never seen birds be so afraid of such a little snake, or such little snake charge a human like that. He must just get a kick out of terrorizing his neighbors. I caught a good enough glimpse to be sure he wasn't poisonous, so I figure he must be a black racer, which we don't have in Texas. I hope he eats the giant cockroaches and leave the lizards alone. Some of them are practically pets. And I can't wait to see him pull that charging stunt on my wife. I'll be peeling her off the ceiling!

Snakes have a lot more personality than you'd think.

We used to have a big Texas rat snake that would hang out around our chicken coop back home, and swipe an egg every now and then. He got so tame I could nearly get close enough to pick him up. One evening I was locking up the coop and my favorite chicken was sitting on her roost making this weird low noise and squirming around like she didn't know what to do. That rat snake had his head under her wing, and was checking her out, like he was groping around looking for something. I grabbed his tail and he whipped around and reared back like he was going to bite, so I let him go and he just slithered off real slow, just to show me he wasn't the least bit scared. I'm not sure what the heck he was doing to my chicken, but I have a feeling it's illegal in most states!

[graciegirl]

I was sitting in my lanai yesterday, when all of a sudden there was commotion in the hedges. I got up to see what was going on, and the family of thrushes that live in there came flying out. A few seconds later, a little 2' black snake slithered out, saw me, and instead of running the other way, he zoomed right past my dog towards me and then dove for cover in the Mexican Petunias next to the lanai door where I'd been standing a moment before. If I hadn't somehow levitated back inside the door, he'd have probably run over my foot.

It was weird. I've never seen birds be so afraid of such a little snake, or such little snake charge a human like that. He must just get a kick out of terrorizing his neighbors. I caught a good enough glimpse to be sure he wasn't poisonous, so I figure he must be a black racer, which we don't have in Texas. I hope he eats the giant cockroaches and leave the lizards alone. Some of them are practically pets. And I can't wait to see him pull that charging stunt on my wife. I'll be peeling her off the ceiling!

Snakes have a lot more personality than you'd think.

We used to have a big Texas rat snake that would hang out around our chicken coop back home, and swipe an egg every now and then. He got so tame I could nearly get close enough to pick him up. One evening I was locking up the coop and my favorite chicken was sitting on her roost making this weird low noise and squirming around like she didn't know what to do. That rat snake had his head under her wing, and was checking her out, like he was groping around looking for something. I grabbed his tail and he whipped around and reared back like he was going to bite, so I let him go and he just slithered off real slow, just to show me he wasn't the least bit scared. I'm not sure what the heck he was doing to my chicken, but I have a feeling it's illegal in most states!

Hmmmmm. Are you the same guy who said snakes could come up through your toilet??? That altered MY LIFE for a long spell. Danged boys.

[ureout]

Hmmmmm. Are you the same guy who said snakes could come up through your toilet??? That altered MY LIFE for a long spell. Danged boys.

Gracie, that's just the bigger snakes... the baby ones come up thru the sink and shower drains

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

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I had both of these, the orange 1 on back lanai about 2 yrs ago
and black one last year in front wrapped around a planter near living room window

The top one looks like a copperhead. They're venomous, but not aggressive and their venom is not deadly to humans (unless you're allergic, obviously). But because they -are- venomous, if you see it again, get in touch with the local wildlife folks and have them try and capture it. Do NOT try to capture it yourself.

[stanley]

The top one looks like a copperhead. They're venomous, but not aggressive and their venom is not deadly to humans (unless you're allergic, obviously). But because they -are- venomous, if you see it again, get in touch with the local wildlife folks and have them try and capture it. Do NOT try to capture it yourself.


Red meets yellow...dangerous fellow...............red meets black....friend of Jack

[Retiring]

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89635

I had both of these, the orange 1 on back lanai about 2 yrs ago
and black one last year in front wrapped around a planter near living room window

When I see posts like this I say, what did I get myself into moving into TV. If snakes show up in my garage or house or front door, I’m moving and I will wish everyone in TV a long healthy life. I will go a little further north where it’s cooler and fewer snakes.

[Retiring]

Get some "Snake B Gone" from Ortho. Sold at ACE Hardware. Sprinkle around foundation of the house. Have used it for a couple of years now. And, yes, there are many Southeastern Black Racers in my neighborhood, just not next to my home.

Is that the same stuff as Snake A Way, i.e. ground moth balls? I’ve heard Snake A Way works well.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Red meets yellow...dangerous fellow...............red meets black....friend of Jack

It could also be just a mundane corn snake. You'll find some of those around in Florida too. They're not venomous or aggressive, and are often mistaken for copperheads.

It's still a good idea to not try and capture one, or catch/release, and instead get a wildlife professional to handle it.

If you kill it and it's a corn snake, you'll be killing a harmless animal that's actually good for humans, since it keeps the rodent population down. If you don't kill it and it bites you and it's a copperhead, you could be in a lot of pain for a couple of weeks.

[Velvet]

Snakes are sort of like dogs, some are aggressive and some are not. Up north, my school had several pet snakes. The young students were introduced to them so they would have no fear of the harmless kinds of snakes. And to be wary of the other kinds.

However, I do not like snakes of any kind in my home. One of the first things I bought was long thongs to gently pick up any potential snake to take outside.

[maggie1]

Red meets yellow...dangerous fellow...............red meets black....friend of Jack

I believe that's a warning for a coral snake, not a copperhead.

[MollyJo]

Gracie, that's just the bigger snakes... the baby ones come up thru the sink and shower drains

Stop, just stop!

[kendi]

Yuch!! roaches!! We’ve never had them in TV ..... have never even seen one for that matter. Deans does a great job of keeping the bugs away from our house.

[Corvette]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

I use Ortho Snake Be Gone in our yard but after finding a black snack in our garage about 3 years ago I now pour a strip in front of the door in the garage that leads into the house. Every few months I sweep up the old and replace it with new. Gives me piece of mind!

[Jima64]

Is that the same stuff as Snake A Way, i.e. ground moth balls? I’ve heard Snake A Way works well.

The same stuff.

[Homosassa Steve]

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89635

I had both of these, the orange 1 on back lanai about 2 yrs ago
and black one last year in front wrapped around a planter near living room window

That’s a nice looking Red Rat Snake. Also cool curious Black Racer.

[stanley]

I believe that's a warning for a coral snake, not a copperhead.


Correct

[Homosassa Steve]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

For anybody who wants help with identifying and being educated on snakes in Florida, highly recommend joining a FB group called ‘What kind of snake is this? Florida’. Includes top snake experts in the state who rapidly identify snakes. Good way to learn about the six venomous snakes in the state as well as the many many nonvenomous snakes. If you see a snake, take a pic, post it, and within a minute or so you’ll get an expert or ten to respond.

[Homosassa Steve]

It could also be just a mundane corn snake. You'll find some of those around in Florida too. They're not venomous or aggressive, and are often mistaken for copperheads.

It's still a good idea to not try and capture one, or catch/release, and instead get a wildlife professional to handle it.

If you kill it and it's a corn snake, you'll be killing a harmless animal that's actually good for humans, since it keeps the rodent population down. If you don't kill it and it bites you and it's a copperhead, you could be in a lot of pain for a couple of weeks.

Agree that’s a Corn Snake, also known as a Red Rat Snake. Harmless and good to have around.

[LucyP]

You can buy snake repellent at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Just sprinkle around at entryway to garage . It does help. I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

[Homosassa Steve]

The top one looks like a copperhead. They're venomous, but not aggressive and their venom is not deadly to humans (unless you're allergic, obviously). But because they -are- venomous, if you see it again, get in touch with the local wildlife folks and have them try and capture it. Do NOT try to capture it yourself.

The Copperhead is often mistaken for the Red Rat Snake, also known as Corn Snake, and some water snakes. They Copperhead is only found in the panhandle and part of central FL in the state. Here is a pic of their range.

[tlb50]

The top one looks like a copperhead. They're venomous, but not aggressive and their venom is not deadly to humans (unless you're allergic, obviously). But because they -are- venomous, if you see it again, get in touch with the local wildlife folks and have them try and capture it. Do NOT try to capture it yourself.
It's a corn snake. Totally harmless.

[La lamy]

I was sitting in my lanai yesterday, when all of a sudden there was commotion in the hedges. I got up to see what was going on, and the family of thrushes that live in there came flying out. A few seconds later, a little 2' black snake slithered out, saw me, and instead of running the other way, he zoomed right past my dog towards me and then dove for cover in the Mexican Petunias next to the lanai door where I'd been standing a moment before. If I hadn't somehow levitated back inside the door, he'd have probably run over my foot.

It was weird. I've never seen birds be so afraid of such a little snake, or such little snake charge a human like that. He must just get a kick out of terrorizing his neighbors. I caught a good enough glimpse to be sure he wasn't poisonous, so I figure he must be a black racer, which we don't have in Texas. I hope he eats the giant cockroaches and leave the lizards alone. Some of them are practically pets. And I can't wait to see him pull that charging stunt on my wife. I'll be peeling her off the ceiling!

Snakes have a lot more personality than you'd think.

We used to have a big Texas rat snake that would hang out around our chicken coop back home, and swipe an egg every now and then. He got so tame I could nearly get close enough to pick him up. One evening I was locking up the coop and my favorite chicken was sitting on her roost making this weird low noise and squirming around like she didn't know what to do. That rat snake had his head under her wing, and was checking her out, like he was groping around looking for something. I grabbed his tail and he whipped around and reared back like he was going to bite, so I let him go and he just slithered off real slow, just to show me he wasn't the least bit scared. I'm not sure what the heck he was doing to my chicken, but I have a feeling it's illegal in most states!
WHOA That's quite the tale!

[jem007fl]

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89635

I had both of these, the orange 1 on back lanai about 2 yrs ago
and black one last year in front wrapped around a planter near living room window
That is definitely not black racer, the head is way too big and the snake itself is too fat. Not sure about the orange snake could be a corn snake or copperhead

[chasandvalr]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

Keep your doors closed.

[DaleDivine]

That is definitely not black racer, the head is way too big and the snake itself is too fat. Not sure about the orange snake could be a corn snake or copperhead
It looks like a black snake. The close up might just be making it look bigger than it actually is.
:coolsmiley::coolsmiley:

[jfkilduff]

Catch it or scoot it outside

[OhioBuckeye]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.. I was told if you see snakes in or around your home you have a rodent problem. Yes the Black snakes are harmless, but to some people they’re creepy!

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

When I went to initial Green Beret training in 1961 they had us bite the heads of little snakes , which gave us to the rest of Fort Bragg the nickname snake eaters . Anyway the theory was that if you bit off the head of a poisonous snake because you had no knife it would be safe to eat. The real reason was just to screw with you . FYI it didn’t taste like chicken

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

When I went to initial Green Beret training in 1961 they had us bite the heads of little snakes , which gave us to the rest of Fort Bragg the nickname snake eaters . Anyway the theory was that if you bit off the head of a poisonous snake because you had no knife it would be safe to eat. The real reason was just to screw with you . FYI it didn’t taste like chicken

I was riding in Big Sky Montana with a rancher through some winter-wheat fields a dozen years ago. He suddenly stopped his horse and had me hold the reins. He hopped off, grabbed a rock, and threw it hard around 2 yards away from where he was standing. Then he approached that spot, picked up a stunned rattlesnake, twisted its head, and used a field knife to cut the tail off. He stuck the tail in his pocket and we continued our ride.

He kept the tails for good luck, he said. He's never been bitten by a snake.

[Briand]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

I thought you’d all enjoy this wee video of a couple of Black Rat snakes making ‘whoopee’ in our garden on the Historic side…..I had never seen this activity between snakes before.

[Briand]

Looks as though one can’t post videos……pity, it was quite interesting and I believe a fairly unique piece of video.

[rmd2]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

I have had several black snakes in my garage. One I had run over by my car. The snake was flattened where the tire ran over him and you could see the tire tread outline on him but he was still alive! as I found out when I tried to pick him up with a stick to get him out.
I had another snake that got stuck in the sticky Catch Master trap I use for insects. I use one for rats only because they are larger. One time I went into the garage and on my sticky trap was a snake skin - no snake, just the skin. The snake got on it but was able to shed his skin and get away! I have never had a snake or even a lizard in the house.

[SERENITY52]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.
They also kill rattlers and cotton mouths. Ask hardware if there is a spray.

[jimjamuser]

I was sitting in my lanai yesterday, when all of a sudden there was commotion in the hedges. I got up to see what was going on, and the family of thrushes that live in there came flying out. A few seconds later, a little 2' black snake slithered out, saw me, and instead of running the other way, he zoomed right past my dog towards me and then dove for cover in the Mexican Petunias next to the lanai door where I'd been standing a moment before. If I hadn't somehow levitated back inside the door, he'd have probably run over my foot.

It was weird. I've never seen birds be so afraid of such a little snake, or such little snake charge a human like that. He must just get a kick out of terrorizing his neighbors. I caught a good enough glimpse to be sure he wasn't poisonous, so I figure he must be a black racer, which we don't have in Texas. I hope he eats the giant cockroaches and leave the lizards alone. Some of them are practically pets. And I can't wait to see him pull that charging stunt on my wife. I'll be peeling her off the ceiling!

Snakes have a lot more personality than you'd think.

We used to have a big Texas rat snake that would hang out around our chicken coop back home, and swipe an egg every now and then. He got so tame I could nearly get close enough to pick him up. One evening I was locking up the coop and my favorite chicken was sitting on her roost making this weird low noise and squirming around like she didn't know what to do. That rat snake had his head under her wing, and was checking her out, like he was groping around looking for something. I grabbed his tail and he whipped around and reared back like he was going to bite, so I let him go and he just slithered off real slow, just to show me he wasn't the least bit scared. I'm not sure what the heck he was doing to my chicken, but I have a feeling it's illegal in most states!
Animals have some strange and interesting behavior. Maybe they say that about us too!

[jimjamuser]

The top one looks like a copperhead. They're venomous, but not aggressive and their venom is not deadly to humans (unless you're allergic, obviously). But because they -are- venomous, if you see it again, get in touch with the local wildlife folks and have them try and capture it. Do NOT try to capture it yourself.
Most poisonous snakes have a wedge-shaped head because their fangs are to the rear of the head. Black snakes have small heads and that orange striped one SEEMED (?) to have a small head?

[jimjamuser]

Snakes are sort of like dogs, some are aggressive and some are not. Up north, my school had several pet snakes. The young students were introduced to them so they would have no fear of the harmless kinds of snakes. And to be wary of the other kinds.

However, I do not like snakes of any kind in my home. One of the first things I bought was long thongs to gently pick up any potential snake to take outside.
In warm weather snakes like a black snake will move VERY fast. Too fast to grab usually. Open a door and use a broom to encourage it to leave. You will have to be fast to direct it!

[jimjamuser]

In warm weather snakes like a black snake will move VERY fast. Too fast to grab usually. Open a door and use a broom to encourage it to leave. You will have to be fast to direct it!
Not here in TV Land, but I once shot a 4 ft rattlesnake with an arrow. It curled around the arrow and lashed out at me so quickly that I could not hit it in the head. I did not have a shotgun. It took about a week to die.

[jimjamuser]

Yuch!! roaches!! We’ve never had them in TV ..... have never even seen one for that matter. Deans does a great job of keeping the bugs away from our house.
Living in apartments in Miami, I encountered many roaches. They can get almost 3 inches long and crawl straight up walls. And the big ones can fly. I don't remember seeing any in TV Land. They would be here except for the poison treatments.

[jimjamuser]

I use Ortho Snake Be Gone in our yard but after finding a black snack in our garage about 3 years ago I now pour a strip in front of the door in the garage that leads into the house. Every few months I sweep up the old and replace it with new. Gives me piece of mind!
I have seen rattlesnake skins on the bushes around some pools. Have never seen an actual rattlesnake in TV Land, but they are here!

[Topspinmo]

When I see posts like this I say, what did I get myself into moving into TV. If snakes show up in my garage or house or front door, I’m moving and I will wish everyone in TV a long healthy life. I will go a little further north where it’s cooler and fewer snakes.


News flash! Snakes up there also. Now if you move to North Pole? 98% any snake seen in villages harmless in residential area. Actually all or majority snakes are beneficial to humans, they keep rat and mouse populations down. I would rather have harmless snake in my house than rat.

[Topspinmo]

Living in apartments in Miami, I encountered many roaches. They can get almost 3 inches long and crawl straight up walls. And the big ones can fly. I don't remember seeing any in TV Land. They would be here except for the poison treatments.

All roaches can fly and crawl up walls. Turn over some rocks in you’re yard or scratch around bushes, there there. I take it you don’t shop at Walmart? Or some of the really old grocery stores?

[Topspinmo]

I have seen rattlesnake skins on the bushes around some pools. Have never seen an actual rattlesnake in TV Land, but they are here!


How can you tell rattlesnake skin from any other snake skin? I have never seen rattlesnake in villages. I seen young juvenile Black racers which looks like pigmy rattlesnake. But you can’t tell difference from the head and eyes. All vipers have slit eyes.

Commonly Confused Snakes in Central Florida - Natural Resources (http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2018/04/26/commonly-confused-snakes-in-central-florida/)

[jimjamuser]

Living in apartments in Miami, I encountered many roaches. They can get almost 3 inches long and crawl straight up walls. And the big ones can fly. I don't remember seeing any in TV Land. They would be here except for the poison treatments.
Speaking of insects in Miami. I once turned off the lights and saw 2 small glowing headlights crawling up my wall (and I was NOT doing drugs). I turned on the light and the headlights went away. I turned the lights off and the headlights were back. So, I turned on the lights and walked over to the wall and there was a small beetle-like insect that had 2 areas on its back that were able to produce light. I was curious, but NOT enough to do extensive reading on this subject. I know that deep water fish and other animals can produce light. And fireflies, of course. I often wondered what possible advantage those lights gave to that little insect - maybe signaling for mating? I have never again seen an insect like that. Has anyone else?

[JayK!]

I have only recently moved here about 2 months ago. Love it but yesterday saw a small Black snake scoot into my garage. Upon reading up on them they are not harmful and in fact good as they eat small rodents and insects. but my concern is I don't what them to get in my house any suggestions.

Use leaf blower to persuade snake to vacate garage.

[jimjamuser]

How can you tell rattlesnake skin from any other snake skin? I have never seen rattlesnake in villages. I seen young juvenile Black racers which looks like pigmy rattlesnake. But you can’t tell difference from the head and eyes. All vipers have slit eyes.

Commonly Confused Snakes in Central Florida - Natural Resources (http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2018/04/26/commonly-confused-snakes-in-central-florida/)
It had diamondback spots on it and the tail of the shed skin looked like rattles were there.

[Blueblaze]

The top one looks like a copperhead. They're venomous, but not aggressive and their venom is not deadly to humans (unless you're allergic, obviously). But because they -are- venomous, if you see it again, get in touch with the local wildlife folks and have them try and capture it. Do NOT try to capture it yourself.

Nope, the top one is a rat snake, just like in my story about the one who lived near our chicken coop back in Texas. They come in red and brown, and back East they call the red ones Corn Snakes.

We had copperheads, too. One time I bent over the big philodendron off our back porch to pull a weed, and afterwards I noticed a little copperhead curled up in the middle of one of those big philodendron leaves. I didn't notice him until I stood up, but he'd been about 2" from my belly and didn't do a thing. But I can't have poisonous snakes around my grand-kids, so I shot him with my pellet gun, but I just managed to wing him and he got away.

A few weeks later, I was on hands and knees pulling weeds again in the flower garden. The foliage was thick, so I couldn't actually see what I was pulling down at the ground level. All of a sudden I felt a sharp sting, like a bee sting, and my hand felt all tingly. But I couldn't see a welt or anything, so I figured it was just a spider or something, and finished pulling weeds. By evening, my hand had swollen up twice the size and there was a big red ring around two little holes, right where I'd been "stung". I looked it up on the Google and discovered that's what a "dry" bite looks like. Apparently, they always have a little venom on their fangs, but venom is expensive to make, so they reserve it for killing mice and things, unless they're really threatened. He'd just given me a warning shot -- probably payback for putting a crook in his tail.

About a month later, I was headed out to lock up the chicken coop, and there he was, just curled up in the middle of the sidewalk to the barn, enjoying the warm sidewalk in the cool of the evening. I'd stepped right over him before I noticed him. I could tell it was the same snake from the crook in his tail from where I'd shot him. This time I fetched a hoe from the barn and finished him off. But I sure felt bad about it, after he'd cut me so much slack, three times, now.

All the neighbors reported copperheads that year. It was a big year for the "cicada's" that have been in the news lately up North. Apparently, they're a copperhead's favorite delicacy.

[Hopeful Returnee]

Are snakes really that prevalent in The Villages. I am deathly afraid of them.

[Topspinmo]

Are snakes really that prevalent in The Villages. I am deathly afraid of them.

Not in my area, seen 3 in 7 years. All non poisonous and harmless.

[folkh]

Put moth balls along the bottom of your garage door

[tophcfa]

Made the mistake of going in our pool last night without first doing a snake check. Shortly after entering I noticed a black snake slithering around in the water. This old boy hasn’t moved that fast in a very long time. Scooped it out with the pool skimmer but it got out of the skimmer before I could throw it outside. After several attempts to catch it, with it lunging at me trying to bite me, it was time to get the shovel from the garage. Today’s project is to touch up the paint on the pool deck that got dinged up by the shovel when crushing the snake. Note to all snakes, stay the f out of our pool!

[collie1228]

I have had black snakes in my yard and in my garage since I moved here eight years ago. The two in the garage I simply chased out with a broom. One of the snakes in the yard was a big boy who struck at me several times and disappeared into a bush where I couldn't see him to shoo him out. After that, I got rid of all of the bushes and made "snake guard" that completely covers the bottom of my courtyard gate, and I haven't seen another snake since them. To get in my courtyard they will now have to climb a six foot wall, and while they are capable of it, I think they just go elsewhere.

[mastergolfer]

Put up a sign..."No snakes allowed"

[KarenandJohn]

One got in our garage and left on its own. One got in the birdcage. I just gently “encouraged” it with a broom toward the door to our yard. They are as in the category of many insects as “beneficials”.

[BettyInFL]

That will work!