Identifying snake in the garden Identifying snake in the garden - Talk of The Villages Florida

Identifying snake in the garden

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Old 04-24-2010, 04:30 PM
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Default Identifying snake in the garden

My mother was working in our garden and six inches from her elbow was a greenish yellowish head flicking its tongue. She didn't move for awhile. When she did it slithered away and wrapped itself around a parsley plant and stayed there for awhile. She got back up on the patio where she could observe it. It had a yellow/green stripe down the back; a thick body; a yellow/green stripe running along each side of its body. The skin inbetween was gingham check--beige and brown. It was less than 3 feet long with a short tail. Small green/yellow head. Anyone know what this might be? I don't think it is venomous based on my Internet research.
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Old 04-24-2010, 04:47 PM
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Try this link.....http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology...e/snakekey.htm Once there, there's a link to images of Florida snakes. Should be helpful.

Learned something last night about the eyes of poisonous snakes....their pupils are ellipical...of course you don't want to be close enough to find that out!

One of our neighbors found a water moccasin in her trash can in the garage about a week and a half ago. Her home does back up to wetlands.
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Last edited by pooh; 04-24-2010 at 04:57 PM.
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Old 04-24-2010, 07:20 PM
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Default Sounds like a southern water snake or a garter snake...

both non poisonous.
The best advice is to view all of them as poionous then there will be no judgement required. Unless one steps on one or picks one up in an armful of brush they will want to be as far from us as we want to be from them. Please do not kill a snake. They do significantly more good than a lot of other critters we sorta think are cute.
After all we are the ones invading their habitat.
I walk the cart path every morning with our dog from Arnold Palmer CC to the second and sometimes third traffic circle South. This year snakes have been prevalent in the area from the Riley Grove starter shack along the lake and to the entrance to Bridgeport at Lake Sumter. At least one is seen every day....and most days more than one. They all appear to be non poisonous...just wandering across the recreation path....a fair number get flattened by golf carts...but please don't try to run them over.

btk
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Old 04-24-2010, 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by billethkid View Post
both non poisonous.
The best advice is to view all of them as poionous then there will be no judgement required. Unless one steps on one or picks one up in an armful of brush they will want to be as far from us as we want to be from them. Please do not kill a snake. They do significantly more good than a lot of other critters we sorta think are cute........

btk
Great advice. My mother in law's doctor actually gave her some good advice when she's in her garden......he said, "Never put you hand where your eyes can't see."
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Old 04-24-2010, 08:35 PM
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Sounds like a PARSLEY ADDER to me ....non poisonous of course but they can raise heck with your parsley.............

I hate parsley Fumar
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Old 04-24-2010, 08:57 PM
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Well, we had one in our garage this week...greenish and black, from what I could tell from several feet away. It was headed toward the closet where the trash cans are kept and, from there, was only about 12 ft. from coming into the kitchen and making itself at home. Once in the house there would be loads of places to hide (like under the bed?). Now I love and appreciate wildlife, but a snake occupying the house is more than I am up to. We are in the habit of cracking the garage door, opening the sliders and letting the breeze through. That will have to be rethought.

The good news is, when it sensed that we saw it, it was as eager to get away as we were to have it leave.
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Old 04-24-2010, 09:03 PM
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Default Black snake in my yard today.

Over 3ft long, size of my garden hose. First snake I have seen in my cyv yard.
neighbor brought a shovel over and then told me it was not poisonous, but did eat mice, rats, etc. So we let the snake go on its way. I told that snake to go somewhere else though.
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Old 04-25-2010, 10:39 AM
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One of our neighbors found a water moccasin in her trash can in the garage about a week and a half ago. Her home does back up to wetlands.
This is the primary reason why I would never consider living near water in TV. Our sales agent (whose property borders a pond) said that they found a water moccasin in their laundry room. If that had been me, the For Sale sign would have been up the next day.
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Old 04-25-2010, 10:49 AM
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We have a family of snakes living in our air conditioner. On sunny days they come out to sunbathe. They look much like the one described by Jojo.

I spoke to our Pest company. I don't want the snakes killed, but I'd prefer they move somewhere else because I don't want my dogs to be tempted to play with them. The Pest guy said that snakes are actually helpful as they keep mice and rats and other vermin away.

So if anyone would like a family of snakes, please PM me.
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Old 04-25-2010, 11:06 AM
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This is the primary reason why I would never consider living near water in TV. Our sales agent (whose property borders a pond) said that they found a water moccasin in their laundry room. If that had been me, the For Sale sign would have been up the next day.
YIKES!

I didn't want to be near water, either, but honestly, I never thought about snakes! Gators were in my mind, but there's probably more chance for snakes than gators.....however....one day a friend was driving on our street and noticed a gator resting at another friend's front door. The house was empty, the friend is seasonal. That house backs up to wetlands. Ah, nature...
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Last edited by pooh; 04-25-2010 at 11:10 AM.
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