Should my cat and I be scared of this snake?

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  #31  
Old 02-06-2023, 08:49 AM
vintageogauge vintageogauge is offline
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We have one occasionally but if the mockingbirds are nesting they do a great job chasing it away quickly. After that it stays away for quite some time.
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Old 02-06-2023, 09:00 AM
flash4353 flash4353 is offline
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Default I like them better now

They used to creep me out until we had an issue with palm rats-which the snakes control. By the way, if you have a palm tree there is a better than even chance you have palm rats too.
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Old 02-06-2023, 09:13 AM
OhioBuckeye OhioBuckeye is offline
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Black Indigo snake, non poisonous! They’re all over TV. They’re very fast & but won’t bite unless cornered or fell threatened!
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Old 02-06-2023, 09:29 AM
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Originally Posted by NotGolfer View Post
Don't forget the pygmy rattle-snakes. I HATE snakes! BTW....do not walk through tall grass and shrubbery. I see golfers all the time searching for lost balls in this. Snakes live and lurk in these places. IF one goes to the meeting for new Villagers you'll learn all sorts of information re: our community.
somebody here told me the snakes like to wrap themselves around the roots of bushes, blending in with it's surroundings looking for lizards
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Old 02-06-2023, 10:12 AM
collie1228 collie1228 is offline
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Black racers are so fast that I doubt your cat could catch one, unless it's a really good stalker. The only problem I could see is if the snake was cornered, like in the corner of a courtyard villa wall, then the snake will probably stand its head up a foot high and bite hard. I had one try to chase me out of my own yard once. But even if it bit the cat, it's harmless.
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Old 02-06-2023, 10:21 AM
ThirdOfFive ThirdOfFive is offline
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Originally Posted by La lamy View Post
Are there venomous snakes in our midst in TV? If so, what are they called or look like?
Florida has six: Cottonmouth moccasin, Copperhead, Coral Snake and three kinds of rattlesnakes: Timber Rattler, Eastern Diamondback, and Pygmy Rattler. I've not seen any around TV but that doesn't mean they're not here. Worst (venomous-wise, anyway) are Coral Snakes. Fortunately they're brightly colored (alternating red, black and yellow bands) and easy to see.

There are several other snakes the resemble Coral Snakes: Scarlet Kingsnake, Corn Snake, some others. There is a rhyme to identify the difference: "Red touch black, friend of Jack. Red touch yellow, kills a fellow". So if red and yellow bands are touching each other, I'd give that guy a LOT of room because he can kill you. Personally though I doubt I'd ever want to get close enough to find out for sure.
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Old 02-06-2023, 10:33 AM
Polarlys Polarlys is offline
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Since we are not on the menu we have nothing to fear. Give them some space and be glad they are around.
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Old 02-06-2023, 10:40 AM
Barborv Barborv is offline
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Someone had posted this awhile back.....
Red touching black-safe for Jack
Red touching yellow, kill a fellow.
or
if yellow separates black and red, leave it be or wind up dead.
or
red and black, yellow in between... run away, run away they are deadly and mean.
or
nose is black, it's bad for Jack.

and the last one is....

red on black, venom will lack,
red on yellow will kill a fellow.

Try remembering those when one of those are a foot away from you!!!
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Old 02-06-2023, 11:21 AM
TomSpasm TomSpasm is offline
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Default It's not an Indigo snake, it's a black racer

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Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye View Post
Black Indigo snake, non poisonous! They’re all over TV. They’re very fast & but won’t bite unless cornered or fell threatened!
Indigo snakes are very large, and I've never seen one in 39 years full time in Florida. You would immediately know someone was talking about an Indigo because all they would talk about is how big it was.
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Old 02-06-2023, 11:34 AM
Rainger99 Rainger99 is offline
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This is a video of Florida snakes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-uJP3Czf5k
  #41  
Old 02-06-2023, 11:49 AM
Rsenholzi Rsenholzi is offline
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Default Venomous snakes

Yes there are some in Central Fl. Coral snakes , water moccasins or cottonmouths , Pygmy rattlesnakes are around . You don’t see them often but with all the building , they don’t know where to go . Coral snakes have been seen ( poem to help - red touch black , safe for Jack. Red touches yellow kills a fellow ) water moccasins are brown with a mixture of brown cross bands found in marshlands and wetlands . They contain enough venom to kill 5 people . Diamondback rattlesnakes is one of the biggest snakes ( 3-6 ft long) brown with diamond markings live in the woodlands , swamps and scrubland . Pygmy rattlesnake ( 12-24 in ) are gray with black blotches . Again, you find them swamps, near ponds and lakes . Bites are serious for children and animals.
These are the ones you have to worry about near here .
  #42  
Old 02-06-2023, 12:05 PM
midiwiz midiwiz is offline
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Originally Posted by La lamy View Post
It's a long black snake, my picture didn't upload.
Black Racer, totally harmless but they think they are tough guys LOL... They will coil up.....all bark is all they are. and very fast. when you start seeing patterns on their backs..... then start the worrying.
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  #43  
Old 02-06-2023, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by JGibson View Post
How would your cat be in danger unless you let it outside which in TV I would highly advise not to do because there are too many predators out there?
It's a tough call with my cat because she was living outside when I finally adopted her. She chose my house/bushes to live in for months while I saw her get skinnier and weaker. I finally realized she was homeless and decided to 'save' her from dying. So now that she has a home, she still craves being outside, so I let her out during the day with an ID collar. I prefer giving her some freedom than forcing her to stay inside unhappily. She always stays around the house, and so far so good. I see her being extremely watchful when she's outside, so I can only hope she's bush wise!
  #44  
Old 02-06-2023, 12:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spinner1001 View Post
Central Florida has all four kinds of venomous snakes in the USA: rattlesnake, water moccasin (aka cottonmouth), copperhead, and coral snake. The most likely habitat for these snakes around TV is natural settings such as the woods, ponds, and marshy areas. If you are around these kinds of areas, there is a chance of coming across one. Hikers and golfers looking for their ball around a pond are the mostly likely people around TV to come across any of them. Assuming one’s house is not close to a pond or marshy area, I believe there is only a very remote chance that you will come across a venomous snake around a house in TV with a rattlesnake being the most likely among those four kinds.

You can recognize the four kinds of venomous snakes relatively easily. The rattlesnake, water moccasin, and copperhead have triangular heads. The coral snake can be recognized by its colors and color pattern. The tricky part with coral snakes is their coloring is similar to the non-venomous king snake. The way I remember the difference between these two snakes is that coral snakes have their red and yellow bands touching each other whereas the king snake does not. I remember the red and yellow combination as a traffic light.

Black racer snakes are relatively common around TV. The venomous snake closest in coloring to black racers is the water moccasin. Both are mostly black. You can distinguish these two snakes by their head and body dimensions. As noted, the water moccasin has a triangular head and proportionately wider body whereas the black racer has a smaller head and thinner body. Black racers will likely slither away fast from a human. Water moccasins will often stand their ground and have a bad disposition. When hiking around TV, I am more worried about a bad outcome from a water moccasin than an alligator.
Very informative, thank you. I can't believe how unaware I've been while trimming the bush in my back yard that backs onto a pond. I guess I've been lucky not to get bit so far.
  #45  
Old 02-06-2023, 12:32 PM
Lea N Lea N is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by La lamy View Post
It's a long black snake, my picture didn't upload.
They kill mice and they also kill rattle snakes. In my experience with black snakes (hanging around where we've lived) they aren't afraid of us. Have never experienced an aggressive one but they didn't run away either. On the off chance you were bitten by one you would want to get a tetanus shot.
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