Yes, it's the old story about the best defense against a polar bear -- a slow friend.

What snakes?
 

The way I hit a golf ball, I have been in the deep grass, bushes, gardens, many times. I dig around for my ball as long as possible. Never have I seen a snake. Doesn't mean I not careful, just have never seen a snake.:spoken:

Don't I wish this were true....lets see 5ft snake in garage when moving in. Snake in bluebird house....ate eggs. 3 foot snake under grill and babies on patio. Just last month 3 foot snake by hose holder in back...each time I screamed and do not like them even if they do no harm.

I have lived in Florida for over 30 years, expect for 6 years in Crystal Lake,ILL. I have lived mostly in the Tampa Bay area before TV. I can honestly say in all those years I have probably seen 5 snakes. and they were harmless grass snakes.Snakes avoid humans. Snakes eat bugs and mice and creatures that we do not want in our homes. I have lived here in TV since mid April. I walk everyday and I have not seen any snakes at all. I know when I lived in Ill. I saw a few snakes as well..

Sal.

You haven't yet stopped at our new house. Please do...AND I will give you a couple of dozen balls so you don't have to look for them near any gators. (Sweetie collected lots of golf balls over time)

Hugs,
Gracie

Hate snakes & gators. Hope to never see either while living down here.

sounds like you belong in a multi-story condo, with a small balcony and artificial plants. if you avoid all things that might bother you, i guess you should not get out of bed in the morning. life is an adventure.

Seeing snakes slithering anywhere within a mile of me would not be an adventure....more like a nightmare. I don't think I need to live in a walled in condo to have these feelings. Just because you appreciate snakes & gators and you think that makes you adventuresome doesn't mean the rest of us should stay in bed.

You can add to my list: frogs on my garage door, geckos sprinting across my lanai, and bugs of any description.

I have been told if you have geckos you don't have any snakes. Snakes will desimate the gecko population. We have plenty of geckos.

Snakes in FL
 

Last week, a 9 foot Burmese python was killed on a highway just a little north of Tampa. That is about 90 miles from The Villages. Getting a little close, aren't they?

Then there are the nut jobs who keep pythons as pets. You never know where they will turn up. Remember the 2 year old girl in Oxford who was suffocated and partially eaten by the python a couple of years ago? That was right up by Wal-Mart on 466 and 301.

Fear not...they also serve a very important part of the balance of nature...your choice snakes or rodents...hopefully I too will be in tv to enjoy nature at its finest

Nothing at all wrong with the black racers, garter snakes, pine snakes, etc but not the Burmese pythons or the African rock pythons that are now residents of The Everglades and are multiplying rapidly!

The Villages does have some great nature to enjoy. There are the gopher tortises, burrowing owls, a few foxes, some coyotes, as well as a large pack of resident cougars that hang out at City Fire and Katie Belle's.

Caught two snakes in garage yesterday. (Very small in size, but two different types) I put those sticker boards down, in garage in different areas, and they get stuck to the boards along with getco's and spiders. The boards work good. Did see a cottonmouth on Jacaranda's 3rd hole last year. (They can be agressive) Mostly see racers in yard, but they are harmless. (they catch rodents) Have nore problems with "Mole Crickets" then snakes. HeHe

I live in Mallory, yes we have plenty of snakes. Largest seen was a 5 ft black racer. we have had yellow and brown rat snakes. Loads of garder snakes. But we still have lots of lizards, that is what these snakes eat but enough around for all. Most of the time you don't see them because our lawn grass is very dense but they are there. One outing at Pelican while waiting to tee off at #1 a large rat snake dropped out of the tree and hit the golf cart. Have also see a number at the mail box area at Mallory. I have attached pictures of the two most recent rat snakes that visited.