Rat/snake killer found

[Gundy]

Today is a good day. I finally found a nice 5 foot kingsnake
for my basement.
It has been several years since my old pal the 7 footer disappeared
following it's being dispatched by a construction crew. Idiots thought
they had done me a favor.
I have seen a few around here over the last years but none were where I could catch them.
Today this beauty was lying in the front yard. Grabbed it's tail, lifted it without it
even seeming to mind and promptly took it to the basement.
I hope it likes the place enough to call it home.

[Atoyot1031]

You know better, we need pics!!!

[Gundy]

Originally Posted by Atoyot1031

You know better, we need pics!!!

I feared going for the camera would make me lose the chance at capture.
I did think about pics.....I know the MUD crowd's appetite for pics w/ posts.
If I see it lying around the basement I will snap a few.
It was a black one with the black/white checked belly. It had some light
broken white bands across it's back. Much like the old one that disappeared.
Very docile but I still didn't get near the teeth end.

[splitshot]

Originally Posted by Gundy

I feared going for the camera would make me lose the chance at capture.
I did think about pics.....I know the MUD crowd's appetite for pics w/ posts.
If I see it lying around the basement I will snap a few.
It was a black one with the black/white checked belly. It had some light
broken white bands across it's back. Much like the old one that disappeared.
Very docile but I still didn't get near the teeth end.

Never met a mean Kingsnake, but they do like to crap all over you when handled.

[Skillet]

Kingsnakes are awesome.

I have a pet Arizona Mtn. King that I have had for 12 years.

This little gem I cought outside my office last spring....

I have never been bitten by a king and I have caught hundreds.

[Atoyot1031]

Originally Posted by Skillet

Kingsnakes are awesome.

I have a pet Arizona Mtn. King that I have had for 12 years.

This little gem I cought outside my office last spring....

I have never been bitten by a king and I have caught hundreds.

Do you wheel outside your office too? It seems like everything happens there.

P.S. Are all of the office turkeys accounted for following the season?

[calamaridog]

I had two when I was a kid. They make awesome pets. And I agree, I've never been bitten by one I picked up, wild or tame.

[Godwin]

Black kingsnake from N Alabama.

I've been bitten by a few, eastern kings, speckled kings, and even a couple of scarlet kingsnakes. A defensive bite is nothing, the snake is simply protecting itself and it usually bites and releases. I was feeding a captive eastern kingsnake once and had mouse odor on my hand. This guy picked up the scent and tried to swallow my thumb. When they're in a feeding mode they don't want to release. I had to ease a blunt probe into its mouth to encourage it to release.

[smkymntn]

That there is some Alabama black snake- but it aint to goddamn buku





































wait...what?

[flintknapper]

Originally Posted by Godwin

Black kingsnake from N Alabama.

I've been bitten by a few, eastern kings, speckled kings, and even a couple of scarlet kingsnakes. A defensive bite is nothing, the snake is simply protecting itself and it usually bites and releases. I was feeding a captive eastern kingsnake once and had mouse odor on my hand. This guy picked up the scent and tried to swallow my thumb. When they're in a feeding mode they don't want to release. I had to ease a blunt probe into its mouth to encourage it to release.

Good looking snake! Probably hard for most folks to tell it from the more common Rat Snake (chicken snake) in Alabama.

I'd love to see a "Scarlet", we don't have them here. Even if we did...folks would probably kill them thinking they were Coral snakes.

[Dynosoar]

Here is a shot of my wild caught California Mountain King. She laid 4 eggs the day after I caught her and three hatched.

Dynosoar

[Gundy]

Originally Posted by Dynosoar

Here is a shot of my wild caught California Mountain King. She laid 4 eggs the day after I caught her and three hatched.

Dynosoar

Wow, that is a beautiful snake.

[Skillet]

Originally Posted by Atoyot1031

Do you wheel outside your office too? It seems like everything happens there.

P.S. Are all of the office turkeys accounted for following the season?

The turkeys have been conspicuously absent lately...

I caught a Santa Cruz Mt. King one time and it was really pretty, it's own sub-species, but I let it go within two days.

Here is a pic of my pet king. Arizona Mt. Much like the California with a little larger head, as you can see when compared to Dynosoar's.

Wow! I really need to dust my Croton.

[D'Animal]

I keep my pet snakes in the wood pile.

[Skillet]

Mine would likely die in a woodpile.

[nspctr1]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but, other than rodent prevention, why would you want a snake in your basement???

[Cuerno Largo]

I found a really pretty one!

[Cuerno Largo]

Originally Posted by Cuerno Largo

I found a really pretty one!

Attachment 238827

You damn idiot that isn't a king snake, that is a coral snake "Red on Yellow Will Kill a Fellow"

[PHBeerman]

Not as dumb as this guy

Baby Coral Snake

[flintknapper]

Originally Posted by Cuerno Largo

I found a really pretty one!

Attachment 238827

Pretty little fella.


I wonder if that is a "Texas" or an "Eastern".

We have both here is Deep East Texas...but the Eastern is more common in these parts.

The habitat here is good for Coral Snakes, but I actually encountered more of them when I lived in Central Texas .

[Gundy]

Originally Posted by nspctr1

Sorry if this is a dumb question but, other than rodent prevention, why would you want a snake in your basement???

See title of thread. Rat/snake killer found.
Not so long ago I killed a rather large timber rattler in my driveway.
When ol Blackie was around there were no other snakes hanging around here.
When ol Blackie was dispatched the next winter rats moved in the basement.
I now keep poison in a constant supply in the basement. Rats are just plain nasty.
Dead rats stink. (knock on wood) The rats have been gone for a while now
but trust me you don't want them hanging out in the basement.
I hate having to keep poison down there and live in fear my dog might
somehow get into the stuff.
Kingsnake is a better solution. Even the old lady appreciates the benefits.
Heck she's the one who first noticed this one on the lawn and called me
for the capture and basement release. She appreciates the job ol
Blackie performed for us and has missed her services.

[Cuerno Largo]

Originally Posted by flintknapper

Pretty little fella.


I wonder if that is a "Texas" or an "Eastern".

We have both here is Deep East Texas...but the Eastern is more common in these parts.

The habitat here is good for Coral Snakes, but I actually encountered more of them when I lived in Central Texas .

Not sure. I "found" that one on google images. I just figured with all of the pictures of king snakes, we needed a coral for contrast as a public service announcement to make people look before picking them up.

[jts560]

I found a coral snake in the garage about a year and a half ago, right where the dogs sleep. I felt bad but had to kill it, if he was in the yard I would have relocated him away from the house, but the garage was to close for comfort especially with my animal loving 3y/o nephew being around. What a beautiful snake.

Now water moccasins are another story, those fuckers get massacred every year, even killed two with one shot last summer.