OK, I told y'all there was a snake story from the weekend...
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| Garter snake under porch |
I was sitting in the rocker on the porch and I reached down to pick up my cup which was sitting on the porch floor. I saw something move under the chair...
It moved in and out between the boards...
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| Garter snake closeup |
...and poked its head out for a quick picture. This is a garter snake and they are pretty harmless, at least from what we've read.
And while I couldn't get a picture, the next day, when I went out on the porch in the morning sunshine, this same snake was on the porch railing, hanging off both sides, in the warm sunshine. So apparently, "porch is home".
Sigh...
What about you? Is a small, harmless snake better than a big one?
Or is a snake a snake regardless of size and/or threat?
Friendly snake or Non-Friendly snake I say No Thank You.
ReplyDeleteYou Need some sort of small table sitting there beside your chair..
If I had reached down for my cup and seen that snake; me and the cup both would had gone flying
LOL, I hear ya. And yep, 2nd Man said the same thing about a table.
DeleteHow could you tell it was the same one? There could be a nest under the porch.
ReplyDeleteGood point, it could have been different, but it was the same length (more or less) and diameter....but a NEST? OH HELL NO!! HA! Thanks for that mental image! haha!
DeleteIf any snake is right upon me, I will react, jump, and maybe shriek a bit. However, if it is three feet away, a snake will not frighten me. Well, if it coiled or coming toward me, I would be wary. Snakes don't scare me. That said, I am careful where I put my hand around rock piles.
ReplyDeleteYeah, other than startling, they aren't too bad at a distance, ha. And yes, we are very careful about that. I usually poke around with a walking stick. :-)
DeletePersonally I don't mind the non-poisonous snakes one bit. I just saw a tiny garter snake near my front door & found him (her) fascinating. I also have black racers around but am aware that I have neighbors who feel the need to kill every animal in sight. Snakes keep the lizard population in check. If it were my home I'd leave him be. But probably set up a little table for my coffee mug.
ReplyDeleteThese small ones I do find myself watching. Fascinating is a great word. They move so effortlessly. thanks!!! And yep, small table coming, ha!
DeleteNon-poisonous snakes are your friend. They will keep the bugs, slugs, ants, crickets & rodents in check.
ReplyDeleteWell that's a relief, thank you!!
DeleteA garter snake will eat anything that doesn't eat him first. The bigger the snake, the bigger the prey. Maybe this one will eat some young mice before they have time to reproduce and invade the house. I'm glad you didn't kill it. But, I think I'd put a table by my chair it I were you. You might jerk you hand with hot coffee in in if you're surprised.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have killed it (well, maybe baby water moccasin or baby cottonmouth) but if it eats young mice? We're definitely ok with that...ha. And yep, table coming soon!
DeleteSnakes always startle me, but unless they are the poisonous variety we pretty much go our separate ways. We have seen several copperheads this year. I am NOT a fan!
ReplyDeleteCopperheads are so dangerous and bad here in these parts. Yep, I get startled but if they are non poisonous, I'm ok with letting them be, ha.
DeleteHe/she or a family member also like to get in your house. When they get on my porch they are usually six footers and scare the bejesus out of me. I am having my porched screened. After seeing your photos, I'm going to have to do something about the floor boards! Can't stand them. And, you may have a nest somewhere around. Mama snake has bunches at a time!
ReplyDeleteSmall I can handle, a six footer would scare the bejesus out of me too, ha. Another "nest" reminder, ha. And mama? Bunches? :-(
DeleteLive and let live. And have a table for your cup.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, and yes! HA!
DeleteI have a garter snake who lives in the woodpile in my garage; he's a cutie! now rattlers...I have no time for the big scary ones!
ReplyDeleteRattlers we don't have (that I know of, though they are here in Texas, but more in the drier areas) but you're right, the garter is kinda cute, as snakes go, ha.
DeleteAs others said, garter snakes are helpful. They are part of the inter-connected web of life and do their part by keeping other creatures in balance. They are also food for other creatures.
ReplyDeleteA coffee break with a little garter snake - oh, the never-ending adventures of country life!
It's all a circle of life huh? Coffee break with a snake...that would make a good title for something ha.
DeleteHe's kind of cute...but the comments about a possible nest would freak me out. That said, at least garter snakes are harmless.
ReplyDeleteNests make me nervous too but it's part of life I suppose. And yes, they are harmless but a nest of them? Well that's just creepy too, LOL!
DeleteIf snakes coming up through the slats of your porch discombobulate you too much you could always put caulk between the slats and block the access up. I have to admit that while one harmless snake is cute a nest of them creeps me out!
ReplyDeleteI like the table idea, I'm surprised you don't already have one. <3
Ditto for this! We have place to sit drinks up higher but that would involve getting out of the chair, ha. So I just sit it on the floor. Um, not anymore, ha.
DeleteAs others have said, a garter snake will keep your pests in check. I have these big wood roaches (palmetto bugs, I think) that come into my house from outside. They are big, ugly, and I hate them. I think having a garter snake around the house would certainly help in keeping the palmetto bug numbers down! And also as others have said - find a small table for your porch! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, good idea, we do have the roaches around too. And yes, looking for a small table for between the chairs. :-)
DeleteWhen I see a garter snake in one of my garden areas, I always ask if it wouldn't like to move closer to the house. I've been having a problem with mice this year, and garter snakes could probably help quite a lot with keeping the population from increasing.
ReplyDeleteI admit I sometimes startle when I suddenly see a snake, but that's not the snake's fault. And then I'll stop and watch them for a while if I can. I find them quite beautiful and am very happy to have them here. I would be wary of poisonous or aggressive species, but garter snakes are both harmless and helpful!
Glad it's a friendly one. And yes, anything that will counteract the mice, I'm ok with. But of course, only the friendly snakes, ha. They do have a graceful beauty in the way they move huh? From a distance of course, haha!
DeleteI love snakes- we have one about the size of your porch snake that lives under our steps and suns himself in the afternoon. In our area, there are no poisonous snakes, so other than the fact that sudden fast movement sometimes startles the bejebus out of me, I welcome them. Sudden fast movement makes me revert to southern California (where I grew up) mode and levitate until I can check the shape of the head!
ReplyDeleteNo poinsous snakes? That would be nice to have around here. I have to remember that shape of the head thing. Thanks for the reminder!! And stay safe!!! (and sudden movement is ok to be startled, I think it's human nature).
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