Snakes

Talk about sightings and get help identifying Plants, Animals, Fish, and Fungi. Share pictures and video.

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Brenda
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Okay, this is going to sound like a tall tale, but I swear it's true, and my husband witnessed it. As I was coming back out to my office after running errands this morning, my husband told me to come and look at something in the garden pond. A common garter snake had grabbed a leg of one of my smaller resident green frogs. I knew that I couldn't get the snake to just let go, because their teeth curve toward the back of the mouth. I managed to pry its mouth open, using my thumbs and index fingers, at which point the frog escaped, relatively unharmed. The snake watched the frog swim away, and then it turned and glared at me (yes, I'm being anthropomorphic) before it swam off and slithered out the other end of the pond. I swear if it had hands it would have given me the finger!

So far this season, all I've seen are garter snakes. We typically have an abundance of milk snakes here as well. Last summer, I also had a smooth green snake (so pretty) sunning on our garden fence, and I saved a red-bellied snake from the dogs. Has anyone had any cool sightings yet?
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Matt
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no sightings yet. It's been cold though. I've never seen a milk snake in person. I may have gotten bitten by garters 5 or so times while handling them as a kid.
I have seen an 8 foot waternsnake skimming the top of a pond in Wayne County years back.
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Brenda
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Watersnakes give me the creeps. I'm not sure why, unless it's from living down south and hearing all of the horror stories about people being chased by water moccasins while swimming, or falling into a mating ball of them while waterskiing. I know that ours are harmless, though they can bite savagely if grabbed, but I'd still freak out if I was swimming with one.
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Brenda
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I have had the worst luck finding snakes this summer, other than garters. The spots where I have had milk snakes every summer were altered during driveway improvements. I found one green snake on the laneway out back--death by farm tractor. This garter has taken up residence on my front porch:
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Brenda
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My husband found this perfect shed in the back yard this morning. When I stretched it out it measured 27". That's one healthy garter snake!
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Jennifer
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Creepy...but cool!
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Brenda
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I tried to get a better shot of the head because it looks so cool up close, but the translucency of the skin made it difficult to capture. The eyes are concave and look like little clear plastic bowls. He/she/it had a perfect shed. I only found one small tear along the spine, but Mike said that he had a hard time getting the skin untangled from the grass without damaging it, so it could have happened then. It now lives on my desk. Won't that freak out the city folk!
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Jennifer
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Hahaa...that sure will! They'll freak. I'd love to be there to see a few of their reactions. Must be priceless...hahaa
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