|
1-10 of 12 messages
|
Page 1 of 2
Next
|
|
6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by momoftwo on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
An eastern diamondback rattlesnake has been seen in my yard a few times. I have seen it once, and by all accounts it is at least 6 ft long. I saw it back in August and then a handful of people saw it Monday and Thursday last week. It was leaving my yard those times and headed into a vacant lot across the street (when I saw it in August it was crossing the street from the vacant lot and heading into my yard). I have another vacant lot on the side of my yard it has been seen going to and headed from. My question is- how far do they travel from their dens? Could this snake be living next to my house? I am VERY concerned because I have two small kids and a dog. This snake is HUGE! What do I do?
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by Cro on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Amy, there might be folks here who could help, but we need to know where you live.
It is quite possible that we have someone who lives near you who might be able to catch and re-locate the snake to a different area.
In the mean time, be cautious where you let your kids play around the yard.
Best Regards John Z
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by momoftwo on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
I am in southern coastal SC. At the GA/SC line. Can you trap them? I can not find anyone around here to do anything. I am referred to Critter Control and they came out and said they would put lime around my yard..that is it. And funny- they guy came out Thursday and walked around my yard with his clip board etc..said it was probably gone and he wouldn't see it.. An hour after he left..three construction guys saw it leave my yard!
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by Cro on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Amy, we have folks who live fairly near you, who will probably be willing to try to help capture the snake.
The problem is that they might not be able to find the snake just by visiting the area. The snake might have gopher tortiose burrow or hollow log it is living in, and probably ranges over a large area.
If you have the snake in sight, and can watch where it goes until someone gets there, there is a much better chance someone will drive out to help.
The other option is to take a large, deep garbige can, and turn it onto its side, and push, steer the snake into the can with a broom, or rake, or shovel, then turn the can back upright. Then shut the lid and tape it shut. Then drag the can into the shade somewhere. If you capture the snake that way, many folks will be more than willing to drive to your area to pick it up and relocate it. With $4.00 a gallon gasoline, it is hard to get folks go come out to just look around.
I can EMail folks who might be able to help, and others here will probably contact you directly, but we
will need a way for them to contact you. Can you post an EMail Address in your profile ? That is probably the best way for folks who read this, and live near you, to let you know that they are willing to help.
The lime around the yard from Critter Control will do nothing to help. There is a reason the snake is coming into your yard. If there is food for it there, it will continue to return. Keeping the lawn mowed, and trash piles, old boards, etc cleaned up will create a more sterile area, and the snake will be less likely to visit.
Anyway, please post a EMail that folks can use to contact you, or if you do not want to post it on the main site, send it to me at jzegel@mindspring.com and I will forward it to a few folks who do not live too far from your area. It would be best though if you post it in your profile here, as there are many, many more folks who will read it who live a lot closer to you, and who might be able to quickly come out if the snake is sighted again.
Best Regards John Z
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by momoftwo on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
I don't think I can go after it..I am scared of snakes and this one is HUGE! A few guys did go in the woods on the empty lot after it right after we saw it-but they couldn't find. Then another guy came out with a trash can and snake poll and went all around the woods-couldn't find it. He gave me his card and said to call him day or night. That was awesome. It just seems like by the time someone could get here after we have seen it..it is gone. One company in Charleston said they would put out 3-4 traps and monitor them. Can you trap them? Thank you so much for your help!!
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by earthguy on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Dang! I was just in Beaufort yesterday! If I had known I would have personally forgone the beach time and hunted your EDB (It was 75 and raining anyway). I know that you find this difficult to believe, but you are very fortunate to have seen such a cool snake. I've been seriously herping in SC for over twenty years, and that is one of two native snakes that I have never seen in the wild.
I, for one, appreciate your willingness to try to get someone to remove the snake rather than kill it. The DNR has a page for nuisance animal controllers, but be careful with them. Not all of them have scruples.
For the time being, I would just make sure that the yard around your house is free of objects for the snake to hide under. Snakes generally prefer to move under cover, where they feel protected. Also, without cover you can see the snake more easily (and it is really easy to avoid getting bitten. The snake doesn't want to bite you any more than you want to be bitten) If you can't find someone to remove it before winter comes, just drop me a line. I may be able to come down during Spring Break and remove the snake when it comes out of brumation.
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by Cro on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Amy, it would be very, very difficult to trap a large Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. There is not much reason they would enter a trap
If you have a list of local people to call, then you might be able to keep an eye on the snake until someone arrives to help.
Perhaps one of your neighbors could help you catch it in a large garbige can. That really might be the best way to deal with it. One of those large rolling cans is what I am talking about.
There are a lot of reptile folks who live near to your area, and many of them read this forum. If you list an EMail address that they can contact you with, many of them might come out and look for the snake, and possible find it. And if they do not find it, they will probably give you a telephone number that you can call, when the snake has been spotted again.
Anyone reading this on the forum, who lives near the GA / SC line near Savannah, how about posting, if you are willing to help on this.
Best Regards John Z
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by LadyBloodRose on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
dang to bad your not closer to me :( i;d be happyt o come out an give it a go but i'm all the way up at the nothern end of the state :s.
Hopefuly someone here can get in conatct with you an help ya out.
haha i'd love ta step outside an see a 6 foot edb crusin my yard!
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by momoftwo on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Thanks for the replies guys!! The "trapper" guys in Charleston were going to use those glue boards and put hand warmers in the cage to attract it. I read a posting about the glue boards on this site. I haven't called them back and posted here because I had my doubts. I just don't know much about them and I am really freaked! My great dane sniffs the air and refuses to go out sometimes...and if she does, she only steps like 2 ft out and then runs back in. Wonder if she can sense it...or she may just be crazy.
So my neighbor that lives on the other side of the vacant lot next to my house said that she saw it back in August. She said she was on her motorcycle and that the body of the snake was as wide if not wider than her motorcycle tire! She too said it is at least 6 ft. I knew it was big and like I said, at first I thought it was a boa constrictor because it was/is so fat and big. I can't believe we are seeing this in a residential neighborhood! MANY people have seen it. Last Monday all the "big wigs" of the builder were down and all of them saw it. Like 10 people. Then Thursday 3-4 people. I saw it at like 5 pm back like July 30th, then last week it was about 4 pm then 10 am. When I saw it in June it was like 100 degrees out. I thought they didn't come out much during the day. This one must be different.
If anyone is interested in tracking it down..let me know. All of the sitings seem to be around my yard and the woods across the street. Post here if interested. And thanks again for the help!!!
|
| |
|
RE: 6ft eastern diamondback
|
Reply
|
|
by Cro on October 13, 2008
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I find it a bit amazing that 10 adult humans can not work together to turn a rolling garbige can on its side, and steer a rattlesnake into it, then turn the can back right side up, and shut and tape the lid.
I find it even more amazing though that 10 adult humans did not kill the rattlesnake. You should be congratulated on that.
Best Regards John Z
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
