What did you do today? 2019 version.

[daylatedollarshort]

I went for a hike on a view trail I'd been avoiding because of all the snake reports in our community online group last year. I enjoyed the view until I had to turn around due to a big snake across the trail, probably 3 to 4 feet long uncoiled. It didn't look like a rattle snake but I didn't want to take any chances. Snakes are kind of fascinating / creepy to me. Mostly creepy.

[misshathaway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R For funerals I kept one very basic polyester "little black dress" with a very loose fit (so it will fit me no matter what size I happen to be). One dress doesn't take much room, and it would be awful to have to go shop for an appropriate dress at that time.

That is a good idea, especially the loose fit future-proofing.

[EastWest Gal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort I went for a hike on a view trail I'd been avoiding because of all the snake reports in our community online group last year. I enjoyed the view until I had to turn around due to a big snake across the trail, probably 3 to 4 feet long uncoiled. It didn't look like a rattle snake but I didn't want to take any chances. Snakes are kind of fascinating / creepy to me. Mostly creepy.

It might be cool to learn to recognize venomous snakes so you can enjoy the rest. The rest are a joy to behold and The only one I knew of in CA was rattlesnake. We once had a beautiful green grass snake in our back yard and another time a garter snake. They feel cool and clean to the touch. We picked up both of them. The green snake was tiny.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastWest Gal It might be cool to learn to recognize venomous snakes so you can enjoy the rest. The rest are a joy to behold and The only one I knew of in CA was rattlesnake. We once had a beautiful green grass snake in our back yard and another time a garter snake. They feel cool and clean to the touch. We picked up both of them. The green snake was tiny.

+1

The bonus is it's very easy.

http://www.wildlife-removal.com/snakepoisonous.html

A Nationwide Directory Of Snake Control Professionals[http://www]

How can you tell if snake is poisonous

With the exception of the*Coral Snake*(see pix), all poisonous snakes in the USA are pit vipers. This means the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth, and many species of rattlesnakes. These snakes are really fat, with big, fat heads. They have slits for pupils. The rattlesnakes have rattles on the end of their tails. So they're pretty easy to identify. 99% of the time, the snake you see will not be venomous. If it's a thin snake, it's safe!

[EastWest Gal]

I rescued a baby rabbit from our pool this morning. The pool was empty at 6:30 but I saw a still dark critter by the skimmer inlet at 8 and thought-oh no! another dead critter in the pool. I went inside, got some nitrile gloves and a plastic bag, then grabbed it-immediately knew it was alive-warm and shivering. Bunny didn’t move. I set it in the sun, went back and got a towel-thinking hypothermia. As I approached, it slowly hopped to the bushes so I walked away. Later, I found no bunny-he had warmed up and moved on.

We have a critter saver for the pool, but it just encourages birds to make a mess so it hadn’t been put out this spring. I put out the critter saver after the rescue. The birds have given up on the pool. It allows an escape route for mammals and frogs.

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG 99% of the time, the snake you see will not be venomous. If it's a thin snake, it's safe!

That might be true across the U.S. as a whole, but rattle snakes are a real issue in our area. There have been several dog deaths this year already. I had one strike at me in the past but he wasn't very long and could not reach me, but it was not for lack of trying. This one looked like he had a small head, it didn't look like he had a rattle but he was pretty chunky and the right color and markings to be a rattle snake, and near where there had been a nest last year. I didn't want to bet my life on my snake identification skills, especially since it was easy enough just to turn around and let him be.

For those of you who think it is always easy to identify coiled snakes out on the trail from pictures on the Internet, please feel free to walk over all the chunky 4 foot snakes you encounter.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort That might be true across the U.S. as a whole, but rattle snakes are a real issue in our area. There have been several dog deaths this year already. I had one strike at me in the past but he wasn't very long and could not reach me, but it was not for lack of trying. This one looked like he had a small head but I still wasn't going to bet my life on my snake identification skills, as it was near where a rattler nest was reported last year.

That's from the linked article. I don't trust thin, I do trust eyes.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueskyk On days like this, my heart takes a picture too.

That's a beautiful sentiment. Thank you.

[Ronstar]

I’ve had about 10 rattlesnake sightings while hiking. I don’t provoke them or any other snakes. Generally they will leave you alone if you don’t bother them.

[aja8888]

This guy (Texas Rat Snake) was hit on our road a few weeks ago. Too bad, because they keep the rodent population down.

snake.jpg

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG That's from the linked article. I don't trust thin, I do trust eyes.

If you are 100% certain in your snake identifying skills, without even a 1 in a 1000 chance for error, then walking over them is probably a great idea. On the trail you can't safely get as close as pictures in a book taken with a camera and probably some kind of magnifying lens, there aren't any captions and the lighting at dusk isn't as bright and clear as a wildlife photograph, so personally I would rather be safe than sorry. YMMV.


BTW - You can Google "rattle snake look a likes" and there are no shortage of articles on the subject with pictures of non venomous snakes that look similar to rattle snakes.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort If you are 100% certain in your snake identifying skills, then walking over them is probably a great idea.

I carry a walking stick when I hike in the woods. That can be used to tap the ground and get the snake's attention. Then he moves away (generally).

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastWest Gal It might be cool to learn to recognize venomous snakes so you can enjoy the rest. The rest are a joy to behold and The only one I knew of in CA was rattlesnake. We once had a beautiful green grass snake in our back yard and another time a garter snake. They feel cool and clean to the touch. We picked up both of them. The green snake was tiny.

Getting picked up seems like it would scare a wild snake for no good reason.

[RobbieB]

Got my first pedicure today, was fun! Tickled a bit which she enjoyed. Sat in a massage chair the whole time and walked out feeling great.

I'll be back for more -

[Aerides]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB Got my first pedicure today, was fun! Tickled a bit which she enjoyed. Sat in a massage chair the whole time and walked out feeling great. I'll be back for more -

yay! I highly recommend pedicures for men. Think of it as a feet-centric massage.

If you've ever accidentally stabbed your wife with your toenail, or ripped your side of the bedsheet, I'm looking at you.

[RobbieB]

It's getting harder to bend over as I age and I'm a bit wary of nicking myself so I thought I'd give it a try.

I'll be back!

[6miths]

Been on a power washing tear the last week. Deck at cottage. Deck at home. Siding at cottage. Some lawn furniture in both places. Concrete steps. Flag stone patio. Very gratifying to see the green and grime come off! Also can make rainbows!!

[TromboneAl]

5.6 earthquake with epicenter only 20 miles from our hotel (Bear River Resort).

I've felt about 30 quakes in my life, and this was the strongest. Went on for a while and kept getting stronger.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl 5.6 earthquake with epicenter only 20 miles from our hotel (Bear River Resort). I've felt about 30 quakes in my life, and this was the strongest. Went on for a while and kept getting stronger.

Glad you are OK! I sure hope this is the end of it, for now.

I just looked up where Bear River Resort is, on Google Maps. What a beautiful area! Back in 1972 I went on a field trip with a limnology class to South Lake Tahoe and still have great memories of the natural beauty of that part of the country. (Not only that, the tertiary sewage treatment plant that we toured somewhere near South Lake Tahoe was pretty amazing, but most people wouldn't appreciate that as much. )

[ls99]

So far, do laundry, put away last weeks folded laundry, change a couple of light bulbs to LEDs in the kitchen, cook up some chicken breasts, go out for coffee, pick up a small box of #10 wire lugs.
If I get to it, replace donut under basement toilet, do some weeding, and push the go button on the roomba.
In between did some internet reading on why most RV and car batteries are under charged. And viewed the weather forecast, rain tomorrow, clear after that for several days.

How is your day going?