Friday, May 11, 2007

Sleek, but suspicious

I found one of these in the garage this morning. At least, I think it's one of these.

I was pulling out of the garage and saw it peeking its head out. I put the Jeep in park and bounded out to get a closer look -- snakes don't bother me in the least, and this guy looked pretty big and cool. But as I got closer, this new risk-minimizing reflex kicked in: Being preggers, how close is safe to a snake if I don't know whether its venomous? That was kind of a strange wall to hit.

Well, shoot, at least I had the camera in the car. I'll post one of my pictures later, but here's what the guy looks like. I'd estimate that it was between three and four feet long, but it's pretty hard to tell when you can't grab him and stretch him out! Husband thought from the pic I showed him on the camera that he was at least four feet. (Image from the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.)

We have lots of lizards around the house, and occasionally they'll hang out in the garage. We've had the good fortune to find nests of baby snakes in the backyard when mulching, and just transplant them farther back in the woods off the back of the property. This is the first time I've seen a snake in the garage. And with a snake this big, I worry about the bunnies living under the porch, adjacent to the garage!

1 comment:

  1. So proud of you!
    "Worried about the bunnies"? Well maybe... but worry more about Mickey and Minnie. I suspect they are more likely on this critter's menu.

    Like you, I find snakes fascinating and beautiful. I've never understood some people's natural revulsion to them... they too have their place, which should not be in your garage!
    Glad to hear you are a "repositioner".

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