Saved from the chickens

[Gone]

This little red bellied snake had a near death experience when a couple of our hens got ahold of it this afternoon. One shook and then flung it several feet, giving me time to move in and grab it. I wasn't entirely sure what they had found at first, and was pleasantly surprised to see just what kind of snake it was. They're not terribly common, or at least, it's not too common to see them.

I threw together my macro rig and took a few shots. You can get an idea of scale in the second shot. That's my fingers he's on, and he's only about a fifth as wide as my middle finger.

Despite the ordeal, he seems fine, and I released him some distance away from where the chickens go.

 

[MaggieJ]

Cute lil guy, isn't he? I had the pleasure of holding him while David got his camera set up. I like snakes.

 

[AmysMacdog]

Pretty little thing. I'm so glad you were able save him. I'm a snake fan too.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What a cute little snakey!

I'm glad you saved it from the velociraptors- er- I mean chickens!

As an aside, MC, I'd be afraid to take pics of my hands with a macro lens... it would reveal a little too much ingrained dirt. :farmer2:

 

[DogCatMom]

According to this article from the U. of Michigan, red-bellied snakes eat (among other things) slugs. A terrific reason to encourage their presence!

 

[Millinex]

Slugs and worms mostly, fun critters neat captives too

 

[Miss M]

What a marvelous little snake! I am not a snake lover, but I can appreciate their beauty and contributions to pest control anyway.

Glad you saved him from the chickens!

 

[ladysown]

that totally fascinated my son. but he was like... WHY would a chicken want to catch a snake? EAT HIM!!! WHY MOM>.. WHy would chickens want to eat a cute snake like that??? CAN I HAVE HIM???

 

[TMTex]

I'm glad you were able to save the little critter.

Personally, snakes give me the heebie-jeebies and DW is downright scared of them. I admit my fear and try to set it aside when I come across a snake. I recently found 2 shed skins from a large snake in our water softener shed that I'm going to convince myself are from a rat snake.

If it's a rattler, the hoe and barbeque grill will be coming out. :dinner:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

good save

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I recently found 2 shed skins from a large snake in our water softener shed that I'm going to convince myself are from a rat snake.

If you still have the skins, you can easily tell. Vipers (poisonous snakes) have a single row of scales below their vent, while non-venomous snakes have a double row. Even if you have no idea where the "vent" is, if you see single scales near the tail end of the snake you will know it is a rattler.

This link has pictures:

http://snakesarelong.blogspot.com/2012/ ... t-iii.html

 

[squidpop]

That is the cutest snake ever! Makes me wish they had snakes in New Zealand.

 

[Tammy N]

I am not a snake fan but i would also save them i know its just a fear of them but when you have lived in panama The fear is a good one to have LOL very pretty snake

 

[DogCatMom]

I am not a snake fan but i would also save them i know its just a fear of them but when you have lived in panama The fear is a good one to have LOL very pretty snake

Agreed. In Panama, the prettier the snake, the more likely it is to be deadly.

This little guy though is actually cute. (It also helps that he's almost a continent away....)

 

[MaggieJ]

We are fortunate in this part of Ontario that there are no venomous snakes. It lets us relax and enjoy any we encounter. There are rattlesnakes in some parts of Ontario, but not here in the South East.