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Arkansas Granny

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39. When I was growing up, we had a healthy population of black rat snakes that lived in and around the

Reply to Are_grits_groceries (Original post)

Wed Jun 3, 2015, 01:25 PM

Jun 2015

barn. They would take an egg now and then and occasionally a baby chicken, but my dad always figured it was a good trade off for the number of mice, rats and other varmints they kept out of the animal feed. Sometimes we would find one in the house, but we would catch it and take it back down to the barn.

Daddy always swore that if you had black snakes around, they would keep poisonous snakes away. I don't know how true that is, but in all the time we lived there, I never saw a poisonous snake.

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Watch this snake that dropped into a Charlotte NC kitchen for some eggs: [View all] Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 OP

thank you for the reminder magical thyme Jun 2015 #1

How far North are you? countryjake Jun 2015 #3

Maine. the only snakes I've seen up here are tiny garden snakes magical thyme Jun 2015 #4

You do have rat snakes there. Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #6

ah. that explains it. I keep all my food closed up, magical thyme Jun 2015 #9

Yeah, I don't think they are found clear up there. countryjake Jun 2015 #7

They are Connecticut, but this is the northern end of the range. NutmegYankee Jun 2015 #49

Oh my god marym625 Jun 2015 #2

Well you do have rat snakes there. Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #5

I don't want to know marym625 Jun 2015 #16

Whatever works. Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #18

Sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful marym625 Jun 2015 #23

You weren't. Didn't mean to sound snippy. nt Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #35

You didn't. marym625 Jun 2015 #53

I'm so glad y'all didn't kill it. I love snakes. callous taoboy Jun 2015 #8

I'm happy they weren't all freaking out in that video. countryjake Jun 2015 #11

Well, we do have some baaaaaad snakes around here as well- callous taoboy Jun 2015 #17

I live in South Carolina. Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #19

That's how my momma raised me! Behind the Aegis Jun 2015 #37

Haha...my 80+ neighbor called 911 last week when she found a black rat snake under the couch! Sancho Jun 2015 #10

One of the few snakes that doesnt get an instant run from me! 7962 Jun 2015 #12

You're awesome for not killing that snake pengu Jun 2015 #13

I wouldn't mind having one around to keep the mouse population in check, but Vinca Jun 2015 #14

He just dropped by for a snack. nt Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #15

I had a big one living around my back porch a few summers ago- callous taoboy Jun 2015 #20

Here's the one that I almost walked right into... countryjake Jun 2015 #36

Wow! He's been eating well! callous taoboy Jun 2015 #44

My brother and I had an "incident" with this fella, a few months after the pic. countryjake Jun 2015 #46

OMG! I like snakes, but I think this would do me in. AllyCat Jun 2015 #21

Did he at least offer to pay for the egg when he got caught? Hoppy Jun 2015 #22

He can't afford to pay because he works for scale. Orrex Jun 2015 #25

Are you crazy?!? It could have given you the rabies!!!!!1! Orrex Jun 2015 #24

Birds, reptiles and fish do not get rabies. eppur_se_muova Jun 2015 #31

Uh, yeah. Orrex Jun 2015 #34

That is the only good thing about being bitten by a snake. NutmegYankee Jun 2015 #48

Kali should weigh in... and tell you how frequently she finds rattlesnakes IN her house! hlthe2b Jun 2015 #26

SMH Mr Dixon Jun 2015 #27

Damn! I thought this was going to be a Lindsey Graham thread! randome Jun 2015 #28

Uh, wrong Carolina. That snake--Lindsey Graham--is from SOUTH Carolina. mnhtnbb Jun 2015 #29

I've seen some HUGE black rat snakes around here. Usually moving very fast. mnhtnbb Jun 2015 #30

That thieving no good. Must be a GOPer. lonestarnot Jun 2015 #32

Snakes are marvelous. hunter Jun 2015 #33

Oh hai! frylock Jun 2015 #38

I can haz dis egg to suk? Arugula Latte Jun 2015 #42

When I was growing up, we had a healthy population of black rat snakes that lived in and around the Arkansas Granny Jun 2015 #39

I love snakes and my kids and I have kept several as pets in the past. I tblue37 Jun 2015 #40

Still not nearly as bad as the spider rain in Australia. Arugula Latte Jun 2015 #41

Give me the snakes. Are_grits_groceries Jun 2015 #43

Yes. The total nuclear destruction of Australia Arugula Latte Jun 2015 #45

Although I put small spiders outside... 3catwoman3 Jun 2015 #52

It's as bad and literal as it sounds. Arugula Latte Jun 2015 #54

Even the snakes have heard about the national egg shortage. NutmegYankee Jun 2015 #47

Good thing you don't live on a plane. lonestarnot Jun 2015 #50

When my oldest was about five we lived in an old country house Fumesucker Jun 2015 #51