This evening just before sunset I was making my rounds through the garden. I heard a rustle in the leaves between two of the raised beds. Usually rustling in the leaves is caused by toads, but it was a bit early for toads to be out. I took a look around the edge of the raised bed and saw THIS!
"Ooooooooooooh, ALAN!!!!" Thankfully he was outside and could hear me calling his name and came to see what I needed. "Umm, help please!"
Just a couple of weeks ago (when I was reading about rat snakes after our last snake encounter) I read something about hog-nosed snakes and seeing the large black spots on this snake rang a familiar bell (though I remembered them as being called "pig-snouted" - HAA!) I never thought I'd SEE one! Especially so soon, and so CLOSE!
Alan stayed in the garden to keep the snake from slithering off, and had me get an empty feed bag and two long garden stakes. He set the empty bag down in front of the snake and using the long stakes encouraged the snake to move forward into the bag. He got the snake in the bag just like THAT! Lickety-split! In fact, I only got three photos taken before the snake was inside the bag, out of sight.
These snakes are not harmful, but they REALLY like to eat toads, and I rather LIKE the toads in the garden because they eat BUGS! And toads are not SCARY, like snakes! So we relocated this snake to an area near a large pond and a large field, away from homes. It just hung out in the grass when Alan dumped it out of the feed sack.
And then it flared it's spots at me when I took it's photo ... ack!
I don't really like snakes, at ALL... Stay outta my garden, you SNAKE!
Dreaded! It's huge and ugly and awful, even if it is harmless (a toad would disagree, I'm sure). Bless Alan's heart for "relocating" it for you. And kudos to you for being brave enough to take photos!
Posted by: Shellie Daniel | June 13, 2011 at 08:55 PM
Hey Anna -- brilliant pictures, but the subject of those pics ---------- YUCK! YUCK! and MORE YUCK :)))
Posted by: Robb_eeie | June 13, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Blaaaaaaaaddgggghhheeeshhhyeeeaaaaaaaaaalallllalllll!!!!! Bad, bad snake.
Posted by: MicheleP | June 10, 2011 at 05:08 PM
I think you need to send the snake to Shala! LOL (I know her) :D As far as I'm concerned: ICK ICK ICK!!! NOT a fan. So happy Alan took it away from the house. Besides, I'm with you~~I love the toads, and we need them around. I have several around our house, and I think they are adorable. But snakes are just not meant to be coddled...at least not in MY book! Great pictures, by the way. :D
Posted by: diane mcvey | June 09, 2011 at 08:34 PM
Nope...I do not like the look of that snake one bit, Anna! Good thing Alan was there to clear that thing outta there. It's good to have a hero, right!
Posted by: Leigh OBrien | June 09, 2011 at 08:16 PM
Bleh! That is one ugly snake! That was nice of y'all to relocate it to the "pond of unwanted snakes." :)
Posted by: Renee M. | June 09, 2011 at 03:01 PM
Well I applaud your decision to safely relocate the snake and allow it to live. However, I would not have been as open minded. A couple of weeks ago, on my drive home from the office (on a rare day I actually went in), I had taken my favorite back roads through small farms, over various rivers, and through numerous forests and tree tunnels when I came upon what looked to be a 10' black snake with a diameter larger than that of a garden hose, maybe 2" to 2.5". The serpent in question was attempting to cross the road and was headed in the direction of a dozen horses. As I approached the snake at about 45 mph I pondered momentarily whether to spare its life as it slithered across the unmarked road. I thought to myself, "what right do I have to take another creature's life?" I wondered if it was a "good snake" or one of the undesirables. I actually gave this matter some thought. And then I aimed for it's neck, ran it right over and killed it dead.
Posted by: Gabriela | June 09, 2011 at 01:36 PM
I cant explane it but I dont think I have left anything behind on my trip to Texas (that cant be shipped in a box) accept my daughter. I'd go back for sure but...... large, and possibly poisonous snakes in my garden foliage........Copperheads on the front porch and really big SPIDERS!!!! I really, really love the Pacific Northwest temperate zone. I dont even like snake skin boots! Kite flying on Cannon Beach, Oregon....Priceless!.....Love, Dad
Posted by: DK Wight | June 09, 2011 at 08:37 AM
Saw your post come up last night BUT waited till this morning in the daylight to read it!!!!! Alan would still be in the garden cleaning up MY mess I would have made after seeing that. You need to make a sign on a little stake that reads "NO SNAKES ALLOWED" for the garden.
Posted by: Mecah Dow | June 09, 2011 at 08:25 AM
OH my... we had a rat snake in the goat pen a few nights ago. And last night took the dogs out and found a rattler!!! Ran back in to get Hubby to come and kill it and it was gone! I would have done it my self, but in my nighty and house shoes and well... it was a BIG ONE! We spent over an hour looking for it, I HATE SNAKES!!!
Posted by: Michelle Oatman | June 09, 2011 at 07:02 AM
My philosophy concerning snakes is as follows...
The only good snake is a dead snake. I don't care poisonous or not. We had a copperhead in our kitchen a few years ago. I do not like snakes. I know we are supposed to love all of God's creatures but snakes just push the boundaries. Snakes and scorpions. But that's a rant for another day.
Posted by: Amy D | June 09, 2011 at 07:00 AM
Another creepy crawly in the garden. Did you use the long lense ? I would have had to. The last time I saw one of those I was a kid. We where camping in a friends farm pasture near a creek. Sure glad theysatay out of town. I like the toads in my koi pond and garden. Have a quite snake free day. Hugs...
Posted by: Carol Dee | June 09, 2011 at 06:17 AM
Way too many snakes in TX -- bleah --
Posted by: Michelle | June 09, 2011 at 05:25 AM
I hate snakes.
Posted by: SueB | June 09, 2011 at 04:14 AM
Snakes literally make the hair on the back of my neck stand up! No way would I get close enough to snap a picture!
Posted by: Glenda | June 09, 2011 at 03:40 AM
Holy crapazoid, this snake looks like a cobra......geeze my skin is crawling right now. I am terrified of spiders and snakes or anything that moves fast....yuk!
Posted by: Mary Lou Kemp | June 08, 2011 at 09:54 PM
Oh Anna you are braver than me. That would have been the last time I went into the garden!! Snakes yuck, I don't even like our small garter snakes one that big would give me a heart attack. Ann Lind
Posted by: Ann Lind | June 08, 2011 at 09:22 PM
Wowza,kind of a homely guy! Thanks for sharing Anna,
Hugs
Julie
Posted by: Julie | June 08, 2011 at 09:05 PM
Better you than I because Alan would be looking for more than two long stakes; I'd need cardiac assistance!!! Glad he's out of your property! I'm pretty sure you said more than, "stay out of my garden, You Snake"....LOL!
Posted by: Sherri D. | June 08, 2011 at 09:04 PM
Oh, how beautiful! Hog nose snakes come in such a variety of shades. We had one at the Nature Center who was so yellow that I named him Apollo. Good thing you released him/her near water. They also love frogs! Thanks for the great photos!!!
Posted by: Shala | June 08, 2011 at 08:47 PM
Oh man, I am glad we don't have those around here!
Posted by: Kristen | June 08, 2011 at 08:22 PM
Uh, yeah...snakes...not for me. That's a definite yuck!!
Posted by: Angi Rankin | June 08, 2011 at 08:14 PM
our friend came back to visit again the other night. I got some good photos of him I'll have to post. You're right, we need to start packin'! Or at least keep our men within ear-shot!
Posted by: Yvonne | June 08, 2011 at 08:11 PM
Geez Anna, I sure hope you had your biggest zoom on when taking those photos. No way would I have wanted to get that close to any snake, non dangerous or not!
Posted by: Jo Eades | June 08, 2011 at 07:59 PM
Yuck!!!
Posted by: Denise~Paper Ponderings | June 08, 2011 at 07:50 PM