Thursday August 25 2011
I blithely step out the front door and waltz down the steps and
SSSSrattleSSSSSrattleSSSSSSrattleSSSSSrattleSSSSSS!
"J^*#$ K@^$%&$!!!!!"
I spat out something quite inventively profane, or in a foreign language, or possibly both, as I leaped 7 feet in the air, skipping the rest of the steps.
Rattlesnake where there was not one before, has never been before, curled up beside a pretty flower pot on the second step, 5 feet from the front door, rattling at me, coiled, head up, hissing, ready to strike.
Steph came running to the door.
I switched to English. "Sh&*T!" I pointed. "Rattlesnake! Right there!" My heart was racing.
We'd actually seen one - probably the same one - last night in the driveway by the creek. I'd almost walked on top of it before I realized it was a rattlesnake. It didn't rattle at me, just got out of the way and watched me from the bushes. Steph tried to get it with the hoe, but it escaped.
Since we'd missed killing it last night, we didn't want to miss him on the front porch today. This wasn't a job for girls. We called Rick. I took a few (telephoto!) pictures of the snake while we waited for Rick. I was still shaking so most of them came out blurry.
Rick brought a hoe and a rake. He didn't have a real clear shot at the rattlesnake to chop him in half with one blow (and he was a fat rattlesnake), but he tried, swinging the hoe blade down and pinning him with as much muscle as he could muster, and then he tried to crush him behind the head with the rake.
That snake did not want to die. It writhed, twisted and bit the rake, fought, struggled on, and as it died, it kept fighting. I think it did die and it kept fighting. When Rick finally severed the whole head off, the biting finally stopped, but the body kept writhing and rattling for a good 5 minutes.
I did feel sorry for the snake, and said a little snakey apology as he departed - but we have plenty of good snakes around here, and we're not putting up with rattlesnakes with all the people, horses and dogs around.
Sorry rattlesnakes, but you're not welcome here!
Though they would help you out with your Packrat problem...
ReplyDeleteI'd probably would have had a heart attack or just run away as far as I could. No snakes are welcome here either, especially deadly ones. Glad you're all okay.
ReplyDeleteYou are gonna be stopping at the door and looking around for weeks before you step outside.
ReplyDeleteGlad you were safe - that's not particularly the surprise you want to see when you walk out the door!
ReplyDeleteScary and sad, all at once. :-/
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! What part of town do you live in? That would scare the begeezus out of me, but I'd do what you did and take lots of photos! Hahaha. I love snakes, and was sorry he had to go, and I certainly understand why.
ReplyDeleteI don't like rattlesnakes that hang around my house either. We had one get into our garage a few years ago and would. not. leave. We had no choice but to kill him. He put up a heck of a fight...even after his head was off! Hope he doesn't have any relatives hanging around.
ReplyDeleteAll the hundreds of acres around you to slither around and hunt, and he chooses your front steps. Bad snake!
ReplyDeleteWe humans feel so safe around our homes until dangerous creatures move in closer (like the snake that snuck into our garage and tried to swallow a chick)!
Well, your made for a pretty photo posed next to that flower pot. hehe!
~Lisa
We have a 45 loaded with bird shot, I refer to it as "snake shot" at least that way I don't really have to try and aim. It would not make much difference I am usually shaking too bad to get a clear shot off but the snake shot works great!! We have lots of the rattlers around here, killed two last weekend in the garden when I was trying to harvest the last of the tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteOMG, that is one of the scariest blog posts that I have ever read! Glad you didn't get bit!
ReplyDeleteWOW - I got goosebumps reading this post!!
ReplyDeleteHope you don't have to deal with this issue again anytime soon!
I have a pack with the rattlesnake gods...stay off my property and out of my animals way and you get to live. I have only killed probably 6 since 1993 at the ranch. It's always a shame...they really are beautiful creatures but too deadly to have around.
ReplyDeleteNot good for my snake phobia :)
ReplyDeleteWe have tiger snakes and dugites out here...just a few of Australia's (and the world's!) most poisonous snakes. I have come across many in my short time here. The dugites run but the tiger snakes are aggressive and come after you! It's illegal to kill them but it doesn't stop those with kids, pets, or livestock. My neighbor's dad was killed by a snake...only took 3 minutes!
ReplyDeleteMerri, there is likely a mate hanging around...
ReplyDeleteRattle snakes belong out in the desert, not coiled around Steph's flower pot, remind me to tell you my "snake story" when I see you again....really scary!!
ReplyDeleteDon't like rattle snakes!
ReplyDeleteAs a kid in Wisconsin there were bounties on rattlers and they provided spending money. But I felt guilty until a few years ago a big one was underneath the car near the doors where Margaret and our then dog Pepper entered. When one is emotional, one might use a Dodge Durango as a weapon.
ReplyDeleteWe have heard more rattlers at North Eagle this year than in past years. One was not far from Sally's (see above). They eat many creatures worse than themselves, but they don't belong near flower pots as they make humans emotional (see above).
ReplyDelete