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You are here: Home / Daily Life / Snakes on a patio

Snakes on a patio

May 16, 2012 by Dr. V

As regular readers will know, I’ve been on a hiking kick lately. I can’t tell you how much fun Brody and I have had exploring the region together, despite my persistent and uneasy fears about mountain lions that my friend who has spent months researching said lions has done nothing to dissuade. Her only input was, “get an airhorn,” and, “you’re not running, are you? Because then you look like prey.”

No matter, it’s worth it. Better to go out in a flame of glory and be eaten by a cougar than be eaten by the couch.

Aside from the physical exercise and the mental stimulation of watching out for predatory cats, we are also enjoying the springtime blossoms and the less frightening forms of wildlife more prevalent in the area. Such as the oodles of lizards.

SO many lizards. Large ones, little ones, basking, scurrying. Despite this reptilian smorgasbord, I was somewhat surprised and not at all distressed that we haven’t come across any snakes. I am OK with this.

You’d think a desert mountain like this would be prime rattler territory- and it is- but they are generally avoidable if you stay to the cleared trails. In fact, the most assertive animal I’ve seen is this one:

Wile E. Coyote couldn’t give two hoots about all the humans around. Behind me, a group of schoolchildren ran amuk in the parking lot. He didn’t care. After spotting this guy I did mention to the woman with the off leash Maltese that she might want to reconsider her plans. (She did.)

My point is, it’s been a real pleasure to get out and commune with nature, especially since our own yards tend to be a little light on the wildlife-side. Except from that bobcat we had, I guess, and the skunk, and the coyotes. Seven years in this house and we’ve only seen a snake twice.

Oh, make that three times.

Today, my daughter opened the front door to go enjoy the afternoon sun, and let out a screech. “There’s a snake out there!” she yelled, slamming the door.

I walked over, thinking it would be another 12 inch gopher snake like the last one. And there, coiled on our welcome mat like the boss that he is, a King snake about 8000000 feet long. Somewhere between 3 feet and 8000000, at least.

He was a Burmese python as far as I’m concerned, a massive beast. It was kind of him to pose directly underneath the front window so we could safely press our faces to the door like a reverse zoo.

He soon realized he had an audience, craning his neck or whatever the heck snakes have to peer up at the five inquisitive primate and canine faces plastered to the glass in front of him. He stuck his tongue out as if to say, “I just came in from the sun for a moment, calm down,” and off he slithered into the front yard, passing right by the statue of St. Joseph huddled headfirst in the dirt like a sad ostrich.

I buried the St. Joseph statue as instructed by the more devout Catholics among you who informed me he is the patron saint of home selling, but maybe my behavior in college is still counting against me since I’m still waiting for him to pull through. So I guess I don’t really need to go far for wildlife, really- I have to find a way to work that to my advantage. I wonder if I should upgrade our MLS to read “Resplendent King Snake viewing from the front porch.” I’m sure that would bring ’em in.

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Filed Under: Daily Life, Fit Life, Health Tagged With: Brody, hiking, snakes, Wellness Wednesdays

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tbucket42 says

    May 16, 2012 at 5:05 am

    Kingsnakes are generally docile, curious and gentle…but don’t they eat Rattlesnakes?

    • Dr. V says

      May 16, 2012 at 7:18 am

      Correct on all counts, from what I’ve been told. He is welcome on the porch any time.

  2. Sue W. says

    May 16, 2012 at 5:16 am

    Sigh. I love your life. Love love love it. Thank you for letting me live it vicariously.

  3. Thomas Dock says

    May 16, 2012 at 7:21 am

    Very handsome snake…

  4. Cathey says

    May 16, 2012 at 7:35 am

    I am decidedly NOT a snake person, but I’m all for the King if they eat the Rattler! And don’t worry, St. Joseph will come through, I wasn’t even Catholic in college & he’s worked twice for me!

  5. amy says

    May 16, 2012 at 7:37 am

    I don’t know where you get your time, work, raise children, train, blog….and you are torturing me with pictures of where I want to live. Someday….

  6. Megan Haskins says

    May 16, 2012 at 7:52 am

    My hubby and your daughter are similar. I hear screeching from the bedroom and he’s standing on the bed in his undies cause there’s a foot long garter snake on the floor. LOL. But in his defense he does get rid of my spiders. 🙂

  7. Susan Rae Scott says

    May 16, 2012 at 8:53 am

    I told a friend of mine in England to get the St Joseph statue a couple weeks ago. She had to order it from Ireland and apparently are more powerful if they come from Ireland as her house sold in 4 days! Good luck on yours. I have never had one fail yet!

  8. Burs mom says

    May 16, 2012 at 9:33 am

    It works, when my parents sold their house they buried a statue of St. Joseph and when a friend sold there’s. Both times their houses sold in no time.

  9. Lisa W says

    May 16, 2012 at 10:50 am

    Okay, I would squeal like a little girl if I saw that thing on my porch. I hate snakes…

    Hope the St. Joseph thing works for you. I’ve never heard of that before.

  10. Laura in KY says

    May 16, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Handsome snake. “Like a reverse zoo”– LOL.

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