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Lesson #1: Snakes of Massachusetts
In alphabetical order (a lesson for another day) mind you...
Black Racer
-A large fast shiny black snake. An I mean fast. These suckers rip through the woods and tall grass like crazy. its very hard to catch one of these guys. Rather rare. I've personally never seen one, but I think I know where one is.
Harmless.
Black Rat Snake
-Our largest snake in MA. Sometimes get over 100 inches in length. Very rare (Endangered species...illegal to own, harass or kill). I've actually seen one of these in the Boston Museum of Science.
Harmless.
Brown Snake
-Small, dull brown snake with a very light pick belly. Cute little guys. Often found in light wooded areas. I once found a really big one (20 inches long or so) as a kid.
Harmless.
Copperhead
-Yes, we have copperheads. Also very rare (Endangered species...illegal to own, harass or kill). Incredible camoflage for hiding in dead leaves. Never seen one,a nd i doubt I ever will, so no worries.
Venomous!
Common Garter Snake
-I'm sure you've seen these. Black and yellow checkered/striped pattern. Often musk if picked up (they spray this nasty substance all over you...nasty nasty nasty).
Harmless.
Eastern Hognose
-Often mistaken for rattlesnakes. Have a cute little upturned snout for digging. Often flatten their necks when annoyed to look somewhat like a cobra. Also very rare (Illegal to own, harass or kill), but I think I know where to find one of these too.
Harmless.
Eastern Ribbon Snake
-Long slender snake that lives near water. Looks VERY similar to a Garter snake, but it just black with yellow stripes and NOT checkered. Strangely enough, these are classified as common, and yet I've never seen one in the wild.
Harmless.
Milk Snake
-Probably our prettiest snake. Usually a mottled cream, brown and black 'spots'. Has a 'Y' shaped mark on its head. I see these guys all the time at work (lots of stone walls and old buildings). Some can get pretty big (5 feet long or so).
Harmless.
Northern Water Snake
-NOTE: These are NOT water moccasins or cottonmouths. No matter what anyone says. We have no cottonmouths in MA. BUT these guys are highly agressive when annoyed and will often strike at a predator. Worst yet, they will 'musk' and it stinks...BAD. Often called the "Banded watersnake".
Harmless.
Redbelly Snake
-A cute little snake that looks similar to a Brown snake. But these guys have a bright orange/red belly. My favorite snake of all in MA. LOVE to eat slugs and snails. Its thought they NEED to breed every year or they die (although this is not proven).
Harmless.
Ringneck Snake
-Also look similar to redbellies. Thes little guys are black with a yellow ring around their neck. Often found in house basements. Pretty and silky looking skin.
Harmless.
Smooth Green Snake
-Another pretty snake. They are a shiny bright green all over. These are insect eaters and blend in amazingly well with grass and other greenery. I don't see these much anymore.
Harmless.
Timber Rattlesnake
-Yes. We have rattlesnakes too. Extremely rare and typically only seen on the border of New York. Thes guys can get pretty big. (Endangered...illegal to own, harass or kill). Never seen one in the wild.
Venomous!
Worm Snake
-A snake that is rare in the extreme. Only a small number have been seen in the wild. Thought to be endangered, but we can't be completely certain because they live underground. (Endangered...illegal to own, harass or kill)
Harmless.
Note that if you ever see one of the really rare species, you should contact the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (or tell me...I can pass it on). Don't try to collect the specimen.
So there is the first lesson for you youngin's. Hope you enjoyed it.
Lol!
"Noooooooo!!!! My Magic, The Gathering Rules knowledge!!!!!"
Now you see Charlie, I'm out of school reading this, when I'm in school, I read about Warmachine :P
Well at least I'm doing you kids a favor.
I mean, you guys could be reading any old stuff on the web after school and theres no telling if the author is a lunatic or not...
[quote="Charlie"]Well at least I'm doing you kids a favor.
I mean, you guys could be reading any old stuff on the web after school and theres no telling if the author is a lunatic or not...[/quote]
Yeah, at least here we know the author is a lunatic.
Thats right!
.......heyyyyy....
Hooray for herpatolgy knowledge, and Gater Snakes are not harmless, those buggers hurt. Been bitten on at least four seprate occasions.
I never have a problem with them.
How do you handle them? Havn't you ever watched crocodile hunter? You gotta be one with the snake! :)
In all seriousness, if you hold them gently and give them a little room to move and slither, they are less likely to bite. They ARE likely to musk though.
In general Garter snakes are just very jumpy as they have lots of predators. So they really try to get away...including biting if need be.
The big 'uns actually have some impressive teeth too.
Intereting side note:
It appears garter snakes actually ARE venomous...to amphibians anyway :)
Their saliva seems to act as a paralyzing agent to frogs and toads. Some people actually seemt o have a slight reaction to garter snake bites as the wound tend to get slightly itchy and redder than usual.
This topic needs more [size=18][color=blue]C[/color][color=red]O[/color][color=green]W[/color][color=orange]B[/color][color=blue]E[/color][color=violet]L[/color][color=red]L[/color][color=brown]!!![/color][/size]
Cowbell?
He's right. It could use more cowbell.
Gotta have more cowbell
I got a fever and the only prescription's more COWBELL.
http://www.ojai.net/swanson/snlshows.htm
page down about 3/4 and watch
hehhe... and safe for work
I saw a Hognose when we were living on the cape. A lot of of woodland around us. He was prowling the cellar window areas for toads. We were sure he was a rattlesnake which had lost/broken it's rattle, until we were able to go pull the books.
You saw a hognose???
REALLY?!?!? Wow...thats such a hard snake to find. I'm very jealous there...
I THINK I might have seen one as a kid, but I'm not sure...
This was way back before the hunter,we would try to grab it by the back of the head, but sometimes those buggers wrap around.
Yeah, alot of snakes go nuts when someone grabs behind their heads. Its just a prey response. Since lots of predators attempt to grab behind the head for JUST the same reasons, the snake will think he's about to get eaten and will do whatever he can to get away...
heres a general snake knowledge question that i wanted to ask, what's the saying that tells you the difference between the poisonous coral snake and the scarlet kingsnake?
a couple years ago (2 mabey 3) me and my cousin say a Copperhead
sitting(or whatever snakes do)in so leafs over past poets seat tower over the ridge on the way to turners. I was realy suprised :shock: because it was the first posinous snake i have seen. Me and my cousin did not stick around long though..................
[quote="Snak Monkey"]heres a general snake knowledge question that i wanted to ask, what's the saying that tells you the difference between the poisonous coral snake and the scarlet kingsnake?[/quote]
Red touches black - Friend to jack
Red touches yellow - Kill a fellow
[quote="ocelot"]a couple years ago (2 mabey 3) me and my cousin say a Copperhead
sitting(or whatever snakes do)in so leafs over past poets seat tower over the ridge on the way to turners. I was realy suprised :shock: because it was the first posinous snake i have seen. Me and my cousin did not stick around long though..................[/quote]
Sure it was a copperhead? Alot of people mistake the common eastern milk snake for copperheads. Copperheads are almsot impossible to see in leaves...
yeah i am sure. the only reason we saw it was becuase it moved when we stepped right next to it. :(
And where was this? I'd like to see one myself :)
[quote="Charlie"][quote="Snak Monkey"]heres a general snake knowledge question that i wanted to ask, what's the saying that tells you the difference between the poisonous coral snake and the scarlet kingsnake?[/quote]
Red touches black - Friend to jack
Red touches yellow - Kill a fellow[/quote]
yup that's it!
it was out on the other side of the ridge that poets seats on. My cousin and i whent out exploring out their. their where a couple of trials none that i remmember the name to.
All hail the necromancer. I usually hate to revive old threads on people but thought you would be interested to know that I have actually seen rattlesnakes on two occasions in western MA and usually run into a copperhead every couple of years. Where you might ask, in Florida, MA. It has been almost 20 years since I last saw a rattlesnake but I did see a copperhead last summer.
Before you ask if I am sure that is what I saw, Yup I'm sure. I grew up spending most of my time catching them and raising snakes and lizards at home. (No, I wasn't dumb enough to catch a rattlesnake but I have brought copperheads home to show people).
Coincidentally snakes are easy to cook and eat if you remove the poison sacks properly.
Just my two cents.
So are irish gods and gamer geeks...what's your point?
Touche.
Mmmmm....tasty :)
I hear you guys are a bit gamey though...BA DUM BUM!
Saw one of those eastern ribbon snakes in the process of eating a frog once. VERY COOOOOOLLL! Started from one back foot; the frog kept trying to wriggle free until the snake got both legs into its mouth. By the time the snake got to its mid-section, the frog had a glazed look about its eyes. After the frog was completely swallowed, the snake suddenly seemed to notice there were about 12 people surrounding it!! (summer camp staff) It tried to slither away into more cover, but couldn't - too much frog weighing it down.
Know anything about owls? (newest focus) (also nearest neighbor)
D'oh! I learned something new and and it pushed some old knowledge out of my head to make room.
D'oh!