Snakes at the workplace

Shawn · Posted: 9/11/2007, 9:40 pm Post subject: Snakes at the workplace

It's been over a year since I gave myself the perk of a field inspection, so today I got up at 3 AM, met co workers on the north side of town at 6, and went out to the Hells Canyon Wilderness for a "field trip." Pretty warm but bearable.

Then we saw this guy

and this one! Over 6 feet of this one!

Anyone know what the big guy is?
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azbackpackr · Posted: 9/12/2007, 4:42 am Post subject:

One's a rattlesnake and one's a gopher/bull snake?

Nighthiker · Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1714

gopher snake, pituophis catenifer.

azbackpackr · Posted: 9/12/2007, 5:23 am Post subject:

Both of them? Isn't the first one a rattler, or are they both gopher/bull snakes? I use both terms because rural people NEVER call them gopher snakes, especially when they get pretty big--they are always referred to as bull snakes. In my Field Guide to Western Reptiles it does give both names.

I rescued one from the lady postmaster at Nutrioso AZ one time. I arrived there to deliver newspapers and the place was closed with a sign on it saying "back in a minute." If you have never seen the Nutrioso Post Office you should stop by some time. It is one of the smallest ones in the US. And where else but out in the far boonies would the United States Post Office be "closed" for a few minutes?

Anyway, along came the redhaired lady postmaster in her pickup. Her face was set in an angry expression, and she hopped out and grabbed a shovel out of the back. I said, "Snake?" She said, "Yes, and I'm going to get it!" I said, "Where is it?" She showed me where it was. It was a large gopher snake. I said, "Don't kill it, I'll take it with me and put it far away from here in the woods." That really freaked her out but she went inside and got a paper bag and gave it to me. I picked up the snake and put it in the bag and went on my merry way. I stopped on up the highway near the turnoff for Escudilla, and let the snake loose. I realize they often can't adapt to a new area very well, but this was a better solution than to allow her to kill it.

That lady also owns a local restaurant. Whenever I eat there she and I laugh about that time, but I'm sure she still thinks I'm pretty nuts. I just felt sorry for the poor snake. I tried to tell her it was harmless and would eat the mice, prevent the hanta virus, etc. She just couldn't hear me. She just could not hear me. She was set in her way of thinking. It is hard for me to understand that, but I grew up in a different world than she did.

Shawn · Posted: 9/12/2007, 7:37 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone. The Gopher/Bull snake was quite a shock to us all. I had no idea they could get that big, but I guess all they have to do is eat and make little snakes.
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

jdahling · Joined: 19 Jul 2007 Posts: 233 Location: East Valley

So, is the top one the rattlesnake and the bottom one the bull snake? Just trying to learn them so that I try to tolerate them better...

Not a fan, really!
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azbackpackr · Posted: 9/13/2007, 4:36 am Post subject:

I think that's correct. Anyone else have a comment on that?

Shawn · Posted: 9/13/2007, 5:24 am Post subject:

Yes, the first one was a little rattler, the second big one is a Gopher snake. A friend of mine saw these as was telling me the gopher snake can catch and eat rattle snakes, per his grandfather's experience in Texas. That would be something to see.
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

wanderingsoul · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 2285 Location: Gilbert AZ

Ooooh Shawn... kinda pretty pictures to look at but I'm really not partical to snakes... Give me goose bumps, even as I read and looked at these pics.

I have to get myself better with that, after all I'm invading and crossing over their property.

I'd do without seeing one if possible, but the day will come I'm sure.
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Wanderingsoul (Michelle)

Positive Thinking Is the Spark that Makes Dreams Happen~~~Unknown

azbackpackr · Posted: 9/14/2007, 5:41 am Post subject:

I used to keep them for pets in cages in my bedroom when I was about 12. They are really neat animals if you take the time to get to know them. They are a lot of fun to handle if they are tame. I'm not too partial to rattlesnakes, but watch from a distance of course!

It's always been interesting to me to consider where one has learned one's fears. Thinking back, looking at the source, and then to realize maybe Mom was not correct in this or that fear that she taught you.

wanderingsoul · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 2285 Location: Gilbert AZ

Don't know where this comes from. Wasn't my Mom... She was always outdoors in the garden and snakes were there. I'd be there with her and spy one and go all goofy... she'd say Ahhh it's only a snake, they won't hurt you besides they keep the bugs down and out of my flowers and plants. Leave them alone and they'll leave you alone. And my brother also played and messed around with them, keeping them as pets. I just don't know.
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Wanderingsoul (Michelle)

Positive Thinking Is the Spark that Makes Dreams Happen~~~Unknown

azbackpackr · Posted: 9/14/2007, 5:17 pm Post subject:

Did your brother take advantage of you being a little scared, and make you more scared by sticking one down your blouse, etc?

As for me, I don't like to go fast. I am scared of going fast, especially if I am not the driver. I would definitely refuse a second date if a guy drove too fast. My dad was a bad driver, almost got us in car accidents running red lights, etc. I wore a seat belt even in the late 1960's if there was one in the car.

Nothing to do with snakes, but has to do with old fears.

wanderingsoul · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 2285 Location: Gilbert AZ

Can't say that he did that either. He always had lots of weird kind of stuff, Ant Farms, BeeKeeping and all sorts of critters... Never chased or did anything with them to scare me. He was just facinated by creatures. So don't know where it came from. Guess they just appeared so quickly and scared me slinking through the grass and such. Just never liked them.
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Wanderingsoul (Michelle)

Positive Thinking Is the Spark that Makes Dreams Happen~~~Unknown

azbackpackr · Posted: 9/15/2007, 5:45 am Post subject:

No real reason why you should have to like them, unless you are trying to learn to like them. It's not as though it's super important! Wink