This has been an interesting week for our family. Out at the ranch, we’ve been encountering snakes!
It began with snakes in the chicken pen. Those of you who keep chickens probably know that along with your backyard chickens, you are very likely to encounter snakes. Here in Texas, these are most often chicken snakes, sometimes called rat snakes. Chicken snakes love eggs, and small baby chicks when they find them. Before launching yourself into your chicken pen in search of hen fruit, it is always a good idea to pay special attention and be on the lookout for snakes.
A few years back, our youngest daughter was attempting to gather eggs in the henhouse one afternoon, when she ran into a rather large chicken snake, curled up in a nest. She called her brother and sister to the barn, and within a few minutes they found three very large chicken snakes, all had been dining on our eggs. Chicken snakes will not harm you, but they will probably give you a scare. Backyard chicken raisers beware… This week, my wife was collecting eggs when she encountered a very large bull snake in our chicken pen. He had a belly full of eggs and was not happy to be caught. My intrepid wife somehow nabbed this snake and deposited him into a plastic bucket. He was relocated to the nether regions of the ranch and not harmed. Then a funny thing happened. My wife ran into another bull snake loitering around the chickens the very next day. This was a smaller snake, so not the same one she caught previously. This snake was moved as well.
With all this snake activity, we should have known there might be more to come. There was… A few days later, our beloved little Jack Russell terrier, Mac, was making his normal rounds through the sheep barn during morning chores. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but when ready to leave, my wife noticed that Mac was listless and obviously not feeling well. Soon his head and neck began to swell. She suspected a snake bite, and after a brief phone call to the vet, we raced him in for treatment. The vet was certain that Mac had been bitten by a rattlesnake (he found distinct fang marks on his nose) so they began treatment with antivenom.
Mac had previously received a rattlesnake shot. This does seem to offer dogs significant pro tection, but it is recommended that they also receive antivenom treatment if bitten.
Thankfully, Mac responded well to his treatment. After convalescing for several days, Mac now appears to be back to his normal energetic self. We are so grateful.
By the way, we have not yet found the menacing snake in the sheep barn. Note – I am all for letting snakes live when possible, but usually dispatch any dangerous snakes when found around the house or barns, for the safety of our fellow humans and pets.
On the subject of snakes, perhaps it would be good to consider what you might run into when afield.
Here in Texas, we have ten species of rattlesnakes. Most common is the Western Diamondback. These are typically brown in color, with diamond shaped markings and black and white rings on their tails. They are found throughout the state, and adults range in size from 3 to 7 feet in length. Along with the Diamondback, also found in Texas are the Timber rattlesnake, the Mottled Rock and Banded Rock rattlesnakes, the Blacktail, Mojave, Prairie, and Massauga rattlesnakes. All are venomous, (pit vipers identified by their triangu lar shaped heads) and should be avoided.
Besides rattlesnakes, to round out our list of venomous reptiles, we have Copperheads, Cottonmouths (also called Water Moccasins), and Coral snakes.
Non-venomous snakes include Gopher snakes, Garter snakes, Kingsnakes, Coachwhips, and many others. There are almost 100 different varieties of snakes that can be found in Texas.
If you run into a snake, anytime or anywhere, it’s best to freeze and then back away slowly. Snakes are typically only dangerous when surprised or corned. Also, keep your dogs away from snakes and out of harm’s way, if possible. And it’s a good idea to make sure your dogs get a rattlesnake shot. It just might help save their life.
Watch where you step…
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