We had our routine termite inspection today, and the guy from the inspection company warned us about pygmy rattlesnakes that he claimed were common in SoWal. Has anyone had experience with these? Has anyone seen them or been bitten????? It sounded creepy to me! Thanks! :shock:
Replies
172
SoWal Expert
We have seen several pygmy's at the Shark's Tooth golf course. Even saw one exiting a crack in the wall of the clubhouseLast year, about this time, JDarg and BDarg were ready to pick up a Pygmy Rattler, which was crawling up through a deck on a house. Well, maybe the picking up part is a little bit of an exaggeration, but they had their faces right over the snake, investigating it. When I told them what it was, they took a step back.. Nature is all around us--sometimes just too much around.
SoWal Insider
Last year, about this time, JDarg and BDarg were ready to pick up a Pygmy Rattler, which was crawling up through a deck on a house. Well, maybe the picking up part is a little bit of an exaggeration, but they had their faces right over the snake, investigating it. When I told them what it was, they took a step back.
Beach Comber
I am deathly terrified of snakes, hate them all (sorry) but I keep returning to this thread. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.
When I was growing up in S. Ala., we had woods all around our property so we had our share of rattlesnakes (I always managed to "rake" across one while I was raking) and also moccasins in the river where we skied. We even went to the Rattlesnake Rodeo in Opp some years.
But PLEASE tell me that there are no snakes ON the beach! I just never thought there would be snakes slithering along the beautiful white, pristine sand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are no snakes on the beach, right????
(I'm gonna have nightmares tonight.)
Beach Mice = Snakes nearby ...
SoWal Insider
Beach Mice = Snakes nearby ...ohhhh noooo. But I don't really know what a beach mouse is.
I know snakes always hang out (literally) in the citrus trees. yuck.
SoWal Expert
The black racer snakes are out everywhere right now- I see them every time I am driving! Why are they always crossing the road? Busy snakes they are!!!
Edited
SoWal Insider
I hate snakes. And they do always seem to be crossing the roads. yuck.
SoWal Expert
I hate snakes. And they do always seem to be crossing the roads. yuck.
Makes for a lot of snake pancake!
SoWal Expert
Makes for a lot of snake pancake!
SoWal Expert
Well, it sounded better than snake milkshake.
Or snake cornflake.
Or snake cornflake.
SoWal Expert
Well, it sounded better than snake milkshake.
Or snake cornflake.
SoWal Insider
Friend of mine is an elderly surveyor, nice old country gentleman from Alabama, his young assistant was driving him in the truck one day and slammed on his brakes, backed up, pulled forward, backed up.......my elderly surveyor friend said "Well son, I think you killed that fan belt!" :funn:
Edited
SoWal Insider
Friend of mine is an elderly surveyor, nice old country gentleman from Alabama, his young assistant was driving him in the truck one day and slammed on his brakes, backed up, pulled forward, backed up.......my elderly surveyor friend said "Well son, I think you killed that fan belt!" :funn::funn:
Beach Fanatic
The black racer snakes are out everywhere right now- I see them every time I am driving! Why are they always crossing the road? Busy snakes they are!!!
To get to the other side?
On the subject of black racer snakes...they are as harmless as can be, but one springtime Sunday morning several years ago, I observed two black racers playing (courting?) in the Point Washington Cemetery. As I continued on my way, they decided to play a game of chase with each other and one of them slid OVER MY FOOT.
I am sure that the congregation at Cornerstone found the sight quite amusing. Hopefully they didn't hear me...
Meow
The black racer snakes are out everywhere right now- I see them every time I am driving! Why are they always crossing the road? Busy snakes they are!!!
that's where the chickens are.
Beach Comber
The problem with pygmy rattlesnakes is that they are so well camouflaged. I have almost picked one up more than once while burning brush. They look just like an oak twig. My neighbor got bitten by one...just made her a little bit sick, but nothing lethal. I keep a bush axe by my back door for just such occasions. Have also had a 10 ft rattlesnake in my yard...disappeared into the woods by the time I got back with my shotgun. Far as I know its still out there, lol. Things that have visited my home in the past....squirrels, rats, snakes and even a bat. Price you pay when you live in the woods I guess 
Beach Fanatic
Oh, Miss Kitty!!!! You beat me to the punch about needing to cross the road to get to the chicken. I haven't seen a pgymy rattler in my yard for some time.
SoWal Insider
Guys, I didn't sleep well last night. I kept waking up thinking/dreaming that there was a pile of pygmy rattlers at the bottom of my mattress where my sheets are tucked in. :shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:I HAVE to stop reading these snake threads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beach Fanatic
The snakes around my house would laugh at rope. Or, possibly try to mate with it.
SJ's picture is a classic cottonmouth. Scary to have one of those looking at you, licking his lips. :shock:
ANYWHERE you have pine trees and pinestraw in abundance, you are going to have scorpions and pygmy rattlers. When I lived in Freeport, there were about 50 little skinny pines on our lot, and daily we would find scorpions in the house. Wasn't uncommon to find a pygmy on the steps or in the yard, either.
We cut down the trees and the scorpions left. Pygmies stayed, though, perhaps not as many.
btw, before y'all jump on me for cutting down trees...THEY WERE PINE TREES. Skinny ones. Prone to snap off in a hurricane and form a projectile to come in your window and impale you (or at least sway real hard, making you sick watching them go round, and round, and round
Actually, that pic is not of a cottonmouth/watermoccasin. It is black, but it is not a moccasin. The moccasin is the most misdiagnosed snake there is. Almost every snake is called a moccasin. I have had three pygmy rattlers in my yard and re-located them all deep into teh woods. I've seen bunches of moccasin in the swamps and ditches out in Point Washington forest, but not in the past few months where it has been plenty hot. They tend to sun in the spring and fall when the nights are cold and days warm.
Beach Lover
there are pigmys, cotton mouths, rattlers, black racers, big cats, bats, fox, deer, wild hogs, scorpions, coral snakes, gators, big lizards, BIG gators and more all over this area. We do live in a rural area that is full of all kinds of wonderful "critters" and I for one, am happy to be here with them, uh, as long as they keep their distance, I will most certainly keep mine, especially from the coral snakes, two of whom I have dug up when gardening! Thank goodness it was cool and both critters were slow!! don't ya just love it?
hmmmm......can't remember
Actually, that pic is not of a cottonmouth/watermoccasin. It is black, but it is not a moccasin. The moccasin is the most misdiagnosed snake there is. Almost every snake is called a moccasin. I have had three pygmy rattlers in my yard and re-located them all deep into teh woods. I've seen bunches of moccasin in the swamps and ditches out in Point Washington forest, but not in the past few months where it has been plenty hot. They tend to sun in the spring and fall when the nights are cold and days warm.
I concur. He doesn't have the pit viper head. He's just smiling...
SoWal Expert
somewhere in my file of photos, I have a pic of a pygmy rattlesnake on the welcome mat outside of a local business.
Beach Fanatic
Friend of mine is an elderly surveyor, nice old country gentleman from Alabama, his young assistant was driving him in the truck one day and slammed on his brakes, backed up, pulled forward, backed up.......my elderly surveyor friend said "Well son, I think you killed that fan belt!" :funn:
THAT's wit... and then he spit :funn:
To get to the other side?
My thoughts exactly!!!
that's where the chickens are.
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