morning suprise

[Dustin]

Well this morning I was making my rounds with my quail cages, checking on the babies, the breeders, and then the pen. Well when I was going toward the pen I noticed that there were some dead quail. First thought that had came to mind was the the cocks had gotten into it, and just killed some. I was kinda worried though because I saw two, then I was getting worried that they'd all gotten sick some how and just died. I finaly got up to the cage and behold!!! A big snake. I think I put about 15 shots into him.







Well he ate 3 of my quail, and killed another 2. I've given him a good home though... In my deep freezer ;D

Anyone happen to know what kinda snake that is?

[wilded]

Rat snake. I almost lost my Red tail to a 4 foot one. ET

[Dustin]

How did you almost lose her to one, he's at leaste 4'

[titaniumtalons]

wilded said:

Rat snake. I almost lost my Red tail to a 4 foot one. ET

My 2004 CBMHH bound to one at the WMA and the thing wrapped him up, had I not been there the HH would have died.
Thats a Black Rat snake better known around here as the "chicken snake" because they can eat eggs.
Michael Beran

[wilded]

The snake had constricted around Blade my male red tail. Blade had eaten almost all the way through the snake about 6 inches from the tail. When I found them they were on the floor of the mew and Blade was barely breathing. I unwrapped the snake killed it and worked with my hawk to get him breathing for about 5 minutes before he was breathing normal again. About 15 minutes after that he ate the snake. Every time he saw a snake after that he would go crazy to take it. I could not keep him away from them.

[frootdog]

Texas Rat snake to be exact. And you should be shot for killing it. What harm did it do you?

[kenbro77]

I know what Dustin must have been thinking, first he didn't know what kind of snake it was and second it took out 5 of his quail. Maybe you could have bagged it and taken it far away. But I might have had a problem too, I hate snakes.

[wilded]

frootdog, you are being to hard. What kind of attitude is it that would shoot a person for killing an animal. I have a real hard time with that statement. Every rat snake on my property will be killed. I nearly lost a hawk to one. If you raise birds of any kind the rat snake is an enemy. Wait till you go out to find one wrapped around one of your hawks or some other prize bird. Dustin, 5 quail dead, I would have killed it also. Some people just have different opinions. I their hawk takes one its fine. Do as you feel right you are not breaking any law.

[frootdog]

If it were a Cooper's Hawk that killed the quail and was still in the cage would you kill that too? That's the logic you just used. how hard is it to say it's already done it's damage and simply relocate it?

[wilded]

No, because it is against the law to kill a coopers, it is not against the law to kill a rat snake. I also would not say that someone should be shot for killing something that it is not against the law to kill. You might handle it differently, unless you have seen what rat snakes can do to hawks. I think a falconer has a duty to protect the animals he has in captivity from other predators. I just think you are jumping to judgement to soon. LOL

[frootdog]

I'm not judging. I like both y'all. I know Dustin and you, but I have my opinions, and yes I may express them strongly. Even if a sdnake tried to kill my bird I would not kil it unless I had to. You probably already know that many falconer's are also herpers. I was just at a facinating lecture at the AAV conference about how birds decended from dinosaurs. Just because something is legal does not make it right either.

[wilded]

I know the only snake TPWD is worried about in Texas is the Trans Pecos King snake. It is in trouble because so many breeders have been collected by herpers. We all have to work around everyone else, no matter the issue.

[frootdog]

I'll also add that I got a little worked up because the random killing of snakes is one of my biggest pet peeves.

[Brandi]

shibby said:

I finaly got up to the cage and behold!!! A big snake. I think I put about 15 shots into him.

No offense, but you have to expect predators, especially living in the country! You need to build your cages to be more predator proof instead of just killing an animal that is doing what nature intended. You provided an easy meal for that snake by putting prey in a cage and leaving access for the snake...and that is YOUR fault, not the snakes. I hope you do a better job predator-proofing your mews!!!

[titaniumtalons]

kenbro77 said:

I know what Dustin must have been thinking, first he didn't know what kind of snake it was and second it took out 5 of his quail. Maybe you could have bagged it and taken it far away. But I might have had a problem too, I hate snakes.

I'm a herper so I re-locate the black rats, coons, oppsums and most other predtors to the WMAs. That being said I do have to kill the cottonmouths, copperheads, canebreaks and pygmies, all of which I have found on my little 11 acres. I have a great little number of buttermilk racers, if you've never seen one of these snakes they are awesome and insectivours. I also have a good number of the speckled kingsnakes, if they would do a better job I wouldn't have so many cottonmouths.
Michael Beran