Question for Florida PetTalkers

[prechrswife]

We have seen a couple of snakes in our yard. Not sure of the kind. We steer clear of them. (We've only been in FL for 2 years.)

[Catherinedana]

Aww, what a cute little snake! I wonder what they eat. Insects, maybe?

They probably eat the little anole lizards that we have all over the place and the massive palmetto bugs! The snakes don't upset me but the bugs do! You could put a saddle on some of them and ride them to work!!!

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

I see an average of 5 snakes a year probably where I live. Some are venomous, most have been black racers during mating time, garter snakes or ring neck snakes (tiny babies about the size of a coffee stirer). The black racers are extremely agressive during breeding, will strike at the smallest movement. I have also seen two or three pigmy rattlers in my area, thankfully none so far this year. I never want to hurt any living creature but when I see a venomous one I do "remove" it with my shovel. My children and my pups saftey comes first. The harmless ones I just try to get them to move on with a broom or something if they have managed to find themselves inside the fenced area for the dogs.

Pythons are not a problem for most of Florida, it is the Everglades. Unfortunately some idiots have gotten tired of their pet or they got to large and they released them. The Everglades is just swamp land basically (full of gators) and the snakes are practically taking over because there is no way to control them down there. Obviously the gators eat them when they are young but apparently the adult snakes have been known to eat the smaller gators. Last I heard they are trying to get a handle on the snake population down there....how? I have no idea.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I never want to hurt any living creature but when I see a poisonous one I do "remove" it with my shovel. My children and my pups saftey comes first. The harmless ones I just try to get them to move on with a broom or something if they have managed to find themselves inside the fenced area for the dogs.

Same here. If we have a non-venomous snake near the house where the dogs could get it we move it to a more safe place. However if the snake is venomous we will kill it. We don't like doing it, but our family (humans and pets) come first.

On a side note venomous and poisonous are two different things. Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. I'm not directing this at anyone, it's a common misconception. I just wanted to make that correction.

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

On a side note venomous and poisonous are two different things. Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. I'm not directing this at anyone, it's a common misconception. I just wanted to make that correction.

LOL you are absolutely right and I caught myself using poisonous - SHAME ON ME, I know better than that LOL.