Butter caught a snake!!!

My busy boy wouldn't come inside when I called him last night. Usually he makes a beeline to the door immediately. I could see him sitting in the flower bed messing with something. Finally he picked it up and brought it to me. As he was walking towards me, I thought he might have a bird or a mouse, but NO http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif!!! It was a little snake, about as big around as a pencil, and about a foot long. He was throwing it up in the air, dropping it, and then doing it all over again. The snake was definitely dead after all that tossing and Butter thought it was the best toy ever!

I absolutely hate snakes, all snakes, and hate the thought of any of them being in my yard. Just a couple of months ago, my Golden Retriever, Honey, caught one a little larger in the backyard and did the exact same thing as Butter, played with it until she killed it. I am just glad that these are more like garden snakes than something larger and more dangerous. I know these snakes are harmless...but for me a good snake is a dead snake. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/tongue.gif Sorry to any of you snake lovers out there. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

I agree with you on this one Logan. Snakes are the only animal I'm absolutely petrified of. Luckily the one Butter caught is harmless!

Do cat's like rabbits?
Does anyone own both? and How do they get along?

and no i'm not buying one, i'm just curious.

Cats can and will kill baby rabbits who are still too small and young to run from danger, especially is the cat is large and a good hunter.

Cats will also, some of them, kill adult rabbits. The mama cat next door would bring home pieces ... A cat CAN be trained to live with a house rabbit, but it takes patience and time and a non-hunter of a cat, too!

From snakes to rabbits....we've had a rabbit victim too, thanks to Mimi. And unfortunately, she decided to leave it in her normal dropping place, right on the front steps of the house. What a mess!

When I was young(er) we had a large Tonkinese called Taica (Tie-sa) who would routinely bring home fully grown rabbits and ducks. We lived on a farm in New Zealand and he would drag these critters home, through the cat door, and leave them live and healthy under Mum's bed. Despite it being "the thought that counts" Mum never seemed too appreciative http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

I still don't know how he managed to get a fully grown duck from the wild all the way home and through the normal size cat door without harming them...

That is amazing!

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Spencer,

I live in the city of Chicago and we have rabbits all the time in the yard. On evening walks it is not usual that we might see a dozen or more. Edwina has never caught one nor tried real seriously but she does enjoy the thought. When she sees one there is alot of "I could if I really wanted to" behavior but most of the rabbits are bigger than she. Once a baby rabbit was in the yard when she was out and she was facinated - close enough to be sniffing it. Don't know what would have happened if I had not taken her in the house when I realized the situation.

In any case rabbits seem to adapt well to urban conditions. I don't see "road kill" rabbits around. The only problem is their fondness for my tulips. You may find them "window entertainment" for your brood.

My cats chatter at the squirrels just like the birds, and I've always wondered if cats have ever been known to capture squirrels. My mom feeds the suburban wildlife in her backyard. At night possums and raccoons come to feed at the large trays of el cheapo cat food she leaves out and to get a drink out of the pool. Sometimes the raccoons will even take a swim. One big guy even came in the cat door, looked around the living room, and calmly climbed back out! Her cats have never attacked or acted aggressively to these possums and raccoons, nor have the wild critters ever paid attention to the cats, even when they're snacking side by side at the food trough. The wild animals even bring their babies in the spring, and the cats just ignore them. Even the occastional skunk has never been spooked by the cats. My mom and I watched nervously on the patio once when one of her cats curiously sniffed a skunk rooting around in the ivy, but the skunk just nonchalantly walked around him.

So, I wonder, what makes a cat want to stalk certain animals and ignore others? Maybe it's because the possums and raccoons are so much large, and the skunks are about the same size, whereas most wild rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks are smaller than our well-fed domesticated cats.

I'm still learning about Butter, but Mimi has never successfully caught a squirrel. Even the dogs chase them, and stupidly will stare at the tree for hours, waiting for them to return. But, a possum has strayed in the backyard, once. Honey and Lilly rolled him around the yard while he played "possum". I threw him over the fence, late at night, and he was gone the next day. YUCK! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif

The largest thing my dogs have ever caught is rats, big ones. They got three before the exterminator took care of the rest. And Mimi's largest catch to date is the rabbit I mentioned earlier. It was not a full grown rabbit, but I'm sure it was quite a fight for a 6 pound cat. I hate these traits, and I felt terrible about the rabbit, but I have to say that I have not grieved one bit over snakes, possums, voles, rats or mice!!

Chuck aka Spencer,
You always know how to make me laugh!!!!
Logan

If Pesto saw another creature of any kind (except for small insects) I am pretty sure she would turn and run in the other direction!! Her biggest "killing" has been a ladybug. She has never been outside except in her carrying case, and she is a huge chicken!

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And I guess here is where the reasoning for the argument comes in about whether animal abusers deserve the same punishment as human abusers - everyone draws the line somewhere. I don't have a problem with snakes and rats. If I find one has made its way into my house, I capture and release them. I let the spiders be, unless they have caught the cats' eyes, then I remove them from harm's way. I'd rather repel them than exterminate them. In fact, the only creatures I have no qualms about killing are house flies, mosquitos and roaches. You'd think I'm a vegetarian, but I guess I can resolve that with myself because I never witness the slaughter. If I lived on a farm, I might become a vegetarian.

I absolutely cannot kill spiders or anything except flies, mosquitos, ants (only if they're bugging me), blackflies, and so on. I love reptiles. I am a little afraid of them, but I love them. I grew up on a farm, and I am now stuck in the city (I hate it here) and I never get to see reptiles anymore. We used to have frogs and toads and snaked all over the place! Sorry, a little off-topic. I am a vegetarian (except that i don't care much for vegetables) but I wouldn't try to force my values onto anyone.

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Personal servant for Pesto
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I absolutely abhor spiders! Several years ago my son was bitten by one and he got welts all over his body and his eyes puffed closed. Sorry, but if I see one I can't kill it fast enough!

I have to admit. As much as I love animals and nature, as soon as the bugs cross the line and come into MY house, they're no longer of this Earth. I know Zezu feels the same.

Amen, Ben!!! Sorry if I offended any of you real animal lovers, but I could NEVER encourage a rat to relocate. Just glad Honey took care of them for me.

Last night, when Helen was getting into bed, I happened to find tick number three on me, this time on my back. She asked me why God made spiders, roaches and ticks??? This mom was at a loss for words. I just said, while you're asking, find out why he made fleas and rats too. I know there is a purpose for snakes (at least I've been told there is), but I'd prefer they serve their purpose somewhere else besides my house!!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

I'd have to say, if I had to pick an insect to be my favorite, it'd be the dragon fly. They love to eat my least liked insect, the mosquito. Roaches topped the list,(of least liked), 2 years ago when I lived in Boston. And when I was a kid, it was bees that I hated.

Yeah, I don't think I'd tolerate rats in my house either. Then again, with my friend here, I won't have to worry.

Also, on the least liked insect list:

It's a bug, that my friends and I dubbed, "The Follower Fly". He is always around when I'm camping or hiking. I think it is a type of horse fly. There are only a few ways to get away from it:

1.The easiest--get inside your tent and zip up for a few minutes.

2.Next best choice--a trick we found that works well-- Point your head towards your unexpected friend's midsection. You must be close to them, the follower will transfer over to them. This method is the funnest, especially if your friend has no idea what you're doing. As soon as the follower flies into their hair, they'll know. And at this point start running, pointing and yelling "haha haha, you have the follower."

3.run while waving hands at your head, sometimes this works.

4.kill it, a hard task unless you have a well aimed newspaper.

Has anyone had experiences with this follower fly?

I love all reptiles, including snakes! I think they are beautiful, and their markings are like a piece of art. I also love all frogs, toads, mice and I simply adore rats (although I have never seen a wild one, only captive pet rats)

In edition to my love of reptiles and rodents, I love spiders and beetles, praying mantis's, walking sticks, and most other bugs. The only bugs I despise are ticks and mosquetos...and the only true fear I have is of bees, wasps, and hornets! I am purely terrified of all kinds of bees and although I won't kill them out of fear that they won't die and come charging after me to sting away, I would want to kill them out of fear. There would be no human life if it were not for bees....they have a very important role in nature, but regardless I am terrified. I have been stung in the eye twice, once when I was about 4 years old and one when I was a junior in high school. I think being stung in the eye twice did a number on my psychie.

yeah, being stung in the eye will do it to ya. You're better off not killing bees anyway. The more you kill, the more they swarm around you. Atleast that's true with hornets anyway. They give off a chemical, I think that warns its friends. I used to sell hotdogs at a stand in Boston Common and bees always were around me. One time I got fed up and rolled up a newspaper. I must have killed about 10 or fifteen until I had to get away from the cart and wait until they calmed down. They just kept coming back stronger and stronger.

Yeah, Ben, I know what that's like - I used to work a lemonade stand at Six Flags. We made fresh squeezed lemonade with real sugar, and the honeybees always swarmed around the stand! They never did any harm, luckily, but it was still unnerving!

You know what they say about bees though. Where ever you see bees, you know it is a place that humans and animals can live also.

Ben, I know these damn follower flies that you're talking about. Being a Kiwi immigrant to Australia it took me some time to figure out why Aussie's supposedly where the cowboy hats with corks dangling off them - just to keep away the follower flies.

Speaking of winged-things I was in a northern town in Germany, Luebeck I think, and the place was swarming with wasps. Eveywhere you went were wasps, the locals were obviously used to it but it freaked me out a little. The wasps were not only ALL over the chairs and tables in a small cafe district by a lake but also inside the restaurant, inside the cake display cabinet...absolutely everywhere - I don't know if this is normal for the area but as I said, the locals seemed to take it all in their stride...

Troy...that experience would have terrified me beyond control! I am nervous and shivering now just reading about all the bee stories. Ick. Before I was married and I was living with my mom I remember the cats would occationally find a bee or wasp in the house and bat it around as if it were a harmless fly. None of them ever got stung that I am aware of. And I also remember a dog I had when I was young used to chomp at bees and wasps right out of the air, often catching them in his mouth. Ouch.

And Ben...there are flys here in Michigan called black flys (not sure what their official names are), and they have been known to drive humans to insanity with their persistant pestering. You could shampoo your hair in deet and they don't mind. They don't go away. They follow no matter how much you wave your arms, how fast you run, and even if you happen to jump into a lake...they will hover until your head pops out of the water and buzz a zillion mph. around your head, making sure they thouroughly get your ears, nose, and eyes thourough buzzing. When I go up north every summer with my mother (not my husbands cup of tea) we found a make-shift way to get those flies one by one. When one is doing it's thing (buzzing obnixiously and pointlessly around and around and around my head and close to my ears) I wait til the lil **** lands on the top of my head for a rest, give my mother a signal that there's perfect opportunity to kill the little **** then she slowly comes towards me and quickly wacks me on the top of my head where the lil **** was resting from the routine of needless pestering. It left a little fly body on my head and I wore it as a victory hat! "Any of you other stupid **** flies care to land on my head??? Be my guests" http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif We killed maybe 40 or so between us that way. That was the only way we found that works to kill them as they are fast and seem to be smart enough to run when my hand rised for the kill.



[This message has been edited by AdoreMyDogs (edited May 01, 2001).]

Why cats don't try to fight coons, coons can hurt a dog, a big dog. Our dalmation and our st. bernard won't touch a coon for anything, never mind a cat tring to go after one. They aren't as crazy as a dog is.(Please excuse my southern slang) My cat has however caught possuims and armadillos, and held them until my dad got there to get them. And she has gotten rabbits too. And snakes, only she kills rattlers.

That's some cat you have there!

Nell with cheshire smile
Displayed on the basement rug
A headless mousie