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Post by Latitude33 on Dec 24, 2020 20:27:11 GMT -5
breezy,
Thank you for your kindness to nature.
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Post by breezygardener on Dec 26, 2020 12:50:03 GMT -5
Here's an example of real spousal love/support. Even though he despises snakes, Mr. Breezy came in yesterday with a handful of earthworms for the Snakelet he came across while taking care of the horses.
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Post by ahntjudy on Dec 26, 2020 13:03:03 GMT -5
Ditto to what Lat said...
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Post by Wheelgarden on Dec 26, 2020 19:38:44 GMT -5
My neighbor and I share rat and corn snakes on occasion when we capture them. "Hey neighbor, I've got a big rat snake I caught in my barn, do you wanna borrow it for yours?"..."Sure, thanks! --- I'll bring it back --- thanks neighbor!"..."Okie-dokie!" They can be a problem with the birds, but they seem well-fed and satisfied with the rodents.
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Post by breezygardener on Dec 28, 2020 17:08:09 GMT -5
Yes. While I do love Black rat snakes, I also spend more time than I'd like to extricating them from my birdhouses & trees/shrubs harboring nests. With poor snake-dispising husband as my assistant.
One year we had a lovely pair of Great Crested Flycatchers take up residence in one of our bird boxes. And just when the youngsters were about to fledge, I luckily was outside when I heard a catastrophe going on at the box & arrive in time to see all the little fledglings fluttering around on the ground & a Black rat snake in the box. Mr. Breezy corralled & collected the fledglings (with parents screetching nearby), while I extricated Mr. Snake from the box & took him for a long half-mile walk up the road before releasing him.
Then we stuffed the fledglings back in the box, parents thanked us (we think), & all went on as usual.
I also once chased a huge mature Black rat snake away from a Catbird nest & up a close-by White pine tree. Climbed up & hit him with a broom, he fell on my head, & bounced into the muck tub I had nearby. Bingo!! Also took him for a walk up the road. Unfortunately the Catbirds were too distressed to continue with their nesting, but luckily it was early enough in the year where they didn't have any eggs or offspring yet.
My husband deserves a medal.
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Post by gardendmpls on Dec 28, 2020 19:52:34 GMT -5
I love those catbirds. They will jump right into where you are digging to pick up a worm or insect, and they aren't shy about it. One season I had one that would wait until I came out to the garden and stare me down until I turned over some soil for it to hunt through.
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Post by emmsmommy on Jan 9, 2021 20:36:22 GMT -5
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Post by breezygardener on Jan 9, 2021 22:36:00 GMT -5
He seems to be doing just fine. Spends a lot of time burrowed under the soil, & I've been popping in earthworms now & then. Assume since he's still alive & looking well & spunky that he must be eating some of them. I can only hope that he/it hangs in there a few more months until it's warm enough for me to safely release him.
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Post by ahntjudy on Mar 9, 2021 17:59:05 GMT -5
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Post by breezygardener on Mar 11, 2021 14:42:02 GMT -5
Unfortunately, the little snakelet didn't make it. He had the proper temps & setup, & seemed to be eating well, but all I can think of is that perhaps there was something wrong with him that I wasn't aware of, & may have been why he was outside in the open on a 28-degree day.
Oh well - at least I tried.
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Post by ahntjudy on Mar 12, 2021 0:58:39 GMT -5
Ya done good...
Little snake had a good final loving home...
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Post by emmsmommy on Mar 12, 2021 7:57:44 GMT -5
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Post by desertwoman on Mar 12, 2021 10:23:51 GMT -5
RIP little snakelet. It had a blessed last chapter.
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Post by breezygardener on Mar 12, 2021 17:26:14 GMT -5
I have to keep thinking that. The temps dropped into the teens the night I picked him up, so I doubt he would have been able to find sufficient cover - especially with already rock-hard frozen ground - to survive. I did my best, researched what he would need, & even with the frozen ground was able to provide a lot of small-enough earthworms. I must have looked like an idiot outside in the cold - a 64-year-old woman prying up rocks with a crowbar looking for worms for a snake.
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