Lunch

[ithacaartist]

Somebody posted some animal pics a while ago. I swore to myself I'd get these up, if I ever found them. Off the topic of Lugers about as far as it can get. Nature at work...

First, a water snake dines in the creek that ran behind the house I lived in about 15 years ago. I think it's a trout. The snake held onto the fish in the grip you see, between the back fins. When the fish was completely tired out from towing the snake around, the snake took it up onto the bank and ate it.

The second is my son's boa constrictor, Esmeralda, a red-tailed boa. She's maybe six feet when this pic was taken, and she's choffing an adult rat. When he gave her to "Dan the Snake Man", who takes snakes to schools, etc., she was a little over eleven feet, around 60 pounds, and ate adult rabbits, quite a difference from when she was a baby, 18", a few ounces, and she ate "pinks"--hairless baby mice (Had to be careful thawing them in the microwave, lest they pop!) We used to take her to an annual party held by a friend and let people meet her. I remember the party that was the last she attended, both our backs were shot from taking turns carrying her around, which is why it was the last.

[sheepherder]

That's cool.

I decided several years ago that I like snakes. They are, after all, one of God's creatures.

Snakes eat mice. Mice eat Corvette wiring. Corvette wiring costs thousands to replace. Every year I find a snake in my basement and carry it outside, where there is food. (Sure ain't no food in my basement!)

One Winter I found one on the floor of my basement shop. It was 15º F outside. I felt bad, but setting him loose in my tool shed, where there is always piles of leaves, was better than starving in my basement. I like to think he had sense enough to find a nesting-place to hibernate, and that he survived to eat mosquitoes and mice again some day.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Yeah..cool pics! I had a rattlesnake bite me..cost a hundred K before it was over.

[ithacaartist]

Rich, I've been somewhat of an herpetologist all along. I also had a boa when in my 20s, like my son. Amazingly, mine (Sidney) went for over a year without a meal. It was my fault, because I unwittingly did not add extra heat to his environment, and unless it is around 85, their metabolism slows to a crawl--no pun intended. At the proper temps, they are active and hungry. Basically due to apartment living, I sold him to a lady in Walcott NY, and the environment she'd built, which he shared with a large king snake, was warmer and he thrived and grew thereafter.
The most common snake in our area is the eastern garter snake, the ones with 3 yellow stripes on a blackish green body and yellow-tan underside. Their diet consists of earthworms and frogs, and they're not constrictors. Sorry, the shed snake probably succumbed to the cold, as they cannot survive near or below freezing temps. Take the next one found in winter to the animal shelter or veterinary college (Cornell is here) to get it into the proper environment!
Other local inhabitants include water snakes, milk snakes, DeKay's and red-bellied snakes, green snakes, and indigo snakes (black racer), among others. We're too far North for most venomous models, but one might encounter timber rattlers in the Catskills and remote areas closer to Pa. (Ya hear this, Ed?), some of which can be monsters.

Jerry, I remember that story...major bummer. Fortunately for us, it does not seem to have affected your fine technical skills in leather work! Esmeralda bit me once, but I don't blame her. She was due for a meal, and I put my hand into her tank a little too fast while retrieving her water dish. Boas have heat-sensing "pits" on their upper lips--like a rattler (pit vper), so she zeroed in on my hand. It was a glancing blow, resulting in a row of pin pricks. Later on, something was "catchy" in that area, and I discovered the tip of one of her needle-like teeth broken off and imbedded in the skin on the back of my hand.

[lugerholsterrepair]

David, Yes..one has to adapt. Snakes are fascinating creatures. I have a Buddhist mentality and would never kill a wild creature that was not attacking me..I have seen plenty of rattlesnakes in the wild since and I just leave them alone.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair

I have seen plenty of rattlesnakes in the wild since and I just leave them alone.

An excellent policy, Jerry, I concur entirely. These critters were around long before we humans came onto the scene, and laissez-faire is the way to go, if you imagine walking in their shoes. (I know, no feet)

[lugerholsterrepair]

David, I have always considered the rattlesnake as somewhat courteous to alarm passers by to their presence. Cottonmouths are a different species..I'm glad there are none of those where I live!

[George Anderson]

I talk to all rattlers I run across and then move on. I kill all copperheads and cottonmouths I can.

[MikeP]

Don't like Mr No Shoulders.

I leave them alone and used to throw black snakes in corn cribs to control mice.

I caught a 30 foot Burmese Python on the Cambodian border with the help of some Montagnard strikers-they thought me wrestling that critter was the funniest thing they ever saw.
I was not enjoying it. He was curled up under a bush I made the mistake of looking under.
They had it butchered up in short order and took it back to camp.

Pic is a little one we took another day.
There were a few highlights in the times of civic duty.