It was dusk - twilight - evening.
Our horses had been in their stalls for 2 days, without being turned loose in the arena, due to thunder and lightning. They were restless, and needed to get out and do a little running. My husband went outside to let them out. He called me, a few minutes later, to come see. I dashed out the kitchen door to go see what was going on.
The horses were in such good spirits, running and snorting and bucking. Dozer, the big quarter horse, reared up on his hind legs. Such fun to watch! I filled their water bucket, and gave them a pat. My husband went to clean stalls (such a good husband). I headed back inside, now it was just about dark.
Just about to set foot on the kitchen door mat. Where I had just run a few minutes before.
UH OH.
What is that?
What do I see?
A Curved Stick?
It's not very big, at all...
It wasn't there a few minutes ago....
I knew right away.
A snake.
I reached inside the nearby garage door, and flipped on a light. I called to my husband. I leaned down to get a better look......
Rattlesnake.
Diamondback.
Poisonous.
And a baby - the worst kind, I've heard. Baby rattlesnakes don't know that it isn't necessary to release ALL their venom to stun the victim. So they release it all. They can also strike from, easily, 3 feet away. I was a few inches away from him.
But he was not poised to strike, he didn't seem to mind my presence.
I would have loved to simply relocate him (as we did another non-poisonous snake recently, pics below), but this is a huge danger to my family, and my animals. And...where did he come from? Was he there just a few minutes before?
We had to kill him. I'm sorry, Mr Snake.
(These are not pics of him, these are borrowed pictures, just so you can see what I saw).
:0(
11 comments:
oh no! Glad you are okay! I got bit by a baby rattle snake when I was 5, still have the tiny scars left from it.
Beccijo
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Wow...what an experience! It's so hard to kill living creatures, isn't it? Family safety does come first, though. Glad that you are OK. Hopefully it was the only baby around.
My grandpa had a friend who was a logger in Missouri and they killed a Timber Rattlesnake that was 12 feet long! They laid it down the length of the logging truck bed and drove over to my grandpa's house to show him and my mom (she was a little girl)
*That* would be scary!!
I am so glad I live in a place rattle snakes doesn't live outside....... I think I would panic, seeing such a snake!
Last week I found a frog behind a door and screamed for a few minutes..... especially for the fact I nearly took him away with my hands, thinking it was a toy from my children, hihihi
Kim
www.viltalakim.etsy.com
Wow...that would have been SO scary. Happy that we don't have rattlesnakes here.
eeeeEEEEEE
We've got rattlesnakes here too - lots of them this year for some reason. They like my Aunt's garage.
Whoa...kind of freaky! Did you eat him for dinner? I hear snake tastes a little like chicken ;)
I am glad everyone is safe now.
Snakes, as cool as they are, do not mix well with people. We have vipers and Fur de lance ones on our property in Costa Rica. I still get the willies when I come across one.
Oh my GOSH - what a fright you must have got!
You can't play around with poisonous snakes so you did the right thing... esp when kids are around.
Glad you are all ok,
I've loved your blog and have become a follower.
Blessings and magic,
Donni (Fairyfolk)
Eek. Snakes scare the crap out of me.
Again...eek.
oh no.... as long as I've lived here I haven't seen one up close and personal yet...and hope to never. I had a baby snake in my new studio yesterday, but it was harmless...but frightening. Glad you are ok.
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