Snakes

[AltarBoy]

What would you do if you woke up one morning to find an 18-foot anaconda in your backyard? This actually happened here in the coastal village of Cedros. In fact two were found and they were green anacondas. Experts here think they may have travelled from the Orinoco River in South America. One had died from stress and the other was pregnant with 18 young ones. Well, they wanted to place them in the wild here but most folks would rather them in a zoo.

These huge snakes as well as sharks and crocodiles are a fascination for me.

The anaconda is one of the heaviest snakes out there. Some as heavy as 300-400 lbs. The Reticulated Python is the longest. Growing up to 30 feet long and are very aggresive. They both can kill and swallow huge prey including humans and both are good swimmers. Their constriction can break bones.

We have Boa Constrictors as well as anacondas here. Being so close to the South American Mainland we have the same species of animals.

..and is it really true there's no snakes in Ireland?

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Better send for J- Lo

[:FI:Fenian]

Amazing, isn't it?

A little Welshman told them to leave around a thousand years ago, and they did.

The Welsh were slaves to the Irish then, not the English....

Ahh... how times have changed



Fishpond indeed!!!!

[:FI:Gurberly]

Surely...

somewhere

someone

in Ireland

must have an incy wincy littlle pet snake... or even a lizard would do... just pull the legs off.

G

[Menace]

Gurb....... Are you getting.......I .......... That's kinda mean.

Funny, granted, but kind of mean There are no snakes in Newfoundland either.

[AltarBoy]

Reptiles can't survive in cold climates. That accounts for not many of them in Europe and in the North and South Poles. They're cold-blooded meaning they need the sun to digest their food. I was watching on TV Monitor Lizards like the Komodo Dragon. Big lizards that have a toxin in their saliva. They move slower than most of their prey so they creep up on one , bite you then stalk and wait till the poison cripples the prey. Then they tear into their meal.

I've had run in with the most vicious snakes around. You know most snakes will rather run from you. Well, not the Tigre Snake. We were hanging out by a river when one came slithering through our camp. This bugger decided to run all of us out and man, can it move fast! One bite and you'll kiss yer butt goodbye. The Tigre is a viper of the deadliest order in my book.

I guess most of you may have bears, wolves and killer sheep there.

[Tonopah]

Bears and wolves and sheep OH MY Don't be afraid Dorthy! It is my opinion the sheep are the worst because even if you don't get mauled by one just being seen near them can get you a baa baa bad reputation.

[:FI:Falcon]

... and ferrets!



Don't forget the ferrets, dear.

[Nightcat]

I was on the moors faily recently and I sat on this wooden log, after a bit of a hike. Then this gazelle helicopter came up over the hill, was amazing..

anyway while I watched this helicopter practice manovers I didn't realise there was an adder biting at my boot. I backed off pretty quick over this log, where there was another one... then I noticed some smaller ones.

So yeah, miles from nowhere and sat on a nest of poisonous adders - awesome ^^



No I didn't take the pic, I would have been to busy running & screaming.

NC

[:FI:Falcon]

[AltarBoy]

You're lucky. Most snake fangs are long and sharp enough to penetrate hard leather. We usually do what dem cowboys used to do...fill sand inside the boots. Kinda hard to walk but it's better than having your central nervous system from going haywire from a neuro-toxic bite.

[:FI:WillieOFS]

Snakes? Pffft.. hatbands and belts is all their good for.

I lived in rattlesnake country most of my life. Had the occasional copperhead and cottonmouthed water mocassin ( See the name even says shoes! ) pass through as well. Copperheads smell like cucumbers and water mocassins smell like something dead...... Rattlers don't have any smell that I recall. That buzz they make can damn sure get the hair up on the back of your neck.

Been snapped at by more than one of the damn things. NEVER had one get through a boot. I wore knee high booties in those days just for that reason.

Had a dog bitten by BIG rattler, he lived. Doctored several cows that had been snake bit. They all lived. Never had one get his fangs in me. Used a cattle prod on the dog that got bit. Shocked him up good. He didn't like it a bit and he bit me a couple of times.

Seems that high voltage, low amperage electricity breaks down the protiens in the snake venom and renders it useless. Worked good on the old Rowdy dog. He hated the sight of "hotshots" after that though.. Can't for the sake of me imagine why.....

Also, anybody that tells ya a rattler has to be coiled up in the "S' position to strike, doesn't know shyte from beans about rattle snakes. I had one that was on back, ( totally upside down ) take a strike at me. He missed and I took 'is wittle 'ead orf wit a 44-40 Colt pistola.

Also the old addage that they don't quit wigglin after ya take their heads off till the sun goes down is crappola as well.

13 rattles is the biggest diamondback back I ever killed. He was close to 6 feet long.

Silliest thing I did was shoot one in my old shop. He was curled up in the back of thes shop and givin me a ration of poop. I told him to "vamanos" (get lost in mex-speak) He didn't listen. The roof on my old sjhop was a bit over 6 feet. Mister snake and I argued a bit and he stood his ground. I pulled out an old 38-40 single action Colt pistola and let 'er rip.

GAWD!! What was I thinkin'!!! A 38-40 is a tough old load. When that thing lit off, 50 years of dust and mud dauber (a form of wasp indiginous to our part of the world) nests un-assed from the ceiling of my shop, I went deaf from the blast for about 20 minutes and when the dust and gunsmoke cleared, I saw that the poor snake ended up in 3 pieces.. He was colied pretty tight and that 40 cal slug did a good job about introducing him to his ancestors. AND totally screwing up any opportunity to make a hatband out of his hide.

Only headshots count. FFS

Why did Winchester call a 38-40 a 38-40 when it shoots a .405 slug? Your guess is as good as mine.. I'll tell ya this, those sunny-beaches are L-O-U-D when ya let 'em loose from a 4 5/8 in barrel in a closed room..

Ah, life and times on the prairie............

Willie "the ol' snake murderer" and speak a little louder will ya?.

[AltarBoy]

Hmm. there's nothing deadlier than old Texan Willie with a gun.

The only snake that ever bit me was a Horse Whip. They're non-toxic and he had bitten me when I tried to swipe him with me sharp cutlass. I got it between my right thumb and index finger. I made chop suey outta him and disposed of him in the back yard. 2 minutes later when I went to check on him he was gone! No way he could've lived. Probably the birds saw a free meal and went off with it.

The only croc story I can recall was a year back working the night shift in the Tower. A BWIA A-320 flight was taxiing on the taxiway when he suddenly stopped. I get kinda edgy when that happens so I contacted the Pilot-in-Command. He said he stopped 'cause a big alligator was blocking him. I had to correct him. We don't have 'gators here only Caimans. (smaller relative to the croc). Naturally the Caiman ran like hell when the plane edged closer.

Altar-"Gun without a barrel"-Boy

[Nightcat]

I so wanna live with willie

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Sounds a like a more peaceful neighberhood than New Cross too!