Mowing Perks

[guidofatherof5]

Today I cut a new yard in the neighborhood. They wanted to just pay me for the work but I held out for something more. I wanted pay and all the garter snakes I could find. They agreed without a fight. Boy, did I get a good deal.
While I was moving some tall grass I noticed this first snake heading for cover.
Then I found this little plump girl. Check out her orange dorsal.
Both snakes will spend sometime on the Ranch before being relocated to my backyard. In all honesty the little orange dorsal girl may stay for the Winter and Spring and Summer:D
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/lawn.jpg http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/lawn1.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/lawn2.jpg

[kibakiba]

She is a cutie! I like her colouring a lot :)
We don't find snakes when we mow usually, but that red one I had was found when mowing. It's very dry here because the company next to our house dried up the pond near my house. Ever since then I've only seen about 4-6 garters in the past 3 or 4 years

[ConcinusMan]

That sucks. Well you'll just have to build them a new pond.

I like that bottom one Steve. I like the gold stripe and contrasting dark spots. Very nice.

[Snakers]

I think the snakes follow you around because the word gets out from the ranch somehow:D

[guidofatherof5]

I think the snakes follow you around because the word gets out from the ranch somehow:D

I'm beginning to think these wild scrubs aren't so wild.
When I encounter them outside they seem more on the calm side.:D

[Snakers]

I'm beginning to think these wild scrubs aren't so wild.
When I encounter them outside they seem more on the calm side.:D
;):Dhmmmmmmm

[guidofatherof5]

Yesterday the mowing perks turned tragic. While weed whacking I hit a juv. brown phase female. I had to put her down on the spot.
I hate yard work anyway but when it costs the life of a fine young radix then I really don't like it.

[kibakiba]

Oh no! Poor snake :( At least you made it quick for her instead of letting her suffer.

[Mommy2many]

Sorry you had that tragedy.

[drache]

unfortunate accident

that little radix with the orange dorsal is real nice

[Snakers]

this seems to happen to me alot too, whenever im weed whacking in a high grasy i step around in it before i weed whack but still some dont leave until it's too late:(

[drache]

now what if you quit mowing altogether and just got some goats or bunnies to do the job?

[guidofatherof5]

I've had a very good year mowing my yard. No causalities. But then the mowing schedule is posted.
My wild radixes usually go visit friends, take in a movie or just go shopping on mowing days.:D

[ConcinusMan]

Only one thing worse than weed-whacking a garter snake. Weed whacking a huge slug and having the guts splatter all over your face. eeeww.

[guidofatherof5]

Only one thing worse than weed-whacking a garter snake. Weed whacking a huge slug and having the guts splatter all over your face. eeeww.


No. I think weed whacking a garter snake is worse;)

[Kevinh583]

You guys must have lots of garters if you have to watch for them when you mow. Good problem to have, i guess, if you like garters. I'm lucky if I see one or two garters a year. Never mowed a garter but I do watch out for the copperheads and cottonmouths down here. Ran over one's tail a while back and it started chasing me, thankfully my underwear was the only casualty that time. :o So a weed whacking accident would also be a bad thing, except I would be doing the dying instead of the snake.

[ConcinusMan]

I live in a highly urbanized area. No snakes in my yard today. I used to see them (very small T. ordinoides) occasionally back when I first moved in in 1992 but there was a field behind my house back then. Now it's a dental lab.:rolleyes: