Marnie's Snakes

[EasternGirl]

So I had an eventful day. First the neighbor boy came over wanting to see my new garter, Bella. I didn't see her in her container and figured she was hiding...but she must have somehow gotten to the top of the container and as soon as I opened it...she jumped out and off of the back of the table her container sits on and onto the floor...and she was heading toward going underneath a large piece of furniture. If she had gotten under it...I probably never would have found her. The neighbor boy...who loves snakes...quickly got under the table and caught her for me. Whew! I told him I owe him big time for that. Don't know what I would have done if I had lost her. Then there was a big spider in my house...which if you remember, I think ever spider I see is a brown recluse...I freaked out and caught it in a container so that I could take pics to show you guys...but then I remembered my camera is broken. You'll be happy to know I did not kill him...I set him free outside. I looked at pics on the internet and I think he was either some type of orb weaver or a baby wolf spider that wasn't hairy yet. Then, I spent a half and hour at my pool trying to catch a hurt squirrel so that I could take it to a lady I know that rescues and recuperates injured wildlife. The poor things leg was raw...it looked like he had been hit by a car or attacked by something. We didn't end up catching him...but he was eating and ran up a tree and back down...so I figure he should be okay. Some of the people at the pool were looking at me like I was nuts...but others were trying to help and thanked me for trying to help the squirrel...so that was nice. If we see him hanging around there again...we will try to catch him so I can take him to the rescue.

[ProXimuS]

Glad to hear Bella was caught! And glad you tried to do something for the squirrell. Maybe you'll see him around, and be able to keep an eye on his progress.


That squirrel story reminds me of one of my grandpas jokes I tried to tell when I was little(Because you said " Some of the people at the pool were looking at me like I was nuts" and I was thinking "The squirrell wasn't"). It goes: "How do you catch a squirrel? Climb up in a tree and act like a nut." But I said: "How do you catch a squirrell? Climb up in a tree and grab his nuts." Kinda works in two ways!

[EasternGirl]

Yeah...I am a bleeding heart when it comes to injured animals. I have been worried about that darn squirrel all evening. He doesn't move very fast so I worry about him going into the road. But despite his injuries...he seemed okay...he was getting around okay and eating...so those are good signs. One of the men at my pool said he was going to bring a dog carrier back up with him next time he comes to the pool and if we see him again...we will try to catch him.

I'm so glad the neighbor boy was here to catch Bella. I don't know if I could have gotten under the table fast enough...and with her being so small...she could have easily disappeared...plus, I have cats. I told the boy that I owe him...and he said.."just take me herping with you"....so very cool! He told his mom..."Miss Marnie and I have a love of snakes in common. She and I are going to do some snake-oriented activities soon".

[ProXimuS]

What a sweet boy That sounds like fun.

I worry about that even with handling mine, and he's 21 in. But I still think, if he drops, it'll only take a second and he could be gone, inside or outside!

I'm also the same with hurt animals. I was always saving birds from my outside cats and bringing home baby squirrells/birds/possums/etc My mom or grandparents then would have to help me find a place to take it to. They've put up with me well! Most recently its been baby bunnies that have been being saved. They like to nest on our property at work, and we try to look out for the nests, but alot of times the dogs will find the nest before we can...Actually the people at work keep alot of those stories from me...I don't handle it well...They've already had to deal with me a couple times, bringing in an injured baby bunny, sobbing about "What if it dies?!?"

[mikem]

Sounds like an exciting day! Glad Bella didn't escape. Thankfully it was the neighbor there to get her and not a kitty! And good luck catching the squirrel.

[kueluck]

When I was a kid, on Sunday afternoon we would watch a program called "Wild Kingdom". Sounds like you had one on your own.

[EasternGirl]

Lol...yep. Everytime I walk by Bella's enclosure now..I call her a little stinker and tell her she scared me to death. I will be extra cautious opening her enclosure now.

[ProXimuS]

Lol...yep. Everytime I walk by Bella's enclosure now..I call her a little stinker and tell her she scared me to death. I will be extra cautious opening her enclosure now.

Now you'll have to wait till you see her until you open it! So you know she's not lying in wait....

[EasternGirl]

Ha ha...I found out why Bella escaped speaking of your last post, Emily...she gets up on the rim of the container lid and basically...lies in wait. Cheeky little bugger! In other news...got my first blood-drawing snake bites last night...from...you guessed it...Sadie. How she knows it's feeding time before she should even be able to smell any food is beyond me...but all I can guess is that this biting is a feeding frenzy kind of thing. Could it be that garters are actually so smart that she knows when she sees me moving snakes around that it is feeding time? She was the last to be fed...I had not even opened her enclosure except to remove Cee Cee...I made sure to wash my hands before reaching in for her...and she started attacking me and biting the crap out of me...she had two fingers bleeding and I said...okay, look..."I am not in the mood for getting bit a thousand times"...and had to put a glove on...which she continued to bite...and then hold her up to her feeding dish again and let her eat her worms. Very bizarre. Sammy also attempted to bite me several times. Steve...are you punking me or something? Lol...did you take my scent and train these garters to "always bite Marnie"...before sending them? Lol...Just kidding...I know it was a feeding thing. Both calmed down after dinner time. And yep...garter bites do not hurt very much. No worse than cutting yourself on something. Although...that doesn't mean I was going to let Sadie continue to bite me. I have to think on this and figure out a new feeding plan for her. Of course...I have no camera so I couldn't get bite pics!

[guidofatherof5]

Well, finally the blood bite thing is over with. On to bigger and better bites. Next on the list, a full mouth bite with chewing
Sorry to hear Sadie tagged you. You've got to stop pinching her
Their sense of smell is much more sensitive then we probably realize. I'm sure they use visual cues also. My snakes get excited when I go to the fridge. They watch my hands to see if I'm carrying a worm dish.