Snakes alive!!

ArthurWood

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Funny thing happened in our house as we were unpacking the other evening: wife called me to come and look at something on TV. As I emerged from our bedroom (single-storey house) I saw a 3ft X 1.5" snake in the corridor between me and the lounge. At first I thought my wife was fooling around as one of our boys used to have a rubber joke snake, but then it moved!! I shouted oh s--t, s--t,s--t,s--t (so my wife told me afterwards) and told her to stay where we she was, which of course she didn't. When she saw it she started leaping up and down - she's scared to death of snakes but has a fascination with them in that she has to look at them (Freudian?). I'm thinking 'what the hell do I do now,' as I couldn't get past it. It didn't look aggressive, ie it wasn't coiled as if to strike- in fact it looked quite friendly! Decided to call 911 from our bedroom. Police dispatcher was very understanding-could hear wifey frantic in background-told us to stay calm and an officer would be there in a few minutes. I should stand outside to make it easier for him to locate our house. I leave our bedroom but snake has gone into magazine rack in spare bedroom (wifey still jumping up and down). Told wifey to keep eye on snake while I go outside to meet police officer who arrives almost immediately. He takes long pole with noose on end from boot of his car and follows me inside house. Snake nowhere to be seen. Wifey still jumping! From description, officer thinks it's a harmless rat snake (our book says it's more like a deadly cottonmouth, but they don't live in FL). Officer advises me to close bedroom door and wait out side in case snake makes dash for it. He couldn't find snake, so I open door carefully and see snake's head poking out from under put-u-up bed. Officer tries to 'lassoo' it but snake too quick. We decide to up-end the put-u-up. No snake. Return bed to upright and see tail protruding. Officer pokes pole under bed and snake shoots with surprising speed to other side of room and behind books. Officer 'lassoos' tail and drags it out. Tells us to stand back as snake not very happy. Takes it outside and releases it on other side of road in bushes. (It's illegal to kill snakes). Snake takes to the road, so officer flicks it and it disappears down a storm drain. Turned out officer is ex-marine who was once posted in St Mawgan. However, after this incident he was pale and sweating and told us they he didn't like snakes! After carefully looking around the house and especially in our bed in case the snake had left its family behind, we retired to bed. Well, that's our excitement for this week, at least until I get the bill for my boat engines' overhaul!
 

toobaz

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Arthur...........Don't know where your location is in Florida, but I cna assure you that Cottonmouth's, Indigo's, Rattler's, Coral and another one that doesn't come to mind at present are alive and well and vacating in Florida.
Spent two months over there training for a Skydiving competion out at Zephur Hills near Tampa. That must have been the most terrified two months I have had. After exiting the aircraft and carrying out our routines in freefall, I'd open the parachute, look down and if I was opening anywhere near the swamp, I honestly thought I'd die if I landed anywhere near that location.
Each morning, we'd come out to find Indigo's all over the bloody place, as you maybe aware, the Indigo is a protected snake in Florida, cause it eats and lives on the Rattlers, Cottonmouth and Other snakes, however they informed me that the Indigo's are not threatening to man.................hey, in my book, if he's got the balls to take on rattlers, cottonmouths, etc, etc............I ain't going to mess with him!
We went fishing down the canals out at Deerfield Beach a couple of years ago, getting near the boat I could see something inside. Shouting to my mate, he tells me to keep well back. What I saw was a cottonmouth curled up asleep in the boat. My mate tries to get the smake out of the boat, with one of the oars, but this just makes the SOB even more miserable. The power and speed those things can strike at is so fast, then it took a chunk out of the oar. The reason they call them cottonmouths is because of the dark skin and the very whit mouth.

Hey, just remembered the other SOB..................Water Moccason.
So watch out bud..............their is at least five deadly snakes out there and that's without the Alligators!!!!!

Barry
 

ArthurWood

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We are 60 miles S of Tampa. I had also read somewhere that cottonmouths (same as water moccasin) live here, but our book and the police say the contrary. We see snakes fairly frequently, sometimes sitting on our doorstep after our evening stroll, but we've never seen one indoors before. A couple of children were killed by rattlers last year, but that was about 20 mi inland. Yep, I know there are coral snakes, rattlers etc around, but mostly inland, so I'm always wary. Alligators tend to be inland on golf courses!
 

toobaz

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As you say, you don't expect them inside!
Was over at Ft Meyer seeing a supplier and we went out water skiing, well that was the idea, they skied and I gave myself a high speed enima!
I really am not impressed with the snakes or allegators out there.
I thought Australia was bad! They have snakes with attitude, they come into the middle of town and bring their mate around to watch them bite you!
Well at least Old Blighty hasn't anything that scary, it's only the people over here you've got to watch! Strange folk.
 

ArthurWood

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"Well at least Old Blighty hasn't anything that scary, it's only the people over here you've got to watch! Strange folk."

Just been reading the Daily Mail or should it be the Daily Moan - what a rag. Can't they say anything +ve about the UK or is it really as bad as they try to make out?
 

oldgit

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Re: aargh and more aargh

Driving along big road thru swampy bit of everglades and decide to have whizz. Climb down bank to not be visible from road and start to do the bizz.Wife standing at top of bank helpfully calls out that I am standing quite close an *large alligator.I then take the matters in my own manly hands and fall over into ditch.Alligator deicides it has seen enough and slips into its drain for a bit of peace and quiet.*It looked b dy eeenourmus to me.
 

ArthurWood

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Re: aargh and more aargh

Well, with all due respect OG, I would have thought that a worldly fellow like you would have had more sense than to step off the road in the Everglades. The 'gators are everywhere.
 

ArthurWood

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Re: aargh and more aargh

Makes my $4.6K bill for engine overhaul look postively paltry -but I am on a fixed-ish income:). Oh, and I did get a begging phone call from younger son to pay $3.9K for new engine for his car - and all that on top of cruise expense. Now we'll have to die at 70, because that's when our money will run out at this rate!
 

oldgit

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Re: aargh and more aargh

Prob the allygator no need much to view to other.Wife keeps telling me to put it away.
 

longjohnsilver

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Arthur you\'ll be safe in Sumerzet!!

Come back home Arthur, I'm sure they'll let you back in, probably no one will recognise you after all this time.

No dangerous snakes (or crocs or alligators) back here!!
 

ArthurWood

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Re: Arthur you\'ll be safe in Sumerzet!!

I'm not so sure I'll be safe anywhere in the UK if I believe the Daily Mail and Mr Blunkett! I also read in the Economist some time back that the number of assaults per 1000 of population is the same in the UK as in the US. Since the crime rate in the US is declining, so they say, I guess the UK ratio is now higher. Just think what it would be like if Brits were allowed to carry guns. I think I'll take my chances with snakes, 'gators and US 'captains.'
Problem I have when I visit Zummerzet is I go to speak to someone I think I know, but it turns out to be their kid!
Well, I have been away from Welli'ton since 1959. BTW, hlb, I lived in Lancs/Ches for 4.5 yrs and I can still spell (well, most of the time):)
 
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