It seems that those who guessed the baby snake we found the other day was a rattler were correct. We found another one today, exact same size and coloring. This one was not more than 20 feet from where the other one was. Both were very near the turkey coop. After killing this one, I inspected the tail very closely and sure enough, there was a single tiny rattle segment at the very tip. The head was triangular also.
As happy as I am to have identified it, now I am worried. That makes two baby rattlers killed within 20 feet or the turkey pen within a week., This must mean that there is a mommy rattler hiding with her nest of eggs somewhere very close to the turkey coop. I don't know how many eggs are normally laid but surely its more than two, so there is a mommy and several more little babies slithering around our pasture. Having all these animals and three little kids running around makes this an unacceptable situation.
Sounds like it's time for a snake hunt... unless someone has a better (and safer) idea?
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UPDATE: a little research shows how little I know about snakes. Rattlesnakes do not lay eggs! they do have eggs, but they stay inside the female until after hatching, then the baby snakes are born live. How bizarre!
ReplyDeleteThat means we must have a live female rattlesnake pumping out babies in our pasture. They apparently have "litters" of 8 to 10 baby snakes on average.
Definately time for a snake hunt! Where's that shotgun!
The baby rattlesnake is not cared for by its parents after birth but is independent and ready to hunt.The average in a rattlesnake clutch is about 15, however they can have as many as 25 young ones at one time
ReplyDeleteFact is that baby rattle snakes... are more dangerous then adults becuase wehn they bite they do not control the venom they inject. Also about 25% of adults will only give what they call a dry-bite,
Sometimes they will give what is called a dry bite, or a non venom bite, however even though it is not envenomated it is still a quite serious wound.
FYI they can only strike 1/2 the length of their body it will help in the hunting,
good luck and keep those kids safe.
I'm trying to remember how they rounded them up in Beeville at the annual rattlesnake round-up/festival. I know a pole with a Y at the end was used to hold them in place, maybe even a couple, one to pin them and one to pin the head. I seem ...to remember (however unrealistic it may be) something about rattlesnake dens in the hill country - but I don't have anything to back that up with. I suppose buckshot would do the job nicely from a distance. I killed one with my 7 iron on a golf course in Corpus Christi once, but the shotgun would have been safer.
ReplyDeleteWell this evening while chasing hte turkeys into the coop I found yet a third baby rattler, again not more than 20 feet from the first two. That makes one a day still within a very small area of the pasture.
ReplyDeleteThis one one I sliced in half with the 2x2 pvc plastic square pip I use for turkey herding.