# HELP! I've Been Traumatized **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 17, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644 "2004-05-17T18:55:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/21 "2004-05-18T15:15:25Z")
My mom’s Jack Russell killed a tiny Rattle Snake over at their farm last weekend. They also have cottonmouths and copperheads in abundance. I’m gonna start calling it the Snake Pit. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/22 "2004-05-18T15:30:57Z")
Snakes are good to have around, especially those rodent eating types like the good old non-venemous black snake. Rodents like mice and rats carry all kinds of diseases and can mess stuff up if they manage to get into the house. Snakes are very good at rodent population control, and they really don’t bother with humans or anything bigger than they can eat. They are, for the most part, afraid of people and bigger animals and although they might put on a little show of bravado are going to try to get away from you rather than chase you. We have black snakes where I live, and we just leave them alone so they’ll kill all the field mice. My mom hates snakes, and even she doesn’t want to kill them cause she hates mice also. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/23 "2004-05-18T20:22:27Z")
I’m firmly in the “Don’t kill it” catagory. I can appreciate how you feel. My wife freaks when it comes to snakes, while I’m more a Steve the Loony guy… Make that Jeff Corwin, I’m not stupid enough to approach a spitting cobra only wearing cheap sunglasses. Anyway, if you live in the woods, a black racer is a Good Thing[TM] to have around your house. It’ll keep the vermin out, like a cat. That mothball-spray stuff should keep it out of the house. And worse come to worse, I’d rather wake up to a black racer in my bed than a copperhead any day. ---
**Author:** ![Palikia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@Palikia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palikia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/24 "2004-05-18T20:57:54Z")
I live in semi tropical Deep South Texas, which has heavy undergrowth, including palm trees, banana trees, fruit trees and lots of other vegetation attractive to rats, mice, possums, spiders, etc. I have a 10 foot long ebony snake that lives under my deck and keeps my home and yard vermin free. We have a good working relationship. I leave him (or her) alone and she (or he) eats well. I also have lizards and bats, which keep the insect population under control. The only reason to kill a snake is if it is poisonous and a threat to you. I would much rather have a friendly snake, lizards and a few bats than rats, tarantulas, and mosquitoes. Don’t mess with Mother Nature! ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/25 "2004-05-19T02:44:32Z")
Thinking like a snake … Damn!!! I go around the corner last night and here’s two big furry monsters and some crazy lady screaming at me. I’m sure as hell not going out that way again … That’s pretty much the deal, it won’t take the same route it encountered scary monsters on ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Ashkicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Ashkicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashkicker)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/26 "2004-05-19T02:56:25Z")
> [@zoogirl](#): > > BTW, I can’t see any snake being a foot long and mopstick sized. (Okay, maybe a Gaboon or Horned Viper, but not in Tennesee.) Which is it? I’m assuming wooden mophandle, say an inch or so across. My little ratsnakes are both well over a foot and maybe half an inch. Even the baby boas at work are about a foot and well less than an inch across. You are so right. You are the only Doper that caught me on my _mistake_ . I’m telling the same story to the bartender at work tonight and they call me on the same thing. She said a foot? I held my arms out real wide and she looked at me and said “That’s not a foot, that’s a yard”. :rolleyes: I never was good with math. > [@Dogzilla](#): > > Check back with me when you find a snake in your freaking LIVING ROOM. Now, THAT was some trauma, my friend. :eek: > > Story available upon request. I’m afraid to ask. I am so paranoid it’s not even funny. Hubby had to meet me outside when I came home tonight. I’m scaird to walk in and out of the house. If I found one in the house I’d probably look like Spiderman glued to the ceiling. They couldn’t pry me loose. > [@Jenny Haniver](#): > > As I said, they’re really territorial Now that statement really worries me. My dogs have been sniffing in the area he was seen. I can’t tell if he has been back or they are just smelling where he was. So do you think he will be hanging around? Hubby says he won’t. But of course he’s gonna say anything to get outta this grief I’ve been giving him. He’s like “It’s a snake what do you want me to do”? I know he can’t patrol the yard, but dammit if the dogs are going out and it’s dark he’s taking them. All this means for him is he’ll be taking the dogs outside more than I will. 😃 **snake still on property=more work for hubby** (now that math I can do) 😛 **ccwaterback** that is some funny shit. I needed that and I sure hope your right. ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/27 "2004-05-19T15:43:29Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Pshaw. You know nothing of terror and trauma. > > Check back with me when you find a snake in your freaking LIVING ROOM. Now, THAT was some trauma, my friend. :eek: > > Story available upon request. Heh. A few years ago I had to retrieve one from my son’s bedroom. On the second floor!! About a 3 foot long fat and happy black snake, happily relocated to the local park. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/28 "2004-05-19T16:33:54Z")
> [@krisolov](#): > > Heh. A few years ago I had to retrieve one from my son’s bedroom. On the second floor!! About a 3 foot long fat and happy black snake, happily relocated to the local park. Double heh. Sixteen years ago, I had to retreive a copperhead from my sleeping bag while I was working at scout camp. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/29 "2004-05-21T04:47:48Z")
> [@Mausmagill](#): > > Double heh. Sixteen years ago, I had to retreive a copperhead from my sleeping bag while I was working at scout camp. Not quite in the same class but Mr zoogirl used to be REALLY afraid of snakes. I had a particularly fat 3 foot garter who got loose one day. Naturally she found the old man having a nap on the couch. He woke up when she crawled across his neck. I happened to be at my mom’s and the phone call I got-- well, lets just say I could hear him plainly without the phone! He also “found” my tarantualla when she got out. They both survived. ---
**Author:** ![Jenny\_Haniver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Jenny\_Haniver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenny_Haniver)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/30 "2004-05-21T13:27:17Z")
> [@Ashkicker](#): > > Now that statement really worries me. My dogs have been sniffing in the area he was seen. I can’t tell if he has been back or they are just smelling where he was. So do you think he will be hanging around? Hubby says he won’t. But of course he’s gonna say anything to get outta this grief I’ve been giving him. He’s like “It’s a snake what do you want me to do”? I know he can’t patrol the yard, but dammit if the dogs are going out and it’s dark he’s taking them. All this means for him is he’ll be taking the dogs outside more than I will. 😃 Well, after the scare ya’ll gave each other, he may not decide to stay. But if he does, really, your dogs pose more danger to him than he does to them, and he’ll learn to flee quickly enough when you or the dogs are out. Here’s another possibility - it’s snake mating season, so maybe your snake was just passing through your yard on his way home after a hot date! Better? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/31 "2004-05-21T18:24:42Z")
> [@zoogirl](#): > > I’ve been bitten a couple of times by snakes in the three to four foot range and it wasn’t bad at all. **DesertRoomie** keeps snakes – a couple corn snakes and a couple boas . . . so far. She had two strict rules about handling them: Always feed them in a container other than their vivarium (5 gallon buckets mostly) Always wear gloves when fetching them from their vivarium. That way, they weren’t presented with pink, mouse-smelling objects descending on them when they are home. She hasn’t been bit yet. Me, I prefer my veggie-loving tortoise. I’d feel vaguely guilty feeding a mammal to a reptile. DD ---
**Author:** ![Ashkicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Ashkicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashkicker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644/32 "2004-05-21T20:13:38Z")
> [@Jenny Haniver](#): > > Here’s another possibility - it’s snake mating season, so maybe your snake was just passing through your yard on his way home after a hot date! Better? Not really. That means he’s has “friends”. And if he’s been mating that means little ones on the way with more friends and family to deal with. 😉 BTW, I haven’t seen him again. I did put out the snake repellant and it sure does stink. I think it’s just souped up moth pellets that you buy for $13 rather than moth balls for a $1. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-been-traumatized/245644.md?page=1)