# Rural people, how often do you see snakes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 1, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925 "2012-07-01T18:29:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/1 "2012-07-01T18:29:32Z")
If you live in a rural area, or in an urban area near woods, how often do you see snakes in “inappropriate areas”, such as streets or sidewalks? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/2 "2012-07-01T18:36:06Z")
Two or three times a year after my lawn tractor rides over them. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/3 "2012-07-01T18:44:20Z")
I used to live way out in the boondocks. Saw a snake once or twice, ever. One little garter snake on a friend’s driveway which her mom for no reason whatsoever murdered with a hoe, one much larger black snake on our back porch which scared my mother to no end. I’m sure they were out there, but we never saw them. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/4 "2012-07-01T18:52:03Z")
I see snakes on the road several times a year - often rattle snakes. I usually come across a rattle snake at least once a year on my property. StG ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/5 "2012-07-01T19:19:42Z")
Suburban Atlanta. I see them at least once a week in the warmer weather while I trail run. They have the right of way. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/6 "2012-07-01T19:30:23Z")
I live in rural Central Thailand. We see a snake on a road about thrice a month. We’re superstitious so always say “Going separate directions” when we pass one. We see perhaps about 8 snakes on our property per year (often after rain, fire or harvest). Species include cobra, python and several others. I usually can’t identity the species, but understand that only 30% or so are dangerous. During the 17 years we’ve lived in this house, about five snakes have gotten inside. We used to have a fierce “alpha” dog who would challenge and defeat snakes, but he passed away a few months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/7 "2012-07-01T19:30:53Z")
Suburban Charlotte, surrounded by horse farms/housing developments. We have a 4’ Eastern King that lives in our yard and we see her/him 3-4 times a year. We rarely see others… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/8 "2012-07-01T19:37:39Z")
Our house borders farm fields as far as the eye can see. I’m surprised that I’ve never seen a snake on the property. We lived in a farmhouse for awhile. One day I moved a pile of fallen limbs when mowing, and as I picked up the pile snakes flew everywhere. That was the last time I mowed. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/9 "2012-07-01T19:38:55Z")
We have one or two black (rat) snakes that hang around the storage buildings. I see them every couple of months. As long as my dad or mother-in-law don’t spot them, we’re cool. I’d rather have snakes than mice in the storage area. (South Georgia, residential area, but there are fields within a couple of hundred yards of the house.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/10 "2012-07-01T20:12:53Z")
I live in northwest Tucson in a relatively arid scrub area. I rarely see snakes, although it’s mostly too hot for them to come out in the open during the day. They usually seek shade when it’s hot out. I’ve never seen a rattlesnake. I’ve seen some king snakes, which eat rattlesnakes. The last time I saw a snake was a few weeks ago. I was driving on the access road out to the main highway and saw a snake crawling in the middle of the road. I had to swerve my car a little so I didn’t run it over. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/11 "2012-07-01T20:29:51Z")
Once or twice a year, while hiking in the woods, I’ll run across a snake. Only once was it a poisonous one (rattler). I live in town and have only ever seen one in the seven years I’ve lived here (in the creek I cross if I want to walk to Wally World). I live in the same area as **St. G**. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/12 "2012-07-01T20:33:48Z")
Urban area of Orlando FL, at least 5 times a year. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/13 "2012-07-01T21:06:28Z")
Since I’ve moved here, I’ve never seen one on my land or out walking. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/14 "2012-07-01T21:26:52Z")
We have a family of snakes living in a birdhouse in a tree at the front of our property. ---
**Author:** ![stw004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@stw004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stw004)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/15 "2012-07-01T21:30:42Z")
Live north of Houston, killed a coral snake in April, got a copperhead with the weed eater two weeks ago, I notice snakes on the road while driving once a month or so. Every so often I see a chicken snake or some other non venomous snake and let them pass unmolested. Usually, I kill 4-5 cottonmouths in a weekend while squirrel hunting if it hasn’t gotten too cold by the time season starts, but the place I hunt is a few hours north and east of home so it is much more rural. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/16 "2012-07-01T21:37:42Z")
Living in Massachusetts I rarely see them in ‘inappropriate area’s’ They tend to avoid streets and public places. Anytime I’m working outside if I look for them I can find them but if I’m not actively looking I rarely see them. Opening well pits in the winter and fall I tend to find them. Hundreds will gather there for the warmth. I usually dump some bleach in the pit and tell the customer I’ll be back tomorrow without explaining. By the next day most will have cleared out leaving one or two dead ones behind. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/17 "2012-07-01T21:38:10Z")
Here in central Nebraska, I see one or two small garter snakes every spring. Only once have I encountered anything much bigger when I disturbed a five foot long bullsnake. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/18 "2012-07-01T21:53:49Z")
Had a bunch of them that would hang out in the bulkhead leading to the cellar on warm sporing days. Haven’t seen them this year. I miss them. The cricket population is probably soaring. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/19 "2012-07-01T21:54:04Z")
West Central Georgia - there have been a lot of snake spottings at the house I’m housesitting. Last month in Tennessee a small black snake tried to come into the basement laundry room with me; I think he wanted a break from the heat. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925/20 "2012-07-01T21:57:10Z")
While living in Virginia Beach, VA we had snakes IN the house on a regular basis, anywhere from 6 inches to 2 feet long. Had a frog come in once and hop up on the keyboard like he wanted to surf the web, too. No real idea how any of them got in. Were near a run-off area, but not a regular flowing creek. Still, it’s Virginia. Water is never far away. \ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rural-people-how-often-do-you-see-snakes/626925.md?page=2)