Debo... snake relocation??

[Clif]

Some friends are fixing up and cleaning around a house that has been vacant for a few years. Seems the velvet tails have adopted this area. Her dog killed one and she has found 2 others. She wants to capture and have them shipped off as opposed to killing if she finds any more. She will capture them. Her hubby runs... too funny. Ideas? Who ya gonna call?

[Shark Attack]

Watever you do, don't call AGFC or you'll get a ticket for messing with them

[Clif]

really?!?!? Interesting. Cuz I did call and ask them . I got the speech about how they only dealt with game animals and this wasn't their area, (all in a kinda here we go again tone.) She did give me a number to call a state herpatologist....or sumthin. So they ARE interested?

I wasn't impressed. We figure we will just haul em down the mt.

[DeBo]

The problem with relocating snakes or turtles is that many of them die trying to find their old territory. They can be lost without an adequate place to spend the winter. Snakes generally like old houses because they provide shelter and a good supply of rodents to eat. If you clean up the area and remove brush and old boards where they can hide, they will usually move a little further away on their own.

Rattlesnakes usually have well established territories and killing or removing them is no guarantee that you will not have snakes in your yard. If you are providing good habitat, animals move in to take advantage of it. That is just part of living in the country. Snakes are always around, even if you never see them.

I am reminded of the story I heard from a wildlife rehabilitator about a woman who moved to the country because she wanted to be closer to nature. There was a small pond near her house with a complete chorus of spring peepers. She called the rehabilitator and asked if she would come and remove all those frogs which were keeping her up at night!

Probably a good thing she didn't know about the Cottonmouths and other water snakes having frogs for dinner.

Timber Rattlers or "Velvet Tails" are very gentle unaggressive snakes. If you remove them you may only be trading them for Copperheads. Not the best bargain in my opinion.

I would be happy to talk to them about the snakes. Let me know.

[Clif]

Thanks for the reply. All of this is right on. This house has been grown up for years as "grandpa" got too old to maintain it and the next tenants simply let the barn and out buildings collapse and fruit trees and weeds run wild. Perfect rodent and rodent eater habitat. The house is being refurbished and I have put off cleaning the jungle around it till after bug and snake season. They are planning to move in asap and have dogs and a small child.

We thought moving the snakes, and I knew that was not really a good thing, was better than the natural human response... either choice not really a good one for the snake. I will discuss options with her again. Mother-n-law and her husband would just as soon kill on sight.

[DeBo]

If killing is the only other option they will consider, I would definately rather help move them. At least they would have some chance.

[Butch Crain]

turn a couple of king snakes loose in the yard - that comes as close to satisfying everyone's sensibilities as you're going to get

[Clif]

So they don't play well with copperheads? Me neither.

Discussing the first points earlier today and we thought we may move any others... if she finds them... across the property close to some other abandoned and collapsed structures... maybe 200 yards away. Maybe that would not throw them out of whack too bad and they will stay over there. The idea is to clean this area up and lessen the appeal. We will start that October Nov ish.

I have been reminding her they would not be there if they had nothing to eat. I know what it was like reclaiming my house from "the wild."

[JTarver]

Hey guys..if you do decide to move them, I'll happily help out too. Count me in.

Joe