I counted five eggs in the snake's belly. And I thought that I had built the Alcatraz of chicken coops!
Without seeing the head, I was unsure of the species. I was try to be cautious about pulling it out because water moccasins have patterned bellies.
Snakes are incredibly strong and this one wasn't about to give up without a fight. I had a hold of its tail and the little darling squirted out its foul musk all over my hands and hair. Cute. Pulling too hard would've damaged its scales and letting go of it would allow it to hide between two layers of tin over the nesting box where I wouldn't be able to reach it.
To add to the excitement, the coop door opened and Ruby hopped out. An emergency call was placed to Dr. P and he was flew over to catch the chicken and prevent the rest of the flock from springing free.
Finally got a hold of the head and I was able to pull little Miss Elaphe obseleta spiloides (gray rat snake) out of my coop. I worked for a herpetologist for years, he kept rattlesnakes in his house...a non-venomous snake, therefore, doesn't phase me.
A neighbor, who's been working on the farm, came over to lend me some gloves and he was relatively unimpressed by my catch.
He pulled out an 11 year old Timber Rattlesnake out of his van. Why he carries a dead rattler in his vehicle???
He dispatched it when it was attempting to get into his house.
I released my catch a mile away, far from roads and my coop!
Not all of God's creatures are cute and fuzzy, but nevertheless deserving of respect.
