The tigers are about

[Wayne Lomman]

Some of you may remember that we lost a dog to tiger snake bite last summer. Well, today I was down at the same pump on our dam. I went to put the fuel drum down when a slight movement caught my eye. Less than a metre away from my hand was said tiger snake. I didn't move. Fortunately, the snake moved off a little way. I thumped my feet a bit but it didn't move any further. So I slowly refuelled the pump and started it. Snake didn't like the vibration but to my horror it headed towards me and the pump only to disappear into a hole in the ground half a metre from the pump! All this time I have been working that close to a tiger snake. Round 2 goes to the snake as well... Cheers

[John K Jordan]

Some of you may remember that we lost a dog to tiger snake bite last summer. Well, today I was down at the same pump on our dam. I went to put the fuel drum down when a slight movement caught my eye. Less than a metre away from my hand was said tiger snake. I didn't move. Fortunately, the snake moved off a little way. I thumped my feet a bit but it didn't move any further. So I slowly refuelled the pump and started it. Snake didn't like the vibration but to my horror it headed towards me and the pump only to disappear into a hole in the ground half a metre from the pump! All this time I have been working that close to a tiger snake. Round 2 goes to the snake as well... Cheers

Yikes. We don't have tiger snakes here but I read about them. I think I'd be investigating that hole, perhaps finding or devising a snake trap.

I tend to leave snakes alone unless they are a hazard to people or my animals.
I once moved a concrete block by my little pond behind the barn only to uncover a venomous copperhead snake which instantly coiled for striking less than 1/2 meter from me. Since I had the concrete block in my hands I smashed it down on the snake but miscalculated; the edge struck the ground in front of it and the snake escaped into the pond. I didn't know how long copperheads can stay under water so I ran to get a projectile weapon from the barn, back in less than a minute. I waited next to the pond for 1/2 hour and never saw it so I suspect it had left during that minute.

I once almost lost a dog to a copperhead strike on his leg, fortunately he recovered.

JKJ

[Pat Barry]

May need to carry a shotgun for protection.

[Frederick Skelly]

Yikes! Be careful down there Wayne.
You sure don't want him to win Round 3.

Fred

[Frederick Skelly]

May need to carry a shotgun for protection.

Really good idea. I've seen guys carry a 2 foot long version of a double-barrelled 410 shotgun that somebody makes.

[michael langman]

Buy a 38 special or even a 22 caliber pistol. Something that is small and easy to carry. Load it with rat shot or what we used to call splatter shot, and practice shooting a soda can o the ground. Training yourself and safety is important.

[Jim Koepke]

Load it with rat shot or what we used to call splatter shot

A friend of mine who worked for the county animal control used to call them snake loads. Likely that was the main use for them so that is likely how they got the name from her job.

jtk

[Mark Bolton]

Yikes. We don't have tiger snakes here but I read about them. I think I'd be investigating that hole, perhaps finding or devising a snake trap.

I tend to leave snakes alone unless they are a hazard to people or my animals.

Anytime I try to edit a typo on my phone post is delete... round 2..

Same here, we have copperheads and some say rattlesnakes though I have never seen one in 18 years. I leave them all be because the stuff they eat (bugs, rats, mice, and other small animals) are far more annoying to me than any snake (even a venomous one) and they are far more scared of me than I am of them. We suffer here with the Eastern Wood Rat. A vile creature. Will destroy your homes and outbuildings. Eats the jackets off romex, extension cords, and so on. Will eat your rubber boots down to the sole in a night if you dont put them up. We have had them chew through garden hoses, all sorts of stuff. Anything that will eat those little sons o guns is more than welcome on my property. When I find black snakes out and about on the property I pack them back to the house hoping they wills stay around. If a pesky copperhead pops up I will just toss a piece of PVC pipe down and they nearly always slide right in. Put a cap on each end, and take them out into the woods or to another field.

Around the farm you have to be careful, pieces of tin laying on the ground, hooking up the bush hog thats been sitting for a while, lumber piles, and so on. Its never been a big deal to me to rattle the tin a few times and pick up the last piece cautiously. 9 times out of ten there will be a big ol' black snake under there and we will check each other out for a bit. I will chat with it for a while til' it heads back off to do its job and we both leave happy.

The norm here is often to kill every snake one see's. People have had dog and cats bit, especially breeds like jack russells who will seek out a snake and pester it rather than leaving it alone. When my pets come back laid up from a tussle with some animal or blind as a bat because they werent smart enough to stay out of a skunks butt I just laugh. You mess with the bull....

[Jacques Gagnon]

... as a famous character in a popular movie said: " I hate snakes!" - the fact that these species are protected somewhat complicates Wayne's options.

[Frederick Skelly]

- the fact that these species are protected somewhat complicates Wayne's options.

Yes, it does. But I can't see any game warden or police officer I've ever met arguing that the land owner can't shoot an extremely venomous snake that is 3 feet away from him.

[John K Jordan]

Around the farm you have to be careful, pieces of tin laying on the ground, hooking up the bush hog thats been sitting for a while, lumber piles, and so on. Its never been a big deal to me to rattle the tin a few times and pick up the last piece cautiously. 9 times out of ten there will be a big ol' black snake under there and we will check each other out for a bit. I will chat with it for a while til' it heads back off to do its job and we both leave happy.

The norm here is often to kill every snake one see's. People have had dog and cats bit, especially breeds like jack russells who will seek out a snake and pester it rather than leaving it alone. When my pets come back laid up from a tussle with some animal or blind as a bat because they werent smart enough to stay out of a skunks butt I just laugh. You mess with the bull....

Llamas are especially vulnerable since they are so curious. I've seen them standing in a tight circle watching a black snake. They are vulnerable to small rabid animals for the same reason.

I love (non-venomous) snakes around the place but I move them now. I don't mind if they eat a few chicken eggs but last year I found them in a peacock nest box twice. Two peahens had been incubating over 30 eggs and the snakes but the snakes scared them off and the eggs died. My new peacock house will be as snake proof as I can make it. For now I catch all the black snakes I find and transport to a friends place a few miles away.

I've found copperheads under tin roofing on the ground. A good rule I heard once is never, ever put your hands where you cannot see. This works for picking up logs and rocks, climbing, etc.

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For some reason the neighbors call me every time they see a snake, usually in a panic, from frail older women to burly guys.

JKJ

[Malcolm Schweizer]

No thanks- I will take our centipedes that won't kill you, but will make you WISH you were dead any day over a tiger snake. We have no deadly snakes. In fact, we have only two snakes- garters and pygmy tree boas. The early European settlers brought the mongoose to the island to take care of the rat problem. Mongeese prefer snakes to rats, so they ate the snakes that were eating the rats, and then there were even more rats and fewer snakes.

Down island in St. Lucia they have the feur de lance. It's one of the most deadly snakes in the world. The story goes that back in the sailing days the slave owners released them into the woods and let their slaves see them do it so that the slaves would be afraid to run away. Humans are not the brightest species sometimes. Now St. Lucia has them all over.

[Mark Bolton]

Humans are not the brightest species sometimes.

Sometimes? Lol

[Wayne Lomman]

Mark, catching a snake with a piece of pipe is a new one to me. I'll pass on trying it out though. Our snakes are way too aggressive.

Thanks for all the suggestions for weapons to use. The slight catch is that most of them would probably be illegal here. Cheers

[Frederick Skelly]

You mean shotguns are illegal in Tasmania?