Anyone out there providing rock piles for snakes?

Awww, too bad. You missed all the excitement up here by me.

I see you were up late last night. Was her dog ever found?

I've been packing and doing last minute odd tasks to get all of us out of here. We're leaving in a few hours and won't be back for a bit.

Umm yes PGZ5, it was er uh... my understanding that the coyotes left the head for her to find. The dog was chained up outside all day while she was at work. It was pretty much a sitting duck.

Hello, everyone. I love this thread. And Lauren, did you ever realize it was you that started this thread, so you apologized to yourself! Anyway, there are lots of critters around here, and I basically love it (except when I am angry at the garden damage, etc.) Finally saw the first frog in the pond this year. A tiny thing. Hope the Ribbon Snake is too full to be interested.
I have seen Bobcat tracks in the snow in winter right here in the yard. It does not worry me. They are rather shy about "meeting" humans. I know some people have seen them at dawn around here. The dog goes out for the last time in the evening, then is in for the night. And, I do not think even a hungry Bobcat would attempt to take down a 73 pound dog. I worry more about his finding a skunk or porcupine in his wanderings. I do not fancy that possibility at all!
People tend to be way too hysterical about wildlife. If it disturbs their way of life, kill it. Too bad, but that is how it generally is. (All of us not included in that blanket statement! OMH, we have something in common! I also love rocks. Fortunately, there are plenty of them around here. But, I did load up a pickup truck with my favorites when I moved from our other place! My son thought I was crazy! But, some of those stones were brought up the hill out of the river, and there is no river close by here to search. So, I brought them with me to use here. I used all those and a good many of the ones I have found or dug up. Have a small rock pile that I have not put to use yet, but plan to. I love my rocks.
My son says, don't send Mom flowers, just bring her a rock! LOL! That is ok. BAM

BAM, what a nice loop to bring us back to where this started...Lauren's rock piles! Sounds like you've raised your son well, and you both have your priorities in good order. Rocks last much longer than flowers.

This has been a very fun thread indeed, and I have learned a lot (which is why I've become so addicted to this place.) Good news is, my cat's therapist says she will recover from the frank discussion of her shape.

Regarding my kids, they are lazy and cheap. They don't want to be saddled with the bills of owning animals when they leave and they certainly don't want to be emptying and disinfecting litter boxes or walking dogs in rain, sleet, and snow.

No, I didn't realize. When I receive notification of a thread getting a new post, I automatically scroll way down to the bottom to read. Ugh, when we get back from vacation I will post photos of the dumped retaining blocks to get back on track. They're pretty ugly but they seem to be well loved by the critters for all their nooks and crannies.

Back next week and I'll take some photos of my eyesore block pile. You will be rolling on the floor when you see this. It is definitely in need of some tidying up or something. Have a great 4th of July all!

Have a safe and Happy Holiday !

Hear hear for wolf reintroduction! Wolves in the wilds of Illinois; I can see it all now. Hey, why not? Foxes and coyotes are moving into cities; wildlife does a great job of adapting, but then we force them to do so by pouring concrete and asphalt on their habitats...

I can't see a Bobcat attacking a Beagle: coyotes, yes. Dogs on chains have no chance, but folks never learn. Around here, we get the occasional black bear; but people still leave their dogs chained out all day, what are they thinking?

Hope you'll have a great holiday, Equil.

I just thought of something. My cat is seriously going to need therapy after the Fourth, she will be terrified of all the firecrackers going off outside. Do you think the a/c will mask the noise?

not unless it is really loud. It might mask the quieter ones but not the louder ones. If you have a basement put her in there when she starts getting wide eyed. It will be a lot quieter and she might be happier there until the noise stops.

We used to have a dog who was phobic about fireworks/thunderstorms, etc.; he's since gone to dog heaven. We found that if we played music with lots of bass, fairly loud, it masked the outdoor sound effects and kept him calm. So if you can stand to blast a little rock, it might help your kitty!

Oh, then never mind, we do that anyway! thanks. ;o)

This is my new baby. I found him at around 5 wk. dehydrated, eyes and nose matted with infection and much smaller than siblings (feral farm cats). I am naming him Lil'lion. He really thinks he is much bigger than he really is. He attacks my DD's cat that must weigh around 12 lb. He is 2-3lb at about 9-10 wk now.

We have bobcat living on our land. Never seen it, just the prints in the sand after a rain. Their back paws are smaller than the front and overlap slightly in stride. We have coyotes (seen tracks) and gray fox (actual sightings), too. I hope they are not scared off with the builders.
I just plan on having a gun handy for anything that might be rabid, two big dogs to keep around the house/kids and no hunting on my land.

Well, doggone! How am I suppose to get any gardening done when you'all are so much fun and such a wealth of information! :) I had to give up gardening several years ago and am now trying to reclaim my flower beds and check up on the state of my woods.

I spent last evening reading the rules forum and was going to jump in and say what a joy Dave's Garden is because of the rules. I first joined another site and every discussion led to some envirnomental fight that I would log off with a knot in my stomach. Then I found Dave. I have been lurking many places, contributing to a few. I saw the word "rock" and had to read this. I am an Earth Science teacher and collect rocks and minerals.

Then off you all went into the wildlife. I will never make it to the garden. I live way out in the country and the few neighbors I have all feel as I do - live and let live. We have our local bobcat, both red and grey fox, occassionally a bear, lots of deer, all types of rodents, leeezards, skinks, snakes (many posionous), and so on. Our newest addition is a coyote which worries me because I have a little spaniel. She now gets company on her evening walks! That coyote howl sends chills down my spine! And I worry about the dogs chained up in yards. There is one rodent I would love to eradicate however. Well, at least keep away from house. Squirrels!!! I worked hard to provide everything possble for the birds but the squirrels are determined to eat all their seed! Despite numerous nut trees and putting out food for the squirrels, they have destroyed two screen doors, the cedar siding on my house, and several bird feeders. Well, I have squirrel proof feeders now but those little suckers have learned to get on top of my metal garbage can, undo the chain I have on the lid, pry the lid off, and get into the seed! Grrrrr! I swear that one of them laughs at me when I yell at him. (He has to be male!)

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. And I have no idea if this is right forum to post this in but it sounds like some one will know where to steer me if it is not.
Thanks!

At this time .. I wanna jes relay, a big ol 'hearty' welcome to DG .. (and to the Wildlife forums) .. to ya, MollyB55!!

So glad to have ya (and see you) aboard ...

- Magpye

Mollie, on your garbage cans put a concrete block on it and run the chain thru one of the holes to hold it down. Use a padlock or some other lock on the chain. Find one that a squirrel can't unlock. That is one idea to try. As for your house, I'm not quite sure what to tell you on that . I am sitting here laughing even thou it is not funny. Just the picture I got in my head from your story has me exaggerating everything and making it funny!! Another image that just flashed thru was seeing you hitting that squirrel with a bat, you're yelling like crazy and your hair is staning up on its end. LOL. Am going to quit here while I still have a chance!! LOL

LOL Pepper!!

Mollie, I had a neighbor once who 'splained it clear to me - squirrels don't have anything else to do 'cept figure out all our contraptions! Know anyone who has time to figure out a squirrel?

We just bought a woods that has lots of oaks. There was something "wrong" with it, though. We weren't seeing squirrels. They weren't being shy - they weren't there. A few weeks ago, I saw a pair "climbing the tree" as my DD said when she was three. I was very excited! I haven't heard or seen them since. Perhaps we have too many predators?

If you can't keep the squirrels out of the garbage can holding your seed, go to a wholesale club like Sam's or Price Club and buy a HUGE jar of cayenne to mix with the seed. Doesn't bother the birds at all, but the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits hate it.

Thanks for the ideas! I will try them all! And, Pepper, you are not too far away from the right picture! I saw this little sucker scamper across my brick ledge, heard him hit my deck, then start scrambling up the house or screen so he could leap onto the garbage can. . Well, he hadn’t been listened to me before so I grabbed a broom and ran to the deck. He just sat there on the top of the can, watching me sliding back the door, yelling at him to go. He never budged! I raised the broom and shoved it at him and that nervy thing swatted at the broom and yelled back at me! Guess who backed off first? I had visions of him flying at my face. Picture a 62 year-old woman who has tackled snakes, mice, rats, possum, and all sorts of critters running like crazy from a squirrel! Yeah, even I had to laugh about it – later, much later. My method now is to stand at the door and call my little spaniel. I yell, “Get the squirrel! get the squirrel!” And Mollie (my spaniel – I am Beth) goes after them with a passion! It is so funny watching her go after them but she always looks so disappointed when she comes back because she can never catch them! I can’t convince her that I really don’t expect her to climb a tree and catch them. J And who said life in the country was dull? Oh, indirt, if you figure want some squirrels, I know where there are plenty. :)

ROTFL!!

Ditto

All right, you'all! Just go ahead and laugh at my tragedy! :) Maybe I should just post web cams around the place and then sell the footage to Planet World. Reckon that would work? They could run it after the series about the lemars. Yeah, that's what I'll do!

my mother used to feed the birds and chipmunks at her house. a squirrel moved in and she started feeding him too. cookies, nuts, dogfood, etc. this squirrel got huge, the size of a 2 liter soda bottle. when she got sick she would forget to feed him. he used to jump onto the screen window in the living room and yell at her until she gave him something. when she went into the hospital and they asked her if she felt threatened in her home she said "well there's this squirrel" we all burst out laughing and the dr. thought we were nuts.

OH, dear, I can see a picture of things to come! I am trying to find some of my bird pictures to scan in and show you all.. NO pictures of squirrels - I can't snap photos, yell, and chase them all at the same time! Too bad -I have a digital now and wouldn't have to scan the pixs in!

I have been thinking about this thread and so many interesting stories, I love snakes, I have them in my compost piles, under the tarps in the fall and spring, they have holes where they burry underneath, I even hate to turn them for fear that I will disturb them.

Well, I have a bunch of concrete from a neighbor that had to redo his garage floor and put some around a flower bed, today I put a bunch of extra ones to one side all across and later will put some sand in-between in hopes I will see some of these beautiful critters basking in the sun, maybe a few lizards too :) Do you think sand is a good choice? Is there something else that would be better?

I have two brush piles by a big old cedar tree, but they are so dense I never see any there, but I do see the skins about once a month, they say the snakes are healthy if they shed once a month don't they? The brush piles are by my compost piles. Not a very pretty picture but seems to be working. My neighbor wants me to burn them, I don't think so, it took me a long time to make these :)

Just one question. Do snakes eat squirrels?

Yep .. MollieB55 .. some snake species do.
But, afraid that they're a bit easier pickin's for the hawks and owls - than for the snakes ..

- Magpye

That's right! And now that you mention it, I haven't heard my hoot howl that I ususally hear in the summer. I hope nothing happened to him. It has been a strange summer animal-wise around my place. Maybe the heat has driven them away. I got a good sized fountain that I am going to put up this weekend to replace my worn out birdbath. Hope that helps.

Yup, snakes will eat squirrels if they can get at them and get their mouths around them.

Here's a photo of my eyesore of a retaining block pile that I meant to photograph a long time ago. This pile is actually at least 2x longer than what you can see in the photo and the retaining blocks were also dumped down to lower elevations. They were just sort of dropped back a few years ago.

Tis a lovely rock pile!! (besides, eyesores .. are in the eyes of the 'heboulder'!)
.. LOL ..

A full grown rabbit poses no difficulty at all - 'specially for full grown Timber Rattler, Copperhead, and Rat snakes.

As stated, it's the matter of 'getting to them' .. but, it certainly happens: for the spry and rebellious yung'uns, in particular.

- Magpye

This message was edited Jul 21, 2006 1:20 PM

Well, I have some mean, big, and fiesty Rat snakes around here. I am not too fond of them since they have gotten some of my birds but if they will get the squirrels, I may have to revise my opinion of them. I sure don't tangle with anything longer than 6ft. - especially when it drops its mouth open big enough to take in my leg!

I've seen northern water snakes swallow Bullfrogs where I just stood there with my jaw to the ground. And they do end up with a big lump in their middle. I swear some bullfrogs have to outweigh some of the squirrels around here. Bullfrogs don't seem to be afraid of much of anything so they just hang out like the bait they are.

I am going to have to do something about that "rock pile" sooner or later. Who knows when I will get around to it but I will. Neither me or my husband likes the way it looks there to the right of the driveway. Yuckie for us.

Lauren, I have heard that there are illegal aliens who will do the work for cheap that no one else wants to do. Just a thought.

The work was already completed. Those 80# retaining blocks are what was left over from when licensed contractors were here a few years ago. I'd gladly give them away if somebody wanted them and they are kind of expensive so I'm sure somebody would come and haul them off for free if I listed them on Free Serve. I would need to determine what to put back in their place though and the thought of having several tons of of black slate delivered crossed my mind. The problem is that I let that pile sit there too long and critters are using it so I'm going to have to wait until every critter that hibernates is doing so and that seems to happen right at about the time the holiday season is upon is and then I am too interested in cooking and shopping and getting enveloped in the season. I do need to time the removal of those retaining blocks properly and to do so is going to be an inconvenience given I've pretty much already identified when the best time to remove them is. Bummer since they are truly an eyesore.

j/k I know the work was completed, I meant moving the blocks!! LOL

They look like some nice retaining blocks. I'm getting ready to go buy some to replace rotted railroad ties in a raised bed. I bet someone in your area would be thrilled to take those off your hands, even if they have to wait til the holiday season to do it. Heck, they'd probably consider it a Christmas present.

Couldn't that area be a little naked til Spring? Just a thought.

Ahhh PG, yes at 80 lbs a piece that is going to be work. Wasn't thinking along those lines as I know there would be people who would gladly haul it off.

I never thought of having them removed and just letting that area sit bare. I could probably do that no sweat. That would push the critters into other areas next spring. You're right. I don't think it would be a big deal to just let it sit.

Equilibrium, (Lauren) if you will please excuse my impudence, there are some interesting shapes there. Perhaps getting rid of the nondescript ones, and lining the interesting ones up in a little wall, then planting vines on, would make everyone happy. You, your hubby, the neighbors and the critters. Just a thought. In the winter, it would still be interesting, and in the summer, lush with vines. I think I would do that, but then I am a scavenger, and make the most of the whatever is at hand, or try to. BAM

Beth, I am constantly amazed at wildlife, but what if it is a raccoon opening the garbage can, then leaving it so, and the squirrels check for when it is open? A garbage can lid seems rather daunting for a squirrel. Who knows? I had red squirrels in residence, and they were anything but afraid of me. I finally got the female chased off with a close up and personal chase by the dog. It was too funny. They moved next door. Good luck. BAM

Hey Bam, I've grown accustomed to it and would vote with you if I had my choice. Unfortunately, virtually everyone who comes here looks at it and I've heard some rather interesting comments about my pile. The neighbors aren't complaining and I haven't been visited by the "pink-stickem on the front door fairy" but my husband says it is an eyesore and I do recall thinking that way a long time ago when I had energy to want to do something about it. Who the heck knows what I'm going to do with that pile right about now. By the time I eventually get around to doing something about it, vines and everything else imaginable may have grown up over it to the extent that even my husband won't remember what's there anymore.