You lived in Africa?
Aaaah! Major freakout; snake in my pond!
You guessed correctly pyromomma!
Hey, I know my snakes!
Wow, I have always wanted to go to Africa.
My second guess would have been FL near where you live because they have so many escaped species that have been released or escaped from cargo shipments/planes at the airports (Miami in particular). Pythons and boa constrictors are a huge problems in the Everglades and elsewhere in So.FL. A friend of mine was doing some field work in the 'glades and came across a King Cobra. He got a picture which is the only reason on that any of us believed it. It was sunning itself on a road and it was just about 10 feet long. He thought it was a branch, then realized that he was in the glades and there were no trees that would have a straight branch. He pulled up to it and saw it was a snake sunning himself, but not one that he recognized. So he gets out of the car to get a closer look and was about 15 feet away from it with his camera out when the snake reared up and flared that hood . Jack wasn't hurt, but I think he said that if human urine scares snakes, there will never be another one in that part of the glades ever again! He also said that he found out that he could fly! Similar thing happened to me with a copperhead near my house, 'cept I was getting ready to grab it thinking that it was a corn snake. I found out that I could fly, too!
Where I live I dont believe there are any harmful snakes. Too urban! However, having said that, there is a fox den in our area! Racoons have certainly visited my pond (fished successfully at night) and an ?? Osprey?? sometimes comes to my birdbath to cool down, sitting in it for quite some time. I've yet to identify it correctly.
We are at present having a HUGE problem with these monstrously ugly iguanas, again dumped by irresponsible owners. People are resorting to bee-bee guns etc to try to decrease their booming numbers. They are vegetarians, demolishing gardens especially hibiscus which are their favourites! Their poop is as hard as concrete and stains......
I cant understand why restrictions are not put on the sale of 'exotic pets' which can harm the everglades when they are dumped there due to the owner no longer being able or willing to take care of them. You may have heard of the alligator vs python story: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=0h&oq=evergl&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enUS315&q=everglades%2c+alligator+and+snake+photo
Iguana in Miami, sitting on a private dock.
bedouin:
what a wonderful sight to see in your birdbath.... Birds of prey I can deal with, but the heck with the snakes. and I know should I kill one I'm upsetting nature, but sorry folks, they bite my collies and I will not have that. so if they have the nerve to be around and hurting something I love I will take it upon myself to introduce them to God personally.
pyromomma: I know it isn't funny but the image that came to my mind while reading that had me spitting sweet tea out and almost on my keyboard. how about a warning...LOL
back at our small farm in Kentucky I was out cleaning up the end pieces off our newly installed farm fencing and came across a snake that attack my pants leg and I didn't know I could still move so fast........ I tell ya I hate them things.
Janet
bedouin. Love the iguana shot, and I understand the problems with exotic pets and irresponsible owners.
I can't imagine how people can just let a pet go like that. Years ago I was able to hold one in Mexico. The cutest little boy was selling the opportunity. For a few pesos he would let you hold it. Somewhere in my old honeymoon photo albums the picture exist. The marriage has ended but I still have fond memories of that Iguana!! More than I can say about my ex!! LOL!