Iko, the Hero
I will put up with coyotes, feral pigs, raccoons, scorpions, snakes, spiders, and weeds so thorny one swipe draws blood, but NOT in my home.
You can imagine my consternation when I found this.
Down here, we call it a chicken snake, though many people call them rat snakes.
The biggest one I ever found was over six feet long and hiding in my chicken coop (many years ago).
This one was only two feet long and slithering into my bedroom.
Iko, my HERO, spotted him right away and alerted me at once. When Tank saw what the problem was he tried to pull in front of me, I guess to protect me, but I pushed them both out and closed the door. At the time, I wasn't sure what kind of snake it was or if it was poisonous, and I didn't want the dogs to get hurt.
Our guess is he probably came in when we had the chicks out in the garage. I was doing quite a bit of running around between house and garage and left the doors open often.
The chicks had since been relocated. But snakey here didn't get the memo. For scaring me out of ten years, he doomed himself to death.
The chicks had since been relocated. But snakey here didn't get the memo. For scaring me out of ten years, he doomed himself to death.
I know. I shouldn't have killed him. But then he shouldn't have scared the dickens out of me.
He was extremely ill-tempered, lunging at me and shaking his tail. I was not amused.
Iko and Tank got numerous hugs and cookies. Good boys.
Side Note: Iko has since been forgiven for his many crimes against innocent furniture and rugs while he was a puppy. For saving me last night, he's earned Special Dispensation.
Side Note: Iko has since been forgiven for his many crimes against innocent furniture and rugs while he was a puppy. For saving me last night, he's earned Special Dispensation.
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Comments
God knows what I would have done if I had seen that in my bedroom...*shudders
Good Iko!
Sarah: Yeah. It's one thing for me to get bit. Quite another if my pups are endangered.
Angelina: I made him a good snake with my trusty hoe.
Angela: I've never been fond of snakes, and strangely, I seem to encounter them all the time.
Jennifer: LOL. This might account for my constant lack of sleep.
Chicken (aka, rat) snakes will eat birds and eggs which is why I normally find them in and around our chickens.
Have a great snake-free weekend!
Shirley: Are you saying there are no snakes at all in the UK? I wonder if I can relocate. LOL.
We came home one day about 3 years ago and my husband wondered why my cat who stays in his shop was hissing and screaming, he walked in and found a 5 foot chicken snake coiled up in the corner with the cat staring at it in total terror... We made that one a good snake too, it could have killed my poor Tom Cat and eaten him it was so big...
Good thing you have your boys to watch out for Mom, they did good!
Loved your comment on FB.
Glad you're safe, Maria, and what a really good dog Iko is. Tank sounds like his name -- charging in regardless :)
Did you take care of that thing yourself? I'd still be hiding in the closet crying.
Renee: Now that suprises me with the way you write. I got the impression nothing scared you.
Me, on the other hand, everything scares me. But you do what you gotta do when the situation calls for it. I am alone too often. I've learned to handle things on my own.
But I also enjoy being scared now and then. I'm spoiled too. My dad comes and kills anything I consider too icky to deal with. I'm lucky he's just a phone call away. You see, if I were to ask Kurt to please deal with the snake/rat/mole/giant insect hiding in the house, he'd go get it...and then chase me with it or hide it in the shower/closet/my shoes. So, yeah. He's no help.
Ref: and then chase me with it or hide it in the shower/closet/my shoes. So, yeah. He's no help.
hmm...sounds like Greg in his younger days. LOL. He finally stopped. (I think we both got tired of running.)
If it's faster than us, we let Smith & Wesson do the talking.
We're on high alert right now because animal control was one house away the other day removing a rattler. I guess the construction down the road is at fault. Heard through the grapevine animal control has been in our area twice in the last six days to remove snakes. Oh yay :P
Way to go Iko! Glad you and the boys are okay Maria.
Motherly instinct, you protected your babies...and the chickens are safe, too! My question is, was this snake big enough to make a pair of sexy sandals and a bag? :))
OMG. I'm awake now!
Off to find coffee...
I hope you don't find another "visitor" in your home.
Claudia: LOL. No. But it would've been good comeuppance.
Shelley: Maybe it's time I considered relocating to NZ.
Sarita: Was that you? LOL.