Well Hello, Little Frie....Oh Fucking Fuck

As I was walking to my car yesterday morning to leave for work, I noticed ...something... in my far peripheral vision.

 

 

Yeah. I had passed within a couple of feet from her.

She was a real beauty, as you can see. But I'm afraid I'm not willing to share my property with poisonous snakes, so I had to dispatch her.

I calmly put my bags in the car, and opened the garage door. I went in and put on my knee-high work boots, grabbed a shovel and a hatchet, and did the deed.

I briefly considered taking her body to work to take a look at (I have the PPE, the tools, and a way to properly dispose of her). But then decided that was probably taking things just a wee bit too far.

Archie the Snake Killer

I have had resident northwestern garter snakes in my yard since I moved in. They live in the cool crawl space under my house, and I think that they dig into the dirt there to overwinter. I've seen them in all sizes so I know that they reproduce too. I am careful to avoid them when mowing--they like to bask in the sun in the mornings and don't always move out of the way without a nudge. Northwestern garter snakes aren't particularly large, they aren't aggressive or poisonous, and although sadly they eat up all the toads, they also eat slugs and other creatures that I would rather not have in my yard. I keep deep bark mulch around all my bushes and flowering plants and the snakes like to hang out in the loose mulch around the base of the larger ones. In short, they have fairly predictable behaviors and routines like any other animal.

Northwestern Garter Snake.

Because he is a fox terrier, Archie is extremely alert to movement. The snakes attract his attention immediately. He is also quite smart, and he has figured out their routines and behaviors just like I did.

Archie hunts those garter snakes. He lurks around the larger bushes or systematically searches through larger sunny patches. And when he finds one, he kills it by grabbing it behind the head and shaking the life out of it. He whips those poor snakes so fast that blood comes out of all of their orifices. He then guards the dead snake for a few minutes--I've seen him snap at Mimi to chase her away from his precious prize--but he eventually loses interest and heads off to look for more trouble elsewhere.

Here he is with snake blood on his shoulders and paws (he gets it on both sides and on his head but you only need one gory photo as evidence). He doesn't roll on the snakes. This blood is from the snake smacking into him as he whips it back and forth.

I keep part of the yard fenced off so the snakes have a safe space to cavort, but they insist on coming into the main yard where Archie inevitably finds them. While I am sad for the snakes, there is not much else that I can do to protect them. And Archie is acting like a fox terrier is supposed to act. Other than giving him a bath afterwards, I don't intervene. In fact, I'm rather impressed with his dedication to this activity.

Archie the Snake Killer. It would make a good tattoo!

The Case of the Missing Toads

I've got a healthy toad population around the house. I'm not a toad expert but I am a naturalist and I have identified both Texas Toads and Woodhouse Toads.

I welcome this situation because, as I regularly remind the dogs, "toads are our friends." They eat all sorts of annoying insects without making much of a fuss about it. I don't let the dogs mess with any toads they encounter outside.

Bhumi stalking the window--here's the reason!

Other than seeing the occasional toad hunting at night, the most direct evidence of our cohabitation is toad poop. Toad poop is comprised of single turds, cylinders that are 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in length, dark in color. Trust me on this, you do not want to step on fresh toad poop with bare feet--it is slimy and smells awful.

But closer examination of toad poop reveals all sorts of shiny insect carapaces and wings and other bits that vary with the season. Spring, it's crickets. Summer, you'll find june bug and other beetle parts.

Toads live in relatively shallow holes they dig under bushes, fences, rock walls, wherever they can scratch out some loose dirt. They hibernate during the winter, digging deeper holes and covering themselves entirely.

All in all, they are great neighbors to have, and I've always thought that my toad population, comprised of both big and little toads, was a sign that I had a pretty healthy little ecosystem.

But lately, I've noticed a distinct absence of both toad poop and toad sightings. It was the Case of the Missing Toads.

Yesterday, I think I found the solution:

Harry and Dyna cautiously investigate.

Yes, that's a shed snake skin. It was in excellent condition and completely intact. Probably a rat snake, the North Texas equivalent of the generic LBB or "little brown bird" used by bird watchers. Certainly not a rattler. But judging by the size of the shed skin, that snake could have easily laid waste to my happy toad family.

I'm sorry for my toads, but that's the cycle of nature.

Life With Terriers

A couple of weeks ago, a good friend in Austin discovered her 10-lb JRT bitch guarding this treasure from the BC pack. My cats are bigger than this terrier.


Yes, indeed, the sharp-eyed among you win the prize. That's no tug toy Trixi has in her mouth, it is a Texas coral snake. Just in case you get lazy and don't follow that link, let me quote some choice bits:

New World coral snakes possess the second most potent venom of any North American snake, behind some rattlesnake species. However, few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature and the fact they generally inhabit sparsely populated areas. When confronted by humans, coral snakes will almost always attempt to flee, and bite only as a last resort.... Coral snakes have a powerful neurotoxin that paralyzes the breathing muscles; mechanical or artificial respiration, along with large doses of antivenom, are often required to save a victim's life.

Kim says that the blood on Trixi's face came from the snake. It's a miracle she wasn't bitten or scratched.

When I lived southwest of Austin a few years ago, I only saw rat snakes on my property. While large and aggressive, they are not poisonous. However, one of my neighbors killed a coral snake which resulted in the amusing scene of half a dozen of us gathered around her trash can for a viewing. Hey, when you live in a rural area, just about anything can provide entertainment.

I salute Trixi, a little dog with the heart of a lion.