It's a really good thing I don't have issues with snakes.
Imagine my surprise when I walked into my kitchen yesterday afternoon and this caught my eye...:
Coming out from between my kitchen cupboard and baseboard:
At first, being the mom of two boys, I thought someone was playing a joke on me:
But I was home alone. Yet here was a snake slithering across my kitchen floor:
He had no problem with me taking my fill of pictures - he just lay there, occasionally flicking his tongue at me. Here he is giving me a slight smile:
But then it was time to go outside. Seriously. My kitchen ain't big enough for the two of us:
He was quite heavy but very docile:
I definitely would not have been so calm doing all this all by myself had I not already researched this guy when we found him last week curled up in the ivy outside...:
Er, uh, well, what I *thought* was him last week. Do you see two snakes in this picture?:
Wow, last year we didn't see any of these and now we've got two. My google queries tells me they are rubber boas, common to Oregon and Washington, and are completely harmless. They are commonly used to help people who have a fear of snakes to overcome that fear, because under no circumstances will this snake bite a human. They eat small rodents which makes me very happy, given the damage those little buggers have been causing around here. Supposedly rubber boas are nocturnal, but this has clearly not been my experience:
The one we found last week is still here, hanging out in the ivy. He looks even bigger than the guy I found today:
Anyway, as much fun as kitchen snake and I were having together, it was time for us to part ways:
He didn't even look back:
Hopefully, he'll prefer it here to my kitchen.
Isn't it great living in the country? I have never seen one of these. Only garter snakes. They are kind of cute.
ReplyDeleteMy verification is..pesticks..pest and icks.
Good for you for not freaking out and calling exterminators like so many people do! They will take fabulous care of you if you let them.
ReplyDeleteewwwww! Did you have to say they are in Washington, yuck! I DO have a problem with snakes:) SO far I have only seen one this season, but I know they are out there:)
ReplyDeleteVery, very cool. It's so nice to have nature take care of nature. Like Tara said, some would have called an exterminator. And then called an exterminator a few months later for an influx of rodents. *eye roll*
ReplyDeleteEwww!
ReplyDeleteOk had to get that out of my system. You're right, it's lucky you don't have snake issues. I do. I would not have picked it up, I would have seen it, screamed really super loud, turned and hid behind a wall and peeked around to look at it. No kidding. Snakes are not my thing.
That is a strange snake...it's not colorful at all, just greenish brown...all the snakes around here are garter snakes, and they're colorful.
It's interesting to see the different things in different states. We have a lot of snakes! I don't touch them.
While I'm slowly getting over my snake issues, you won't find me picking one up with my bare hands...EVER! Even if they don't bite, I'll stick to my trusty snake pole. How talented you are to hold a snake in one hand and take pictures with the other!
ReplyDeleteI like snakes too and I do have to say that face shot was awfully sweet. I glad he found the right kitchen and lived to tell the story to his friends.
ReplyDeleteWe have the occasional snake around here. Outside I have seen a few rattle snakes. Not good. Inside, I once found a small brown snake in my bedroom! Again, not so good, but I removed him with no harm done.
ReplyDeleteI think your snake was in the kitchen looking for that big chocolate snake cake you made last week! He just wanted to admire your work.
i never heard of a rubber boa but i am certain i would have taken the pictures, too. then maybe shooed him/her outside with a broom or my trusty back scratcher. we never harm snakes or spiders. while others consider them pests, we know they are environmentally friendly and a necessity to the life cycle. our grandkids-yes, the girls too-would love to have those snakes around here. all we have are garter, black racer, corn snakes; ones like that and they are all harmless. i just cringe when i hear of people running them over or chopping them up.
ReplyDeleteCan he please come hang out in my kitchen? Cause I've got a small roden that REALLY needs to go away!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being kind to critters. Some many people would have killed it. About a year ago, somebody discovered a rattlesnake in the WalMart parking lot and the authorities quickly came over and killed it. Constuction was going on in the area and I'm sure it got displaced. They didn't give it a chance to just slither away. Made front page of our small-town paper.
ReplyDeleteEeeeeeoooooooo! You're braver than I would have been. A broom would have been my friend, to sweep him outside where he belongs
ReplyDelete.
Eats rodents, huh? Can I borrow one, because those pesky mice in the barn are ALWAYS after the Peanuts. Like goatgirl, we've only seen garter snakes too. By the way, being the thinker that I am, I think, from that one picture, that there are more snakes in your future. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, in all honesty, I have to say that I think I liked him better when he was outside. Or the other one...whichever one it was that we found. I like them BOTH outside. But really? As nice as your kitchen is(and Im sure thats why the snake was in there)and as friendly as you guys are when you have guests....Im just really thinking that he could overstay his welcome in the house. Not that I know anything about that, of course. Im just sayin.
ReplyDeleteI love him Danni! I want one!!
ReplyDeleteYou are very brave! I don't freak out about snakes, but I wouldn't want to pick one up either.
ReplyDeleteYou are so much braver than I. I don't care if that snake kisses for a living, I just can't pick them up. We have had three of those same guys in our house (see the link below to my sisters blog) and I still cringe when I think of it. Two of them were very lethargic like yours but the third was fast and all over the place. I still shiver......
ReplyDeletehttp://fuzisisters4.blogspot.com/2007/07/snakey-deck-of-weekend.html
I would have called hubby to come take it away, I wish I could be as brave as you all.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Mel
What a beautiful snake! I have no issues with snakes but it would give me a start to catch one coming out of my kitchen cabinets!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, this house could use a few free range rubber boas just to round up the mice around here...Old houses are so interesting...
SO COOL!! I want one in my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteGood girl not heading off to find the shovel.
Do you suppose the snake found any mice in your cabinet? :)
I'm so glad to hear he's not dangerous, and he does kind of have a cute face, but, he still gives me the chills. I don't think I'm a snake person and I don't think I'd have picked him up with my hands. Good for you, you brave country woman you!
ReplyDeleteIiih. I don't like snakes! You are a very brave women. Even if I know for sure, they don't bite, I still would not want to touch it! I would have left the house I think!! lol
ReplyDeleteAnd you even took close ups of it! Uuuh. Do you see me shaking ?
There is no way I would have been there clicking pictures I would have been one of those screaming and running in the other direction. I'm scared to death of snakes which doesn't help where we live. I had a creepy crawly critter in my bedroom about 4 years ago and I picked up my little one and left. I didn't come back until hubby got home and searched the house from top to bottom. I will be honest I didn't go into my bedroom alone for about a year. I now have an inside cat and an outside cat. I buy Snake Away on a regular bases to be put out around the yard.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures and posting. Take Care :)
Lived in Washington my whole life and never have I seen one of these...very cool! Kim
ReplyDeleteAaaah, we have them here in Montana too. They are very cool snakes. They seem to like creek and stream beds.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos!
I've had snakes in my kitchen, but nothing like that! I would've taken pics, too. But, when it came time for him to go outside, he would've been gently nudged with the broom.
ReplyDeleteOh, we always used to have pet snakes as a kid. My grandparents had one that was allowed to roam freely around the house.
ReplyDeleteI keep saying I need to get a black snake around here to help with the chipmunk problem. HMM, now where can I get one of those?
When we lived in Tucson, we'd occasionally have snakes pop up in the shower with us. We think they were king snakes, but I still got the willies.
ReplyDeleteI admire and respect your courage.
:)
The snake is huge! I cannot believe you picked it up! I would have freaked out!
ReplyDelete<3 Lindsay
Hmmm,he looks very sweet and not at all like he's about to sink sharp, sharp teeth into you. But, I gotta say it's still disturbing to me. Glad it was you and not me!
ReplyDelete