Karma: The snake that started it all...

[ut0pia]

That makes me wonder: do snakes eat cats? Lol...I mean I know a corn snake wouldn't..but maybe a boa?

 

[twstychik]

Originally Posted by Slave2_Ragdolls

Thanks for the education Snake Lady

How do they interact with your cat? Are Corn Snakes aggressive at all? Have you ever been bitten? Just curious......

Originally Posted by ut0pia

That makes me wonder: do snakes eat cats? Lol...I mean I know a corn snake wouldn't..but maybe a boa?

I'm not Chris but I suspect, based on her SSH that she doesn't allow snakes & cats to be out at the same time. I learned that one the hard way a few years ago. I had Memnock out (DH was with me at the time because of his size) and both cats were out as well. Wickett did something twitchy and Memnock reacted. The end result was that I got bit by my 6'+ boa constrictor. It was defensive so he didn't coil around me and released right away but it hurt quite a bit.

Chris, this has been a great thread. Very educational! Keep up the good work.

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by Slave2_Ragdolls

Thanks for the education Snake Lady

How do they interact with your cat? Are Corn Snakes aggressive at all? Have you ever been bitten? Just curious......

No probs

The answer to the interaction question is that they don't.

Kizzy could easily hurt them with his claws and they could hurt him with teeth and constriction. The closest they will get to each other is to see each other through their glass/plastic enclosure. If that sets off the snakes, then Kizzy won't be allowed in that room. Not hard to do since its a fully secure room in our basement, door is always closed (locked if the kids have company).

CornSnakes: are generally a passive snake, hence them making wonderful first snakes. I do have one who is not social, but he's never bitten. The only corns that bite are the wee babies coming out of the egg. **note*** I am not saying they won't bite, or act aggressive, any snake can. But corns generally don't act aggressively.... they are one of the more friendly snakes.

Yes I've been bitten several times, all my fault. Luckily with the bigger guys its just been warning nips.... they could do some serious damage. I've seen pics of people who've been bite and required hospitalization because of it.

Part of the reason there's so much damage done, is the instinct to pull away when something comes at you. If the snake has already connected, you will pull its teeth through your skin. Like a cat scratch only deeper and with sharp teeth.

Both my kids have been bit too. Yes it was on purpose. My oldest was trying to fight her flinch response and asked to be bit. So I let her help me with the baby corns. For the record, their bites very seldom draw blood, and are quite painless. So of course, the younger one see's the older one laughing while a baby is trying to eat her finger, and she wants to feel it.

Worst bite ever: From my full grown iguana. Tore up the palm of my hand, thumb area pretty good. Shoulda had stiches but instead I used steri-strips.

Most painful bite: My neighbours cat

She chomped me a good one, leaving a deep puncture mark in my forearm that hurt for over a week.

I would rather be bit by any of my snakes, than a cat.

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by ut0pia

That makes me wonder: do snakes eat cats? Lol...I mean I know a corn snake wouldn't..but maybe a boa?

In captivity, its highly doubtful. They've gotten used to their rodent/rabbit prey. So if it smells like a rodent, and is warm blooded, they will try to eat it

The only time I could see a snake in captivity thinking a cat is food is 1: if your cat and rat play together, then your cat and snake interact. The cat smells like a rat.
2. If the snake is being neglected and starved.... I think it would try to eat most anything.

In the wild, I have no doubt that the larger snakes would eat a cat, as food is nowhere near as plentiful as it is in a captive setting, so they will eat animals that the think they can fit in their mouths. Occassionally eating too big of items and dying because of it.

 

[momofmany]

I have to admit that snakes give me the willies, but I do have complete respect for them. All 3 homes that I've owned were surrounded by snakes. DH found a copperhead inside our homes in Texas and Missouri. We had a huge black snake (probably 9 feet long) living under our home in Missouri. And now that we live close to a lake in Kansas, we see snakes all the time here.

About 2 weeks after we moved in, I heard the cats making a strange commotion in the kitchen. When I went to investigate, Scarlett and Koko had a snake surrounded under the kitchen table. The snake was coiled, and Scarlett and Koko were on either side of it batting at it. The poor snake was cornered and I knew that one of them (the snake or my girls) was going to get hurt. I shooed the girls away then picked up the snake with BBQ tongs and put it outside. It was very non-descript and I never did identify it. I'm sure it was a type of garter snake.

Then our neighbor found this snake in his yard last year. He called DH over to help him with it. I was a bit mortified that they were going to kill it, and when I realized that they didn't want to harm it, I tried to contact snake handlers to find out the best way to relocate it. I never got any responses back, but they did shoo it into a garbage can and drove it about 1/2 mile down the road and released it. I identified it as a timber rattler, which is an endangered species.

It was evening and it was molting (not sure if that's the right word for snakes). It was completely odd to see a snake like this out in the open that time of day. I do know that they are somewhat exposed while molting, and this one was very calm. Are they more subdued as they shed their skins?

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by Momofmany

It was evening and it was molting (not sure if that's the right word for snakes). It was completely odd to see a snake like this out in the open that time of day. I do know that they are somewhat exposed while molting, and this one was very calm. Are they more subdued as they shed their skins?

ok, seeing that in my back yard would scare the living poo outta me. Venomous reptiles scare me

not so much the snake itself, but the venom LOL.

"Generally" speaking, when a snake sheds, it is tired for a bit afterwards...so in a sense, could be considerred subdued

Now if they are in the middle of the cycle where their eyes are opaque looking, I would definately stay away. They can't see well normally, even less so during the shed cycle... because of it, they are more likely to strike out at anything that comes close.

He was a gorgeous snake.... I find most rattlers are.... even most venomous snakes are very pretty.

We have a few native species here...but I have yet to see some in the wild. Closest I've come is bringing my own snakes into my backyard LOL.