Over the last few years, real estate development has grown around my neighborhood like a rabid fungus. It has displaced wildlife from their natural homes into our subdivision and other urban areas,
West suburban Florida, on a sunny mid-morning, under the sheltering shade of a deep green magnolia tree, resting on a white boulder and partially hidden in a mix of ornamental grass and brown mulch… there she was – a four-foot yellow rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis). Upon my approach, the snake displayed the typical rat snake body-tensing reaction, frozen in place, looking at me and hoping to go unnoticed. With utmost care, I picked it up mid body. The snake nervously tried to fly out of my grasp, but after a few seconds of gentle handling, it calmed down. There was a weak attempt at releasing musk; it did not even try to bite me. I quickly inspected it for any wounds, scars and ectoparasites and found none.
The yellow rat snake had a calm demeanor but are sometimes killed due to lack of knowledge. Photo by Photo by Sonia Casasnovas
I checked the cloaca to determine sex – no thick hemipenes sheath at either side past the base of the tail and a nice gradual taper running toward the flawless tip – it is a girl! She looked pristine. Sharp brick-red eyes, round black pupils, bright yellow cheeks, whitish chin, and a faint orange hue over the yellow body intersected by four dark stripes make this beauty one of my all-time favorites. Her alertness and the anxious flickering of her red tongue to explore the new situation made me realize this may well be her very first close interaction with a human being. With the snake coiled around my arm, I walked back to my car, put her in a cloth bag and drove home.
The author with the yellow rat snake he relocated. Photo by Sonia Casasnovas
About five minutes earlier, my good friend and neighbor had sent me a video to my cellphone, asking what kind of snake was slithering on his driveway. When I saw the bright yellow color with dark stripes in the video, I jumped out of my chair, got in my car, and raced down the street to find it. By the time I arrived at my neighbor’s house, the snake had crawled into landscaped garden. Encountering a yellow rat snake was a fresh departure from the usual black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) and water moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus), which are quite common in my area at this time of the year.
Back at my house, I offered the snake a water bowl. She promptly quenched her thirst for about 10 seconds. Looking content, she settled comfortably in my hands.
An American alligator that wandered into the author’s neighborhood was relocated away from the subdivision. Photo by Sonia Casasnovas
This snake had the good fortune of being found by me, a passionate herper. I am afraid that would not always be the case if found by another person. The fact that snakes, as well as other wildlife, are precious and necessary in their ecosystems is clearly not enough to stop the onslaught of residential and commercial development encroaching into their habitat.
Over the last few years, real estate development has grown around my neighborhood like a rabid fungus. It has displaced wildlife from their natural homes into our subdivision and other urban areas. It is common to see deer, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, bobcats, otters, wild pigs, and many reptiles roaming around. Gators constantly move from one pond to the next. Some snakes, unfortunately, end up as roadkill. I see flattened carcasses while riding my bike. Talking to other people while walking my dog is not necessarily an uplifting experience; they relate how quickly they dispatched a couple of water moccasins with a shovel. I cannot tell other people what they can, or cannot do, inside their property, especially when it comes to venomous snakes posing a potential threat to people and pets.
Fear is a powerful emotion. It stops people in their tracks, but it also moves other people to needlessly kill snakes. I have found that it is very hard to convince some folks to let go of their irrational fear of snakes. At the very least, I try to tell them to just leave the snake alone; it will eventually find its way elsewhere.
Yellow rat snake. Photo by Sonia Casasnovas
So, what is next? If you want to get more involved in conservation efforts, even if it is only in your neighborhood, there are a few things you can do:
Get The Word Out
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to promote yourself as a friendly herper if you regularly walk around your neighborhood. I walk my dog at least twice a day and usually run into other people doing the same thing. Every time somebody mentions snakes found in their property, I tell them, “Please do not kill it. Just let them be.” I also take the opportunity to educate people about snakes; some people are receptive; others are set in their ways. By now pretty much everyone I have interacted with in my area knows me as the “snake guy.” Do I get a lot of calls? Not really, the case above is a gem, though – beautiful rat snake in excellent condition! It was perfect timing. I was just sitting in my house watching TV when my neighbor called. But let’s face it, most people feel they do not want to bother anyone for a snake in their property, unless it is venomous.
A gopher tortoise near the author’s home. Photo by Sonia Casasnovas
In addition, snakes normally do not stay in one place for long periods of time, unless trapped inside someone’s garage or lanai. By the time somebody contacts me or another friendly herper, or trapper, the snake will most likely be gone. Nevertheless, it is good for people to have multiple contacts for snake removal or relocation, who knows, maybe I’ll get a call for a nice kingsnake next time!
Neighborhood Chat
If you feel so inclined, explore and participate in your neighborhood chat. There are several neighborhood chat rooms, like Nextdoor, where numerous people post photos and videos of snakes, and other wildlife, found on their property, asking “Any idea what this is?” I stick to the facts. I just keep it to a minimum; state the snake species in question, whether it is venomous or not, and I do not get into a never-ending debate about a red rat snake misidentified as a milk snake. Since I am not a licensed professional snake catcher/trapper, I do not advertise as such. In the case of a venomous snake, I refer them to the contact number of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC); they can provide a list of trappers who, when available, will respond to nuisance animal calls, including venomous snakes, alligators, raccoons, etc. Keep in mind that even trappers will need a venomous snake permit if they are going to be in possession of, or transporting, venomous snakes. Trappers also need permission from the private property owner before they can remove an animal.
Brooks kingsnakes are harmless non-venomous reptiles. let your neighbors know that they hep with rodent control in the neighborhood. Photo by Patrick Campbell/Shutterstock
What I like about the chat is that you get a good idea of which snake species are more frequently found in the region. As expected in my subdivision, the most common posts depict water moccasins and black racers, every now and then I see a yellow rat snake or a corn snake, and rarely, a coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) or scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea), or even a scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides). Understandably, photos posted of any example of the last three species invariably generate a spirited discussion that lasts for days. I have yet to find any of the last three species I mentioned, but I occasionally see ring-necked snakes (Diadophis punctatus) at my front door in the evenings after a downpour. I have seen only one post with an adult eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) crossing a sidewalk. Once the dust settles in the chat realm, most participants agree that the best course of action is likely to let the snake go undisturbed. After all, we have invaded their world.
A Word on Venomous Snakes
If you do not have the license issued by your state, the training, the experience, and the equipment (e.g., secure enclosures and snake hooks and tongs) needed to capture, keep, transport, or handle venomous snakes, do not do it. A bite from a venomous snake is no fun. There is no need to risk losing life or limb over it, face legal trouble, experience excruciating pain, not to mention the potential astronomical bill resulting from medical treatment and the procurement and administration of antivenin. Instead, secure the services of a licensed professional snake catcher to relocate a venomous snake until such time you can get a venomous snake permit. If you are interested in getting a venomous snake permit, check out the requirements in your state for obtaining such a permit. After a quick phone call to FWC, I learned that it is a process in which you have to document your experience in detail, including the type of venomous snakes you have worked with, the number of hours invested in the endeavor (e.g. feeding, cleaning of cages, catching and handling them), and you’ll need two letters of reference from permit holders in the state who have personally worked with you and can attest to the fact that you have real world experience and the equipment to handle venomous snakes.
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With the understanding that every time I use the word “snake” I am referring to nonvenomous species, here are a few pointers:
Nourish It!
Unless you decide to immediately relocate the snake you just caught, you can take care of it for a while to see how it does. If it is ill or wounded, tend to it as best as you can. Look for the obvious signs of common ailments, like mouth rot or parasite infection. I would say, if it does not do well in captivity after one or two weeks, make sure to give it some water and let it go. If adjustment to captive conditions is a challenge for the snake, it will have a better chance of surviving in nature than in the confines of an enclosure. Having said that, the yellow rat snake I caught rested in a cage for a few days, after which I offered a frozen/thawed rat. The snake took it with a lot of appreciation. I saw that the subsequent urination and defecation seemed to be normal, and then I repeated the process one more time before releasing it back into the wild.
Pop the Champagne, Yeah! Let it Go. . . But Where?
So now you got your snake and are ready to relocate it in a safe environment away from urban areas. You keep driving, asking yourself, where?? I have been there myself on occasion, especially when stationed overseas, where I drove long distances to release a snake into a preserve. It is best if you have identified a nature preserve or conservation area near your home to release the snake. This is easier in the United States, where many such places abound with opportunities. There are quite a few areas near my house in Manatee County, FL, where I can release local native snakes, knowing that they will have a better chance of thriving sans the possibility of getting run over by a car. Or chopped up in desperation in the middle of human habitation. I have a favorite spot where I once saw a large yellow rat snake disappear into a hole in the trunk of a live oak tree and a gopher tortoise crawling in the sunny background. That is my kind of place.
Releasing a native snake back into the wild is certainly a cause for celebration and exhilaration. My wife and I did not bring the champagne, but we brought the snake, Jinji, our Australian Labradoodle, and a digital camera. On a good day, midafternoon, we drove to the secluded area eager with anticipation. I thought, “If she (the snake, not my wife) only knew…”
For the release point, we picked a tree that was heavily covered in Spanish moss, with branches departing from the thick trunk in different directions, providing many places for the snake to hide and stalk its common prey, squirrels. A stream is just a short walk away.
Standing in front of the tree, I opened the snake bag and let the snake explore the new environment. She immediately wanted to climb! It seemed like the sight and smell of the live oak tree screamed “Home Sweet Home!” A true rat snake, she adeptly crawled up the rough surface of the trunk and quickly found the first patch of Spanish moss and disappeared from sight.
