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Texas Rat Snake. #8832194 04/11/23 09:43 PM
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flintknapper Online Content OP
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Clearing some brush off a fence line this afternoon.....I spied this fella laying still, hoping I would just walk on by.

Picked him up for a quick video and then sent him on his way.

It is mating season for Rat Snakes in East Texas right now and I am seeing them all over the place.

Good snake to have around (as long as you don't have chickens).




Spartans ask not...how many, but where!
Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832209 04/11/23 10:27 PM
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Originally Posted by flintknapper

Good snake to have around (as long as you don't have chickens). [/b]


Agree, the ones in the yard with the chicken coop are not so welcome. Before the Chickens got here they were welcome though,


lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true
Mainstream news might be fun to watch
Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832246 04/11/23 11:52 PM
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They get no pass from me. Too hard on the game bird population.

Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832272 04/12/23 12:34 AM
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I keep em around and am willing to lose a chick or a few eggs for their rat control work.

Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: ntxtrapper] #8832273 04/12/23 12:34 AM
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Originally Posted by ntxtrapper
They get no pass from me. Too hard on the game bird population.

What game birds?

Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: ntxtrapper] #8832378 04/12/23 04:15 AM
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Originally Posted by ntxtrapper
They get no pass from me. Too hard on the game bird population.


I'd wager other predators are more responsible for the 'taking' of any game birds, but certainly Rat Snakes will take advantage of eggs/chicks found from ground nesting birds.

In my area we basically have none. NO quail and very few Turkey or Ducks.....so they don't represent a significant source of depredation here (Deep East Texas).


They ARE excellent climbers however and will readily raid the nests of tree nesting birds and squirrels....but don't seem to have much impact on their numbers. Rats and Mice on the other hand are prime targets (here) and I'm sure a fair number of Chicken Eggs get consumed.

I think all in all they are a beneficial snake...but it remains each persons decision whether to dispatch them or give them a pass.


Spartans ask not...how many, but where!
Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: rickt300] #8832379 04/12/23 04:16 AM
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Originally Posted by rickt300
I keep em around and am willing to lose a chick or a few eggs for their rat control work.


My position as well. up


Spartans ask not...how many, but where!
Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832394 04/12/23 09:27 AM
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Very docile. Thanks for sharing. up


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Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832472 04/12/23 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by flintknapper
Originally Posted by ntxtrapper
They get no pass from me. Too hard on the game bird population.


I'd wager other predators are more responsible for the 'taking' of any game birds, but certainly Rat Snakes will take advantage of eggs/chicks found from ground nesting birds.

In my area we basically have none. NO quail and very few Turkey or Ducks.....so they don't represent a significant source of depredation here (Deep East Texas).


They ARE excellent climbers however and will readily raid the nests of tree nesting birds and squirrels....but don't seem to have much impact on their numbers. Rats and Mice on the other hand are prime targets (here) and I'm sure a fair number of Chicken Eggs get consumed.

I think all in all they are a beneficial snake...but it remains each persons decision whether to dispatch them or give them a pass.


I don’t need their help to keep the rodent population in check around my ranch house. I had pretty much no turkey population here 3 years ago and after getting rid of about 400 trash pandas and about 200 rat snakes, I have turkeys all over it. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.

Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832477 04/12/23 01:20 PM
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I love snakes of all kinds but there’s no shortage of rat snakes. I would bet at least 90% of the snakes I have found in the last couple years were either rat snakes or water snakes.

They are cool but of you want ground nesting birds on your place you have to deal with everything that eats their eggs and their young. It’s not like we are creating a bunch of great new habitat for them to hide in, habitat doesn't grow in 2023.

I don’t mess with them but neither do i hold you in contempt for controlling them.

Last edited by Bryan C. Heimann; 04/12/23 01:20 PM.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-14
Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832558 04/12/23 03:24 PM
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Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8832707 04/12/23 06:52 PM
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Save a game bird nest; kill a hog.

Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: Nolanco] #8833077 04/13/23 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Nolanco
Save a game bird nest; kill a hog.

up


texas flag








Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: 10 Gauge] #8833147 04/13/23 01:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Bryan C. Heimann


They are cool but of you want ground nesting birds on your place you have to deal with everything that eats their eggs and their young.


Yes, and its not just Rat Snakes.


Feral Hogs
Raccoons
Skunks
Fox
Coyote
Rats
Bobcat
Several variety of snakes
Crows, Blue-Jays
Possum
Badger
Hawks


Just to name a few.

They ALL contribute, some worse than others.


Spartans ask not...how many, but where!
Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8837874 04/21/23 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by flintknapper
Originally Posted by Bryan C. Heimann


They are cool but of you want ground nesting birds on your place you have to deal with everything that eats their eggs and their young.


Yes, and its not just Rat Snakes.


Feral Hogs
Raccoons
Skunks
Fox
Coyote
Rats
Bobcat
Several variety of snakes
Crows, Blue-Jays
Possum
Badger
Hawks


Just to name a few.

They ALL contribute, some worse than others.





I have read several times that the decline of Meadowlarks and quail was caused by the Fire ant. Back in the seventies where Arlington is now was a quail mecca.

Re: Texas Rat Snake. [Re: flintknapper] #8843421 04/30/23 07:42 PM
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