Twin bed spring frame, sections of corrugated sheet metal, and a grinding wheel were about all I could make out so far in the junk pile. I was using a chain to drag piece by piece to a junk pile in front of the barn. Eventually, I'll load up all this rusted junk and take it to the dump. Of course, I'll need a flatbed trailer and I'll need to figure out where the dump IS but...all in due time.
I was about 20 minutes into cleaning out this pile of junk when I met Mr Snake. I was on the tractor and perched nearly dead center on top of the shrinking pile, amidst the tall grass when I saw him come slithering out, heading in my direction. I quickly shifted from reverse to forward and jumped out of there so I could get my eyes on him.
After circling around the pile several times, I found him and took a (admittingly poor) picture:
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| He appeared green-ish in color with a lighter colored belly |
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| You're looking at the belly side |
I'd say he had a solid seafoam green-ish body with a much lighter underbelly. No obvious markings. Anybody able to identify the genus and/or species? Is it the Rough Green Snake?
~OJD
I would load up the metal and scrap it at a recycling place. I don't think they are paying much these days but every little bit helps.
ReplyDeleteThey'll take the old rusted stuff? It has holes eaten throughout...
DeleteWas his eyes a solid color, or a slitted? If a solid color he was non-poisonous.
ReplyDeleteI had a green snake here, sort of light to medium green ... Looked up Snakes in California on the web ... looks like it was a Green Racer. I always thought racers were small snakes but I guess at some point in time all snakes grow up and get big ..... and it is harmless
ReplyDeleteYes metal recyclers will take rusted metal.
ReplyDeleteCraigs list in the free section.
ReplyDeletePeople will usually come and haul it away for you.
Sorry I can't help with the snake.
That snake would have done more good than harm, like most all snakes and it was not poisonous. Oh well, now it will not scare the girls.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone the snake may not have been dangerous. Better safe, then sorry. Scrap would bring in some money to use to bring the family home.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter would be mad at you! She keeps reptiles as pets, including a few snakes. I hate snakes and used to kill them on sight, but after many lectures about their beneficial aspects and to avoid her wrath, I spare them now. Unless they are copperheads or rattlers, which I shoot and just keep quiet about it. I would send her a copy of your picture and I am sure she could identify the snake but she would surely get mad at both of us. I don't think there are any green poisonous snakes in the states but I'm no herpetologist.
ReplyDeleteThe spring frame would make a great pasture drag for knocking down and spreading manure piles.
ReplyDeleteAs someone said above. Yes the scrap/recycle centers will take rusted stuff. Each center is different I imagine but I have hauled off over 3 tons of farm scrap this Summer. From parts of an old manure spreader to rusted through pipe and bent hay mangers. If you take appliances be sure the freon line is cut and keep the iron/steel together don't mix in aluminum or other metals they usually are weighed in a different area. No batteries either.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on moving to the country. it's too bad you had to kill one of God's creatures, a harmless snake though. It would have eaten a lot of spiders and insects around the place. I grew up on a farm and still live in the country, we and others I know just left them alone, as other enlightened country folk did. I showed my boys snakes around here when they were young so that they would respect them and not have any irrational fears of them. It's all part of living with and in the country.
ReplyDeleteDakota Doc
Start with the fact there is a 5 ft tall cage in my living room that is home to an albino California king snake. I still kill any snake that isn't immediately recognizable as nonpoisonous. Copperheads and cotton mouths are too plentiful, as well as others around here.
ReplyDelete