Michael (Bates) Keilen Bump Watch

[formergothardite]

1 hour ago, HereticHick said:

And we hadn't even started discussing snake handlin' in church yet!! : )

We are a simple, pleasant people with our totally uncomplicated traditions which may or may not involve taking snakes to church! 

Well, if HowsMolly does move to NC I want to be around when she starts telling folks that she enjoys the simple people of NC. No one is going to take that as a compliment.

[RosyDaisy]

In these here parts simple = the "r" word when referring to people. Say it and you're gonna get an ass kicking.

[formergothardite]

Even if the explanation is given that simple means living an old fashioned lifestyle, most people aren't going to be complimented. We live a modern life here in NC. It isn't like we are all sitting on our front porches, sipping sweet tea, polishing our rifles to get ready to hunt a possum for dinner, all while waiting for the party line to free up so we can call Ethel to spread church gossip. 

[Geechee Girl]

On 5/20/2016 at 0:24 PM, RosyDaisy said:

We got snakes here in Alabama. The most common are cottonmouths, copperheads, and timber rattlers.

Yep, had those in FL with the addition of the coral snake which is easily confused with the king snake. Knowing the rhyme, "red next to black is a friend of Jack, red next to yellow will kill a fellow" saved my hide. Corals and kings had a way of turning up in our pool enclosure.

[BeccaGrim]

On 5/20/2016 at 2:24 PM, RosyDaisy said:

We got snakes here in Alabama. The most common are cottonmouths, copperheads, and timber rattlers.

 

 

ETA: Copperheads are not endangered here.

 

 

We have a serious snake problem here in Austin. I'm just not sure how we can still have so much scary wildlife in such a large city.  I didn't have these problems in New Jersey.  Hope I'm not about to get anyone upset with my snake generalizations...

[princessmahina]

3 minutes ago, BeccaGrim said:

We have a serious snake problem here in Austin. I'm just not sure how we can still have so much scary wildlife in such a large city.  I didn't have these problems in New Jersey.  Hope I'm not about to get anyone upset with my snake generalizations...

I think there are fewer venomous snakes up north (for me anything above the Mason-Dixon line). I remember looking through my mother's old herpetology textbook and seeing that. As if the heat wasn't miserable enough, we have to worry about all the snakes too! 

[mango_fandango]

I vividly remember being on Guide camp once (Girl Guides) and one of the leaders carrying a 'survival bag' (human-sized Orange plastic bag) out of someone's tent. Turned out that there was a snake on it. This being Britain, it was likely only an adder, but still. They are venomous, but bite only when provoked and bites aren't usually fatal. Then, when walking with my family once (maybe on holiday, I don't remember exactly) I saw one in the grass.

 

[elliha]

1 hour ago, mango_fandango said:

I vividly remember being on Guide camp once (Girl Guides) and one of the leaders carrying a 'survival bag' (human-sized Orange plastic bag) out of someone's tent. Turned out that there was a snake on it. This being Britain, it was likely only an adder, but still. They are venomous, but bite only when provoked and bites aren't usually fatal. Then, when walking with my family once (maybe on holiday, I don't remember exactly) I saw one in the grass.

 

In northern Sweden where I live there aren't that many snakes but the good/bad thing is that all of the ones we have are adders. It is not good if you are bitten but you never need to worry about if the snake is poisonous or not, it is, so just stay away. As said, they are not aggressive and don't bite unless you step on them or severely agitate them in other ways. Dogs are much more likely to get bitten than people because they don't always get that it is a bad idea to take a second look. My dad's friends Jack Russel almost got killed from a snake bite but humans rarely get more than severe discomfort from their bite. 

[InThePrayerCloset]

14 hours ago, BeccaGrim said:

We have a serious snake problem here in Austin. I'm just not sure how we can still have so much scary wildlife in such a large city.  I didn't have these problems in New Jersey.  Hope I'm not about to get anyone upset with my snake generalizations...

These was an incident recently where someone was bitten by a poisonous snake within 1km of the Sydney Opera House, in our botanic gardens. Even the Sydney CBD can be a dangerous place: poisonous snakes and spiders, not to mention sharks in Sydney harbour and eagles...

[LurkerOverThePond]

2 hours ago, InThePrayerCloset said:

These was an incident recently where someone was bitten by a poisonous snake within 1km of the Sydney Opera House, in our botanic gardens. Even the Sydney CBD can be a dangerous place: poisonous snakes and spiders, not to mention sharks in Sydney harbour and eagles...

Eagles? I knew Australia has its fair share of poisonous or otherwise dangerous animals but I never thought they would come from the air... 

If you don't mind I'd like to ask something. Do you have a lot of brown snakes or other extremely poisonous snakes wandering through the parks or yards? How about funnel web spiders or redbacks? Have you ever been in a serious situation with a snake or even gotten a bite? Are they many fatalities per year involving  poisonous snakes?

[elliha]

47 minutes ago, LurkerOverThePond said:

Eagles? I knew Australia has its fair share of poisonous or otherwise dangerous animals but I never thought they would come from the air... 

Getting an image of a poison spitting eagle making people go blind if they look up too long or something. 

[BeccaGrim]

1 hour ago, elliha said:

Getting an image of a poison spitting eagle making people go blind if they look up too long or something. 

There's a story in there somewhere. A book to be written. 

[actuallyjessica]

Eagles? I knew Australia has its fair share of poisonous or otherwise dangerous animals but I never thought they would come from the air... 

If you don't mind I'd like to ask something. Do you have a lot of brown snakes or other extremely poisonous snakes wandering through the parks or yards? How about funnel web spiders or redbacks? Have you ever been in a serious situation with a snake or even gotten a bite? Are they many fatalities per year involving  poisonous snakes?

Not the person you're asking, but another Australian.

In Summer there are snakes around in backyards, more so if you live on a big property where the grass is longer and there are bodies of water around. Brown snakes and black snakes are the most common. At least where I live.

Red backs are something you'll likely find in most homes here at one time or another... I personally have had maybe 5 red back sightings in the 2 years I've been in this house, but at my old house we used to see them every couple of weeks.

In schools we're taught about snake safety and what to do and what not to do (don't approach, and if you do see one that approaches you - stay as still as a statue until the snake passes you).

It's illegal to harm any snakes but more often than not people will take a shovel to the head if they find one in their yard, rather than call a snake catcher.

As for fatalities I can't say I've heard of a lot on the news - but that's not to say they don't happen. I know a lot of pets sadly get bitten and die from snake bites.

Hope this helps.

[LurkerOverThePond]

Thank you for the information, @actuallyjessica ! I'm not sure I would be so casual and cool-headed as you if I shared my backyard with browns snakes!   According to Wikipedia, the eastern brown snake is world's second most venomous land snake. Ever since I read Bill Bryson's "Down Under", I have been fascinated by Australian nature and it's many creatures. My top three horrors would be 1) Irukandji jellyfish, 2) saltwater crocodile, and 3) taipans. 

[InThePrayerCloset]

11 hours ago, LurkerOverThePond said:

Eagles? I knew Australia has its fair share of poisonous or otherwise dangerous animals but I never thought they would come from the air... 

If you don't mind I'd like to ask something. Do you have a lot of brown snakes or other extremely poisonous snakes wandering through the parks or yards? How about funnel web spiders or redbacks? Have you ever been in a serious situation with a snake or even gotten a bite? Are they many fatalities per year involving  poisonous snakes?

There are red-belly black snakes in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, the gardens that surround the Opera House. But they're incredibly timid and don't cause problems unless you accidentally step on them. Honestly, they're not aggressive snakes that "hunt down" people. There are red-belly black snakes in Centennial Park too, and one of my childhood friends got bitten there. Here's a news story of one in the Sydney suburbs http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/north-shore/massive-redbellied-black-snake-captured-in-northern-sydney/news-story/91e43017e0db7492eaedaccc476cf687 Brown snakes aren't that common in metropolitan Sydney, but they are certainly found in the outlying suburbs (Sydney is roughly surrounded on 3 sides by national parks)

Red Backed Spiders and the Sydney Funnel Web spiders are some of the most dangerous spiders in the world, and call the Sydney suburbs home (check out http://australianmuseum.net.au/sydney-funnel-web-spider and http://australianmuseum.net.au/redback-spider). It's very common to have Redbacks and funnel webs even in the sydney metro area. It sounds dramatic and a bit steve irwin-ish, but its really not that bad. You just growing up knowing what is dangerous and you avoid them  

The good thing about Australia's poisonous wildlife is there are VERY good anti-venoms for most of our dangerous creatures. If you get bitten and get to hospital, i think its pretty rare to die now due to the anti-venom. I know half a dozen people that have been bitten by various deadly creatures, and they all came out of it ok.

We had funnel webs, red blacks and red-belly black snakes in our yard on Sydney's northern beaches (near where "Home and Away" the TV soap is filmed). The flip side is that my parents regularly have wallabies, kangaroos, bilbys, possums, the very occasional koala and every parrot imaginable in their garden  

 

 

7 hours ago, actuallyjessica said:

 

 

Not the person you're asking, but another Australian.

 

In Summer there are snakes around in backyards, more so if you live on a big property where the grass is longer and there are bodies of water around. Brown snakes and black snakes are the most common. At least where I live.

 

Red backs are something you'll likely find in most homes here at one time or another... I personally have had maybe 5 red back sightings in the 2 years I've been in this house, but at my old house we used to see them every couple of weeks.

 

In schools we're taught about snake safety and what to do and what not to do (don't approach, and if you do see one that approaches you - stay as still as a statue until the snake passes you).

 

It's illegal to harm any snakes but more often than not people will take a shovel to the head if they find one in their yard, rather than call a snake catcher.

 

As for fatalities I can't say I've heard of a lot on the news - but that's not to say they don't happen. I know a lot of pets sadly get bitten and die from snake bites.

 

Hope this helps.

very well said

[Karma]

Another Sydney-spider here.  We see the odd funnel web spider in our garden (outer suburbs) and there are always red back spiders in the weep holes. When I'm bushwalking we do keep an eye out for snakes, and always carry bandages.  Brown snake sightings are reasonably common in summer, less so in winter.  When my kids were little and I was taking them camping we would have the snake talk in the car every year.  As a parent I was most freaked out the time one of my kids scooped up a blue ringed octopus in a net.  Fortunately didn't touch it!  

Eagles.  Well, they're not much of a problem. Unless you're mr karma and standing on the balcony admiring the view when on holidays in far North Queensland.  A Sea Eagle with a nest on the roof of the building next door wasn't too happy about him standing there and flew at him, hit him on the head, scratching him with its claws.  He said it felt like being hit on the head with a frozen chicken.  But normally magpies are more of an issue than Eagles!

@InThePrayerCloset that's a lovely place to live!  Have you walked along the coast to Manly? So scenic!  

[Yes, TOTALLY]

Have to say, I feel really lucky to live in snake-free NZ now! The most poisonous thing I've ever seen is a white-tail spider. What do people do with their pets in Australia to protect them from snakes and stuff? Do you keep your cats and dogs inside and only let them out while supervised?

[LurkerOverThePond]

Thanks again to Aussie FJers for all the insights! I find Australia utterly fascinating, not just the potentially deadly creatures but the nature as a whole. It is so very different from my daily experiences living in Northern Europe. Our only venomous snake (out of the whole 3 species of snakes here...) is adder and it's bite is very rarely fatal. Actually, I've seen maybe 3 live snakes out in the wild in my whole life. If I'm out in the woods I'm more concerned about bears or even ticks than an occasional adder.

[nastyhobbitses]

I once read somewhere that an episode of the children's show Peppa Pig was banned in Australia because the moral of the episode was that spiders won't hurt you and you shouldn't be afraid of them. Which is not a very good lesson to teach Australian children.

[Fundie Bunny]

Spiders here may not be deadly, but it's not like they're a cute little Pet. I don't feel like having half of my face look like a balloon because of friendship. Kill those bitches when you can

(This little bitch is usually 2 inches long and is on every fucking corner of my aunt's country house)

[InThePrayerCloset]

4 hours ago, Karma said:

Another Sydney-spider here.  We see the odd funnel web spider in our garden (outer suburbs) and there are always red back spiders in the weep holes. When I'm bushwalking we do keep an eye out for snakes, and always carry bandages.  Brown snake sightings are reasonably common in summer, less so in winter.  When my kids were little and I was taking them camping we would have the snake talk in the car every year.  As a parent I was most freaked out the time one of my kids scooped up a blue ringed octopus in a net.  Fortunately didn't touch it!  

Eagles.  Well, they're not much of a problem. Unless you're mr karma and standing on the balcony admiring the view when on holidays in far North Queensland.  A Sea Eagle with a nest on the roof of the building next door wasn't too happy about him standing there and flew at him, hit him on the head, scratching him with its claws.  He said it felt like being hit on the head with a frozen chicken.  But normally magpies are more of an issue than Eagles!

@InThePrayerCloset that's a lovely place to live!  Have you walked along the coast to Manly? So scenic!  

Blue ringed octopus are beautiful! how can you blame kids for wanting to catch one!  

Yeah I did coastrek one year! So beautiful, but damn exhausting.

I saw the seasons first humpback whale from my dining room window last Saturday, which was pretty exciting! 

 

[jas]

We are snake free in Ireland. St Patrick banished them. (He also banished their fossilised remains and any other evidence that they had ever existed here.)  

[Karma]

4 hours ago, Yes, TOTALLY said:

Have to say, I feel really lucky to live in snake-free NZ now! The most poisonous thing I've ever seen is a white-tail spider. What do people do with their pets in Australia to protect them from snakes and stuff? Do you keep your cats and dogs inside and only let them out while supervised?

Don't worry, @Yes, TOTALLY, it's quite safe here in suburbia most of the time!  Most people don't have snakes in their backyards, and the spiders leave the dogs alone if the dogs leave them alone. There was an article in our local paper recently about a dog who died after being bitten by a brown snake - if the local vet had anti venom in stock it would probably have recovered.  That suburb is next to the bush, so snakes are reasonably common.  As a child our cat did catch and kill a small red belly black snake, and bought it to us very proudly .

NZ, I would love to go on a multi day bushwalk (or tramp as you'd say!), because you don't have blood sucking leeches.  You lucky things!!!!

[Geechee Girl]

I'm thoroughly this thread drift. I'm learning much from y'all in different regions and countries.

The spider to fear in FL is the brown recluse. We had plenty of banana spiders the size of my hand hanging out in our fruit trees. 

[RosyDaisy]

Black widows and brown recluse are the only venomous spiders that I know of here in North Alabama.