How do I get rid of these things? Killed some last year, 3 this year already, two by the woodpile, one on the freakin porch. If I could dump a truckload of kingsnakes behind the house right now I probably would.
OT Copperheads, and more Copperheads
- Thread starter T-TownDawgg
- Start date
If the woodpile is one the ground, build something to raise it up. I have mine just about 6 inches off the ground and have had no problem with snakes. I think woodpiles are a favorite of copperheads in particular. I’m not sure if this is helpful or not, but think about getting a yard cat. I have one that absolutely destroys mice in the backyard and I’ve never even seen a snake in my yard. Could just be a coincidence
Get a cat-snakes hate cats. We live out in the sticks and I got tired of relocating copperheads and started killing copperheads around the house. Went to a neighbor who had a bunch of barn cats. Got two of them, had them neutered and put them outside. Haven’t had any snakes since I’ve had them. It ain’t a coincidence. Lots of people don’t like cats, myself included-but I prefer cats to copperheads. Nasty little bastards with bad attitudes-and not always easy to catch...
Outside cat, our "Tiger" will get anything that hops, crawls, flies, jumps or digs under the ground such as moles. I have a wooded 3 acre yard, use to have copperheads, havent seen one since "Tiger" arrived on patrol.
Btw, I'm no cat lover, but he doesn't require attention.
Btw, I'm no cat lover, but he doesn't require attention.
I considered getting a cat a couple years ago to help deal with moles and mice. Turns out, it costs $50 to get a free cat from the Humane Society. Who has that kind of money to sink into a damn cat?
Get you some guinue fowl, they are loud as hell sometimes but they do two magically things.
First they eat ticks, our dog used to have a dozen ticks everytime he went outside, now he only has one or two at most, usually none. I haven’t gotten a tick on me in forever.
Second, if you get like 6 of them, they will kill snakes, the 6 will surround the bastard and kill it.
Annoying birds sometimes but my goodness do they make up for it.
First they eat ticks, our dog used to have a dozen ticks everytime he went outside, now he only has one or two at most, usually none. I haven’t gotten a tick on me in forever.
Second, if you get like 6 of them, they will kill snakes, the 6 will surround the bastard and kill it.
Annoying birds sometimes but my goodness do they make up for it.
Keeping grass cut will keep most snakes away. Keep your stuff away from the edge of the woods. Snakes don’t like to cross big expanses of grass where they get exposed.
In high school I missed getting bit by a copperhead by mere inches. Coach sent me to get a box of balls for a road game. They were up in the score box above the concession stand. There was just a hole in the floor of the score box with a vertical ladder. I was hitting the steps 2 at a time and as soon as my head came thru the hole in the floor a big copperhead struck at my face, his fangs less than 4 inches from my nose. I'm normally not scared of snakes but I let go of the ladder, fell 12 feet to the floor and let the bastard have the balls. Someone went in through a window and killed it.
Sounds more like a rat snake. Often confused with copperheads, but copperheads don’t climb ladders.
Neighbor of mine walked outside in flip flops, copperhead bit him on the big toe, damn toe nearly rotted off. They had to remove a lot of it but saved as much as possible to help him stabilize while standing/walking. Flip flop won't stay straight on his foot anymore either because the toes not there to help hold it on.
Agree w/ the cat suggestion too, Starkville humane society advertises barn cats all the time, I think theirs are already neutered. Get one, feed it occasionally, enough to keep it around but not enough to make it lazy and not hunt for food and give it enough attention so you can catch it every couple years to get shots.
Agree w/ the cat suggestion too, Starkville humane society advertises barn cats all the time, I think theirs are already neutered. Get one, feed it occasionally, enough to keep it around but not enough to make it lazy and not hunt for food and give it enough attention so you can catch it every couple years to get shots.
The cat will be fine. They are God's undefeated population control invention. They truly slate wipe everything in their area.
I don't know how it got up there but it was most definitely a copperhead. I just knew it was a a snake with guns ablazing. After they killed it the Ag teacher verified that it was a copperhead. There were several old boxes up there of old catching gear, old uni's, etc. that would have made good places to catch mice. He could have hitched a ride in that stuff when it was moved. That was 22-23 years ago and I can still close my eyes and see fangs inches from my nose.
When I was living in Mississippi I was lucky enough to just have a pair of speckled king snakes decide that they liked hanging around my shop for the last few years. Up until they moved in I was plagued with copperheads, the occasional water moccasin, and mice in the shop. I stepped on the female when I was painting and she did nothing. I picked her up and moved her to a pile of pine straw so I didn't step on her again.
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This.^
Got them about 4 years ago to control a chipmunk population gone wild. They bring up the random small snake to play with, and don't give them much of a chance to get big.
We did have one adult copperhead that got close to the house last summer, but we were alerted to its presence by one of the cats, so I was able to give it the kaiser blade treatment.
In the meantime, chipmunks, mice, voles, etc, are really only seen when the cats are playing with them. They also are smart enough to go up the trees when coyotes are nearby.
P.S. The chipmunk population went wild originally because I dramatically (and unintentionally) reduced the chicken snake population in the area by putting light bird netting around our hydrangeas to keep the deer away. The chicken snakes would get wound up in the netting and strangle themselves. Whoops. God really did make nature in balance, and occasionally I disrupt that balance.
Got them about 4 years ago to control a chipmunk population gone wild. They bring up the random small snake to play with, and don't give them much of a chance to get big.
We did have one adult copperhead that got close to the house last summer, but we were alerted to its presence by one of the cats, so I was able to give it the kaiser blade treatment.
In the meantime, chipmunks, mice, voles, etc, are really only seen when the cats are playing with them. They also are smart enough to go up the trees when coyotes are nearby.
P.S. The chipmunk population went wild originally because I dramatically (and unintentionally) reduced the chicken snake population in the area by putting light bird netting around our hydrangeas to keep the deer away. The chicken snakes would get wound up in the netting and strangle themselves. Whoops. God really did make nature in balance, and occasionally I disrupt that balance.
Neighbor found 2 dead king snakes today tangled up in bird netting he puts over their blueberries, found one last year. Snakes go hide in the blueberry bushes to catch the birds that steal the berries.
Speaking of mother nature, just watched a Bluejay steal a baby bird out of another birds nest. Momma and daddy bird started raising 2 kinds of hell, before it was over there were 7 birds Robins, Cardinals and Mocking birds all attacking the 1 Jay. Never seen birds of different species help each other out. Don't know the outcome, they went all over 3 different trees raising all kinds of hell then all took off toward neighbors yard.
Speaking of mother nature, just watched a Bluejay steal a baby bird out of another birds nest. Momma and daddy bird started raising 2 kinds of hell, before it was over there were 7 birds Robins, Cardinals and Mocking birds all attacking the 1 Jay. Never seen birds of different species help each other out. Don't know the outcome, they went all over 3 different trees raising all kinds of hell then all took off toward neighbors yard.
Most people think rat snakes are copperheads and stupidly kill them. I think a lot of the stories in this thread are most likely rat snakes. Copperheads aren’t as common as this thread makes them seem.
Adoption fees serve a purpose.
It's not just to keep the lights on. It's to prevent the scum of the earth that participate in dog fighting from using them as free bait animals.
Also, if you're appalled by the idea of spending. $50 on a pet, you're probably not cut out to be a pet owner.
I can't comprehend where having to state you are not a cat person came from - and I hear it all the time from guys that consider themselves real manly men. Cats can be fickle but are also really badass animals. The perfect killing machine. Low maintenance compared to dogs, but still good for keeping you company.
It's not just to keep the lights on. It's to prevent the scum of the earth that participate in dog fighting from using them as free bait animals.
Also, if you're appalled by the idea of spending. $50 on a pet, you're probably not cut out to be a pet owner.
I can't comprehend where having to state you are not a cat person came from - and I hear it all the time from guys that consider themselves real manly men. Cats can be fickle but are also really badass animals. The perfect killing machine. Low maintenance compared to dogs, but still good for keeping you company.
He’s not trying too. What he’s saying is that it’s dumb when guys always have to offer a qualifier after saying they own a cat. “I’m not a cat person, it’s just for mice”, “I hate cats but it’s my girlfriends/wifes”, etc. It’s like they’re scared someone will think less of them or they think they aren’t a man if they like cats.
Too bad birds can't talk. That would have been one hell of an interview on the local news! "Ain't nobody got time for that!" Not getting my baby bird, "Not TODAY!"
That was actually a rat snake. Most people who get bit and have a toe amputated confuse that with a copperhead.*****
Copperheads may not be common in a lot areas but in the hills of NE MS I assure you they are. Here is the biggest one I've ever seen. My cousin killed it a cpl miles from me. I've never saw a rat snake look like that, especially not with a triangular head.
View attachment 13397
I looked at about 100 rat snake pics on google and didn't see one that could be confused with this. Not for someone that gets a good look at the whole snake. You say MOST people think rat snakes are copperheads. Where are you getting that info. Did you take a poll? Most people on earth are women. So you're technically, right most of them can't tell the difference. But you take grown men not living in the city that have spent their whole lives outdoors and they can tell the difference, if they get a good look at the snake.
View attachment 13397
I looked at about 100 rat snake pics on google and didn't see one that could be confused with this. Not for someone that gets a good look at the whole snake. You say MOST people think rat snakes are copperheads. Where are you getting that info. Did you take a poll? Most people on earth are women. So you're technically, right most of them can't tell the difference. But you take grown men not living in the city that have spent their whole lives outdoors and they can tell the difference, if they get a good look at the snake.
Good for you, I’m glad you know the difference. That means a few less rat snakes will get killed.
Does not change the fact that many people out there will argue forever that they just killed a 6’ ‘copperhead’ when the dang things usually don’t get over 3’.
I still don't get who some of you think you are to tell another grown man what kind of snake they saw.
I love cats as much as dogs. I had one when I was single and it was a great apartment mate. We've had a couple after I married When we moved to Texas right by a huge greenbelt, they kept wanting to get outside and the damned coyotes got them. I would get another one now that we are in a different place but my Jack Russell absolutely hates them and would try to kill it.
I will admit a temperamental cat is an extreme pain in the ***, but big ol' neutered tom or spayed female can be a good companion.
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