What kind of snake is this

[greylynx]

Snakes are indeed very helpful for bio-processing.

My friends wife owns a five foot Burmese Python. The snake is a female and her name is Lucy.

The couple own a dairy farm.

Lucy gets hungry every once and while and and the supply of frozen dead baby chicks gets a little low in the winter.

Recently there has been a bit of an explosion in the cat population on the farm. Lots of milk equals lots of cats.

Lucy has no problem eating baby kittens. No worry about the ribs of her tender vittle prey penetrating Lucy's intestines.

[Snakeneil]

My friends wife owns a five foot Burmese Python. The snake is a female and her name is Lucy.

Really, hope they don't live in alberta, BC or Sask. berms are illegal in all of western Canada. I had a 17' 200 pound Berm ( with a permit) untill she died from cancer a couple years ago.

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Snakes are indeed very helpful for bio-processing.

My friends wife owns a five foot Burmese Python. The snake is a female and her name is Lucy.

The couple own a dairy farm.

Lucy gets hungry every once and while and and the supply of frozen dead baby chicks gets a little low in the winter.

Recently there has been a bit of an explosion in the cat population on the farm. Lots of milk equals lots of cats.

Lucy has no problem eating baby kittens. No worry about the ribs of her tender vittle prey penetrating Lucy's intestines.

It might not be a Burmese, but they bought the snake as little baby in the middle of winter from a guy around Calgary that raises them. They paid around a hundred bucks for Lucy.

All I know that little baby Lucy has grown into a beautiful big Lucy.

It is really cool to watch her when the owner's give her a bath in the bathtub.

Lucy bit me once when I was feeding her. It was my fault. I never figured that a snake that strangles its prey would have such sharp teeth when it grabs its prey.

Sorry about the Burmese part, but I am pretty sure Lucy is a Python of some sort. Maybe a Boa. Lucy is neat snake.

[Arachnodisiac]

Originally Posted by Snakeneil

Really, hope they don't live in alberta, BC or Sask. berms are illegal in all of western Canada. I had a 17' 200 pound Berm ( with a permit) untill she died from cancer a couple years ago.

Manitoba is still western Canada - they have no provincial laws pertaining to keeping animals, so one must just choose their municipality or town carefully by looking at the local bylaws. If I ever wanted to keep hots, that's where I would go. (Though I prefer to see them in the wild any day of the week!)

And Saskatchewan... what a weird law they have. Crocodilians are permitted... but any constrictor over six feet is prohibited. Always said I would get a nile croc when I lived there.

[gitrdun]

Dogs give you back so much, I can't get my head around why someone would own such animals as pets. Don't get me wrong, I think snakes are beautiful, as are other reptiles, I may not like them around me, but I don't have a hate on for them. What's wrong with a good dog that'll love you and show it no matter how ugly or how badly you stink. I also have family who have caged birds. To me, that is so wrong. Dog are man's best friend, they appreciate the kindness, the feedings and the good life you give them and show their appreciation. Snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies don't give a rat's arse about you.

[Arachnodisiac]

I have a dog. :-)

Keeping spiders (for me) is more like keeping tropical fish. The challenge lies in creating the right environment for them, knowing the different species and having the opportunity to learn about their behaviours by raising them and trying to breed them.

I do not name them. I do not handle them (usually). It's more science-like than anything else, really.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac

I have a dog. :-)

Keeping spiders (for me) is more like keeping tropical fish. The challenge lies in creating the right environment for them, knowing the different species and having the opportunity to learn about their behaviours by raising them and trying to breed them.

I do not name them. I do not handle them (usually). It's more science-like than anything else, really.

I noticed that you live in SW Alberta, obviously familiar with the black widow. I live SW of High River and on a couple of occasions have found an hour glass spider in my shop. Luckily, I spoted them before I stuck my fingers in my tool box. I thaught that was kinda odd, it seems to me that my location is a bit far north of their territory. I once let a pet shop owner to allow a Tarantulla to climb up my arm. It was kinda neat, but I don't feel as though I'd like to do that regularly.

[Arachnodisiac]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

I noticed that you live in SW Alberta, obviously familiar with the black widow. I live SW of High River and on a couple of occasions have found an hour glass spider in my shop. Luckily, I spoted them before I stuck my fingers in my tool box. I thaught that was kinda odd, it seems to me that my location is a bit far north of their territory. I once let a pet shop owner to allow a Tarantulla to climb up my arm. It was kinda neat, but I don't feel as though I'd like to do that regularly.

I've seen a couple of other spots where they are sort of out of their range too... but once they establish somewhere and it's inside, I guess they do ok.

I wish there were widows in this area (Pincher Creek) but I don't believe that there are... I just moved here a few months ago. I am very familiar with southeast Alberta, and southwest Saskatchewan, but this is all new territory to me out here.

If you ever feel like sending someone widows, I'm your gal! They're super fun to keep.

[Grizzly Adams]

OK, so back to the snake. Doesn't look like a Ball's python to me and the internet claims there are 150 different species of snakes, in that area.

Grizz

[Arachnodisiac]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

OK, so back to the snake. Doesn't look like a Ball's python to me and the internet claims there are 150 different species of snakes, in that area.

Grizz

It's a Boa constrictor... we all figured that one out eons ago.

[gitrdun]

You know what? If I find anymore this summer, you bet, I'll keep them in a jar and contact you. As much as they give me the creeps, they were put here for a reason. Dang, I build bat houses to attract bats to my place. Much as you like those creepy crawlies, I love bats and owls. Funny thing is that a lot of people I know are deadly afraid of bats. I just hate mosquitoes is all, and I think bats are very cool.

[Arachnodisiac]

I also love bats! I am hoping to build bat houses this year!
Having never spent a summer here, I don't know how many are in the area, or even which species are here yet.

And you're right - everything has its place and everything is just out there trying to earn a living like the rest of us. :-)

(And I am afraid of wasps, so go figure...)

[WayneChristie]

few of my pictures

stepped over this one while I was shore fishing the Bow, didnt make a sound til I was on my way back


it had been up under the cutbank, til I took it out for a peek

by the way, rattlers are very good swimmers


I had wanted my son to see one when he was down visiting, found this one on the way to the river, 5 minutes from home


This one was down at the Forks


A visitor from another fishing trip


here it was coming out of the river, saw another even bigger swimming downstream

wore a glove because I didnt know if bulls stunk as much as garters

and my first Rattler outside a park, moved it off the highway before it got made into a belt.

[Arachnodisiac]

Those are really, really nice pics! Beautiful.
Where is home for you?

I really have to spend some time exploring rattler habitat closer to where I live now.

Bulls don't musk the way garter males do, which is a good thing!

Here's are a couple of pics I like a fair bit. Some rattlers of this species are quite green, especially when freshly shed. Their latin name –Crotalus viridis – viridis means green.

[WayneChristie]

Guess weve hijacked this thread all to bits, sorry OP
Home for me is now south of Brooks, not far from the Bow, heart of rattlesnake country, and lovin it!

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Guess weve hijacked this thread all to bits, sorry OP
Home for me is now south of Brooks, not far from the Bow, heart of rattlesnake country, and lovin it!

Wayne: Any good pictures from the weekend?

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Wayne: Any good pictures from the weekend?

all I saw this weekend was hay dust, and some hay smoke, had to make up the 2 days it was too cold to work unfortunately. on the bright side, only 5 more days til the weekend yay

[fretman57]

Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac

Hard to tell exact subspecies for sure when it's in that condition...

Snakes are a hobby of mine. The pursuit of them in the wild is called field herping... road herping is a good way to find them in the evenings because they like to bask on the asphalt once the air temperature starts cooling off. The asphalt retains heat for some time, and the warmth helps them digest their food and regulate their body temperature. Unfortunately, many are hit and often deliberately.

I have found a few rare species DOR (dead on road) and it's really quite sad. It would be like... I don't know, finding the biggest trophy buck ever having been shot for fun, or something. I can't think of a hunting-appropriate analogy, but hopefully you get the idea.

I know many think the only good snake is a dead one, but that attitude is rooted in fear. They are very, very important parts of the ecosystem and are of great benefit to man in terms of rodent control. So many rodents are consumed by snakes that without them, agriculture would be under more pressure, and there would very likely be more disease issues which pose a direct threat to people.

As to venomous snakes, there is a lot of current research showing great promise for medical applications in the treatment of cancer, and other potentially fatal conditions.

Here is a pic I took this summer of an Albertan prairie rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis viridis and also one of a Crotalus scutulatus from Arizona from a herping trip over the summer.

It's quite an adrenaline rush to find them in the wild... and it never, ever gets old. Waiting for spring is difficult for me...

You and my friend John Griggat would get along just fine he loves catching live Rattle Snakes and films his exploits. He too has great respect for these rodent eating friends of man!

[Redfrog]

"However, we definitely want spiders around – especially in our homes"

Yeah OK.

[Arachnodisiac]

Originally Posted by fretman57

You and my friend John Griggat would get along just fine he loves catching live Rattle Snakes and films his exploits. He too has great respect for these rodent eating friends of man!

Excellent! Feel free to put him in touch with me if he's looking for herping company.

[Arachnodisiac]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

"However, we definitely want spiders around – especially in our homes"

Yeah OK.

Most spiders spend their life in one spot. The exception is after males mature and look for a mate.
You will never see 98% of your roommates, but they're bust earning their living by eating the insects you definitely would notice.
I've even fed some of my house spiders crickets - they tackle their prey like nobody's business. Very entertaining!

[thumper]

I understand that the biggest predator of spiders is - other spiders. I've read that if you want to keep non-indigeneous, poisonous spiders like brown recluse or hobo spiders from establishing themselves, then don't kill your local spiders. Healthy, established populations of local spiders will repel the 'foriegn invaders'!

[Arachnodisiac]

Originally Posted by thumper

I understand that the biggest predator of spiders is - other spiders. I've read that if you want to keep non-indigeneous, poisonous spiders like brown recluse or hobo spiders from establishing themselves, then don't kill your local spiders. Healthy, established populations of local spiders will repel the 'foriegn invaders'!

But if you catch any, I'll take them. Especially recluses and widows.

Actually, the jury is still out as to whether the venom of the hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) is actually medically significant or not. There are no actual cases of necrosis in humans that have been documented, though a study showed necrosis when rabbits were envenomated.

Some have also mused that any necrosis is a secondary effect from a bacteria that the spider may naturally carry in its chelicerae (mouth parts), although this has not been proven either.

The hobo spider is very similar in behaviour and appearance to the common house spider, Tegenaria domestica, but is somewhat larger. Tegenaria duellica, the giant house spider, is the final arm to this eight-legged trifecta. All three are European imports.

T. domestica is the one we usually find in the corners of rooms, in basements, and behind baseboards. They build funnel-like webs and they definitely stake out and defend territory.

Spiders that make webs above ground are most often some species of orb weaver. These are the ones that make those complex, classic spiderwebs. It is good to have a selection of terrestrial and arboreal spiders in and around your home as they specialize in preying on different types of insects. Arboreal spiders will catch flying insects and terrestrial spiders are going to snare your crawlers.

There are other species of Tegenaria found in Europe, but to my knowledge, only these three have established in Canada. (Although I haven't inquired for some time, so my information could be out of date.)