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Nov. 4th, 2008
Channeling My Inner Steve Irwin
Nov. 4th, 2008 10:08 pmThe big mighty huntress kitty caught an arm-length garter snake (brown, with yellow stripes and mottling - at least I think it's a garter) and put it in the bathtub to play with it. My darling husband noticed the tub-thumping and investigated.
"Oh, DARLING," he sings out musically, in itself suspicious since he is quite unmusical, "Come here, please."
I watched in fascination as the snake undulated all about the tub, as my cat watched, too. When she went to bite it, I plucked her up and out of the bath, and noted the snake had several bites on it's tail, not so much on its body. It was so big and so graceful, I actually felt bad for it. Snakes in the basement have been eating the weird crickets and bugs and sometimes mice, so I'm okay with snakes in the abstract, as long as they stay out of sight and in the basement.
I decided to save it.
Next question: How not to get bitten? Channeling my inner Steve Irwin, I remembered that the Aussie crazy dude catching poisonous snakes used long bags put on the ground, then messed with the snake, which would flee down the "hole" to safety, which could then be bundled up and carried elsewhere.
So, using a plastic toy fishing rod, I put a Bob the Builder ("Can We Fix It? Yes, We Can!") pillowcase on the floor of the bathtub. The snake obligingly crawled in. I waited with great patience until it was at the very end, then picked up the pillowcase and twisted the top so it wouldn't crawl back up and get out or get me or be gotten by the kitty (who was flinging herself at the bathroom door in frustration, making vibrations all along the floor, and I think the fright that made the snake seek shelter.)
Off I went through the house, detouring to get my shoes, to the garden. I squidgedly held the pillowcase first out horizontally by the children's fishing pole, then by the corner to slide the snake out. IT DOES NOT SLIDE, AND CLIMBS THE INNER PART OF THE PILLOWCASE TO GET ME -------- EEEEP!
My darling husband, who had been quite willing to let the cat take care of things and then be on hand to dispose of the body, and who had been equally willing to allow me my rescue efforts, heard me squeal and came out to help. He wasn't afraid of getting bitten through the pillowcase like I was, so he, with gentle amusement took over and firmly shook the pillowcase for a full minute before it slid out gently into the garden leaves and brown foliage. Off it went, slithering with crunches through the dry leaves.
A garter snake rescue! Wooo! Crikey, but I feel proud.
"Oh, DARLING," he sings out musically, in itself suspicious since he is quite unmusical, "Come here, please."
I watched in fascination as the snake undulated all about the tub, as my cat watched, too. When she went to bite it, I plucked her up and out of the bath, and noted the snake had several bites on it's tail, not so much on its body. It was so big and so graceful, I actually felt bad for it. Snakes in the basement have been eating the weird crickets and bugs and sometimes mice, so I'm okay with snakes in the abstract, as long as they stay out of sight and in the basement.
I decided to save it.
Next question: How not to get bitten? Channeling my inner Steve Irwin, I remembered that the Aussie crazy dude catching poisonous snakes used long bags put on the ground, then messed with the snake, which would flee down the "hole" to safety, which could then be bundled up and carried elsewhere.
So, using a plastic toy fishing rod, I put a Bob the Builder ("Can We Fix It? Yes, We Can!") pillowcase on the floor of the bathtub. The snake obligingly crawled in. I waited with great patience until it was at the very end, then picked up the pillowcase and twisted the top so it wouldn't crawl back up and get out or get me or be gotten by the kitty (who was flinging herself at the bathroom door in frustration, making vibrations all along the floor, and I think the fright that made the snake seek shelter.)
Off I went through the house, detouring to get my shoes, to the garden. I squidgedly held the pillowcase first out horizontally by the children's fishing pole, then by the corner to slide the snake out. IT DOES NOT SLIDE, AND CLIMBS THE INNER PART OF THE PILLOWCASE TO GET ME -------- EEEEP!
My darling husband, who had been quite willing to let the cat take care of things and then be on hand to dispose of the body, and who had been equally willing to allow me my rescue efforts, heard me squeal and came out to help. He wasn't afraid of getting bitten through the pillowcase like I was, so he, with gentle amusement took over and firmly shook the pillowcase for a full minute before it slid out gently into the garden leaves and brown foliage. Off it went, slithering with crunches through the dry leaves.
A garter snake rescue! Wooo! Crikey, but I feel proud.
