OK, so there’s lots of news about our orchard planting but we haven’t taken enough photos, so that’ll come later. For now, we just have to show you our friends who’d made a home in our dome. We came upon them yesterday.
The first one was startling, but at least we could see it sitting on the wood chipper.
I coaxed Jackson the Wonder Dog into the dome to deal with it, but instead he tugged on the trash bag with his teeth, something I’d never seen him do. When I peeked in I realized why.
Paul threw the bag out onto the yard, and that one slithered out. Then he grabbed a small pole and lifted the other one out and there was quite the reunion.
We watched them for awhile, took lots of photos and figured the party was over…when the trash bag moved again by itself!
We nudged it and this fellow came out. (OK, I realize this could scare away all of our WWOOFers for the season, but please know that there are no poisonous snakes in this part of Iowa!)
So we’re having a friendly debate with a friend about whether they’re bull snakes or fox snakes. If you’ve got an opinion, please chime in!
Comments
2 responses to “Visitors in our dome”
I’m laying money on they’re bullsnakes, based on the coloration/patter. See fox snake http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.michigan.gov/images/fox_snake_101555_7.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_12145_12201-61210–,00.html&h=199&w=300&tbnid=RmzlNQDlshQQqM:&tbnh=132&tbnw=199&usg=__5YTMjzsnBObkjfELCPX-Un3L5MM=&docid=Fn0kB7AeOPW7kM&itg=1 and bullsnake https://www.google.com/search?q=bull+snakes+photo&tbm=isch&imgil=JYYHgPogJMP95M%253A%253BsMxnxcbWeXpppM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.animalspot.net%25252Fbull-snake.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=JYYHgPogJMP95M%253A%252CsMxnxcbWeXpppM%252C_&biw=1920&bih=816&usg=__UcOf9h-szs0qRvhrGhyfS5M_LZc%3D&ved=0CDIQyjdqFQoTCJL48Je23MYCFck4iAodxGUFRQ&ei=NPKlVZKOCcnxoATEy5WoBA#imgrc=qHvFseJL7EpiyM%3A&usg=__UcOf9h-szs0qRvhrGhyfS5M_LZc%3D photos.
They are fox snakes, no doubt at all. Bull snakes have become quiet rare in Iowa inhabiting sandy prairie. Fox snakes are much more common and found in a wider varieties of habitat, though often with water of some sort not too far away. These males will pursue the females when courting and male snakes will spar with one another. Mating males will often bite the neck of the females when mating. They’ll lay 10-20 eggs in a dark, slightly damp spot general mid July. The 10-12 inch gray and black babies will hatch in about 6 weeks. These guys eat loads of mice, young rats, baby rabbits, voles, deer mice and very occasionally a baby bird. Very good snakes to have a round, a little feisty when scared, but tame down right away usually.