April 24, 2010

• In My House

  

  For those who are not familiar with our house, we have two room divider style candelabra in the corners of the living room.

  So, I'm sitting in my recliner and I glance over at the television and I see something moving behind the TV on the candelabra, it was a snake; and from it's colors, I was very sure it was a coral snake.

  Carol left the room, and I went to the shed and got a shovel.  When I came back, the 18" snake was still descending the candelabra going onto the TV stand.  As I approached, it realized that I had "made" him, and he (she?, it) went to the floor and coiled into the corner.

  I moved things out from the corner, and poised the shovel above the snake where it could not see it.  All the while, it's tongue is darting in and out; it was smelling for danger or food.

  As the snake moved along the base board, I struck, trying to sever it's head in one stroke; but the floor is concrete, and the snake was tough.  It took a minute for the snake to quit writhing, and I held the shovel hard on it until it was over.

  When I had a chance to research the colors of the snake, I found out that it was a bull snake that mimics the coral snake, but imperfectly.  The coral snake has the poisonous triangular shaped head, and has "red on yellow, kills a fellow" colors that encircle the entire body.  This one had no triangular head, and it was "red on black, won't hurt jack" colors that did not continue under the belly.  I did not care then, or now; it was an unwelcome guest in my house!

  I still don't know how it got in, but I got rid of it; now I am a little skittish but only for a while.

  • 6:52 pm
  • 5 Comments