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Title: Snakes in the Toilet? Welcome to the New Homeowner’s Nightmare
Source:
Realtor.com
URL Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/snakes-t ... owner-nightmare-221920075.html
Published: Feb 4, 2017
Author: Natalie Way
Post Date: 2017-02-04 10:04:45 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 368
Comments: 24
They always say look before you leap, but what about before you go to the bathroom? Homeowners, you might want to put snake inspections at the top of your yearly maintenance checklist. You thought “Snakes on a Plane” was bad? (It was.) Wait until you encounter snakes in the drain or, worse, the commode. Last week, a family in Jones County in West Texas spotted a deadly rattlesnake emerging from one of their home’s toilets, according to the Dallas News. The father, Jason McFadden, called Big Country Snake Removal located in nearby Buffalo Gap, TX. The Washington Post reported that by the time the inspector, Nathan Hawkins, arrived on the scene, the toilet snake had already been terminated with extreme prejudice (via a garden hoe, shovel, and branch cutters) by Mrs. McFadden, clearly a take-no-prisoner Texan. After giving the home a once- over, Hawkins determined the snake had made its way into the toilet by slithering through an opening in a pressure relief pipe and wriggling up toward the light. He documented the unwelcome reptile on the Big Country Snake Removal Facebook page. McFadden's wife managed to take a photo of the snake before smashing it to death.View photos Mrs. McFadden managed to take a photo of the critter before smashing it to death. Big Country Snake Removal More This rattler was the first snake the family encountered on their property, but Hawkins’ inspection revealed that it wasn’t a freak occurrence. What they had on their hands was a snake problem. A terrifying snake problem. “When I arrived, I immediately noticed a few problematic areas,” Hawkins says on Facebook. “Intuition took me directly to a storm cellar where I safely removed 13 adult rattlesnakes. After a thorough perimeter check, I crawled underneath the house where I removed another 10 … 24 snakes total and the family had no idea.” Yikes. It seems that snake infestations are difficult to detect and can be a much bigger issue than homeowners would anticipate. “Rattlesnakes are secretive and can be very cryptic,” says Hawkins. Thankfully, no one in the McFadden family was bitten. But snakebites are a growing concern in part of the U.S. A recent study found that an average of 1,300 U.S. children suffer snakebites each year, with one-quarter of all cases in Texas and Florida. Other states with high incidents include West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. At least one state is addressing the reptilian rush head-on. A bill passed in the Arizona House of Representatives this week makes it legal for homeowners to use small-caliber firearms to kill snakes or rats that enter their property. It’s a big leap forward for snake-hating supporters of the Second Amendment! According to an NBC affiliate, House Bill 2022 makes it legal to shoot the vermin with a special type of bullet known as a bird- or rat-shot cartridge. Just in case you didn’t already have enough to worry about when buying a new home, you can now add snake infestations to the list. Like lead paint or termite damage, such creepy-crawly problems need to be disclosed to home buyers. If a Realtor® fails to do so, the consequences can be expensive on all sides. A couple in Annapolis, MD, gained national attention in 2015 when they filed a $2 million lawsuit against their agent, claiming she knowingly sold them a house laden with snakes. Annapolis Patch reported the couple spent about $61,000 to unsuccessfully rid the house of numerous rat snakes (a combination that seems to have it all). Shortly after the pair moved in, snakes up to 7 feet long began emerging from the walls. The house was ultimately deemed uninhabitable, and the family moved out. So if you hear a slithering noise you don’t quite recognize when all is quiet, don’t overlook it as merely a house sound. For your sanity, have it checked out by a pro. The post Snakes in the Toilet? Welcome to the New Homeowner’s Nightmare appeared first on Real Estate News & Advice | realtor.com®.
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#1. To: Ada (#0)
That's one brave dude - crawling around among the rattlers. Yep. And while you're looking for snakes, check also for: bats, rats, spiders (brown recluse/black widow), and raccoons. We recently had two bats emerge from the ceiling vent fan in the bathroom (a few days apart), due to warmer weather. Our cat loved it. Fortunately it's a rare occurrence. It's happened in past years and we have no idea how they get in there. The house has had new siding and roofing installed a few years back. That didn't seem to help.
Bats are good people. They eat all them mosquitos.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
They could have saved a bundle by just going to the local SPCA and adopting 3 or 4 adult female cats. Cats LOVE snakes. Fast food they can play with My house cats have caught a copperhead,and my shop cats have caught and killed 2 cottonmouth water moccasins inside my shop. I had to kill the copperhead and take it away from the highly pissed house cats because they seemed to be perfectly content to let it escape so they could capture it again,and I didn't want to take a chance on them getting bored and "saving it for tomorrow". The shop cats killed and ate the really big adult cottonmouth,but the dirty little bastids just killed the little one they caught,and left him by the door for me to step on when I came out to the shop that day. I was not amused. As a bonus,once your cats kill all the snakes and then move on to the mice,no more snakes will show up because there will be no mouse scent for them to follow in the house
Don't know much about it but I would think a 7 ft. snake might be too much for a cat to handle. A coyote might be handle something that big.
Depends on the snake and the cat. Cats cheat. They work as teams,which is why I said that woman should have adopted 3 or 4 female cats. One will dance around in front of a snake to get his attention and to get him to try to strike,and once he does the other cats are on him like graft on a politician. There is even a youtube video that has been up for years where a guy videotaped a freaking rabbit attacking a rattler at least 6 feet long. The rabbit chased the rattler up a tree. Rabbits don't have fangs or that one would have been having rattlesnake for dinner that night,but he was biting the hell out of the snake with the big flat teeth. Something tells me that snake had gotten caught eating baby bunnies because that was one seriously pissed off rabbit.
Was that a rattler? Saw the video and thought it was a black snake--didn't see the rattles. Snakes are kinda delicate and can't afford much in the way of injury. Your girls were giving you a present. I hope you weren't ungracious :-)
Was that a rattler? Yup. Texas is full of rattlesnakes. BTW,black snakes kill other snakes. I have one at least 6 feet long that has free reign in my yard because of this. Even caught him stretched out by the tub in my middle bath last summer. That's how I know he is at least 6 feet long. I just shut up that end of the house and figured if he was still in there in a hour I'd let the cats have him. When I went back to look,he had gone. Had a small hole in the ceiling,and that's probably how he got in and out. I saw one fighting with a water moccasin in the late 80's,they were rolling over and over,each trying to gain position. What the black snakes do is wrap around their prey and squeeze them to death. In the case of other snakes,they wrap around them and then straighten out,pulling them apart.
Who won? The rattler or the water moccasin?
The rattler or the water moccasin? There was no rattlesnake involved. It was a black snake against a water moccasin,and the black snake won. BTW,2 summers ago I actually saw a cottommouth moccasin that was at least 6 feet long. I don't think I ever saw one that was even 4 feet long before that. All I had on me at the time was a 22 revolver with a 1.5 inch barrel and no rear sight,and he headed for the tall grass when I got about 30 feet away from him. I emptied the cylinder at him and must have burned him at least one because one time he jumped up and was visable,but no way was I going to go walking out in it to look for him. Haven't seen him since,but this spring the farmer that works the fields around me stopped in the road one day all excited to tell me about the monster cotton mouth he had just seen out by the highway,so I know I didn't do him any lasting damage.
Black snakes are more valuable than any cat.
I've never seen one more valuable than my pets.
Cats come cheap but a black snake will set you back $40.
What good is a pet store black snake? Especially when wild ones show up in my yard all the time for free? And there is something profoundly wrong with someone that likes snakes more than cats.
And there is something profoundly wrong with someone that likes snakes more than cats. Ah, must be something that attracts them if they keep showing up. If they are venomous, your girls need an ally to take them out. I don't like snakes (only icky boys like snakes) which is why I appreciate the value of a black snake.
I live on an island and don't have a neighbor within a mile in any direction. Plenty of mice for them to eat,as well as moles,birds eggs,baby birds,and anything else small enough to swallow. Worse part about black snakes is they seem to think they are your pal. I was out in the yard pulling a transmission from a antique car once,and spotted a snake crawling under the car with me out the corner of my eye. I couldn't identify the race or religion,just that it was a snake. Damn near tore the bottom out of the car trying to get out from under it,and it was just my "yard snake" coming over to see what I was doing. I have a bad back and a lot of yard,so I have cinder blocks scattered around the yard so I have something to sit on if I feel a spasm coming on while working out in the yard,or just walking through it. I've had black snakes crawl right past me from behind in full daylight,and stop when they get even with me and raise their heads up to look around. Cottonmouths and copperheads don't do that. They usually run when they see you coming,but I've had copperheads get a attitude and turn around and come running back at me instead of trying to get away. Nasty-tempered SOB's. A couple would have gotten away if they had kept running,too. Instead they decided to stop,turn around and charge 2 lawmower blades powered by a 25 hp engine on a riding mower. I just shredded them. Most snakes I can remember killing right here in the yard was one year several years ago when I shot 7 cottonmouths and 3 copperheads. A few got away because they were on the edge of the tall grass,and made it to the tall grass before I could get my revolver out of my pocket.
I have a 410 that I keep for the copperheads we have around here. My terrier would always get to them before I could. He would tear them up. But not before the snake had had its revenge! Near killed my dog a couple of times, but he grew immune to the venom over time. He hated those snakes with a canine passion. Best dog I ever had.
I know that there's a terrier in Houston that would love to have you rescue him. Rescue poochies are the best; they know that they've been given one more chance to live. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
I grew up with shepherds, but I've come to love the terrier temperament. I'd love to have another terrier, but my better half keeps bringing rescue dogs home, and we have a full complement right now. When the time comes, I'm going to find me a Jack Russell.
A few months back, a great friend drove up to MO to get a new JR pup to fill the hole in his household and their hearts. He absolutely loves'em.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
Energy, intelligence, drive, loyalty.
They're much more powerful than they appear at first glance.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
I've heard that. Friend knew someone who had a black snake for a pal. Followed him everywhere even up the stairs of the country club and coiled up under his dining room chair. (The Committee objected and he had to remove it.)
Yeah, bats are good. That's why we try to get them outside unharmed (where they belong). LOL! And cats are good, too.
I crawled underneath the house where I removed another 10 … 24 snakes total and the family had no idea.”
#2. To: ratcat (#1)
#3. To: Ada, ratcat, bats, 4 (#2)
Austin's bats, in the summer, are a tourist attraction. That's the Colorado River running through the center of town.
#4. To: Ada (#0)
(Edited)
A couple in Annapolis, MD, gained national attention in 2015 when they filed a $2 million lawsuit against their agent, claiming she knowingly sold them a house laden with snakes. Annapolis Patch reported the couple spent about $61,000 to unsuccessfully rid the house of numerous rat snakes (a combination that seems to have it all). Shortly after the pair moved in, snakes up to 7 feet long began emerging from the walls. The house was ultimately deemed uninhabitable, and the family moved out.
#5. To: sneakypete (#4)
#6. To: Ada (#5)
Don't know much about it but I would think a 7 ft. snake might be too much for a cat to handle. A coyote might be handle something that big.
#7. To: sneakypete (#6)
There is even a youtube video that has been up for years where a guy videotaped a freaking rabbit attacking a rattler at least 6 feet long.
#8. To: Ada (#7)
#9. To: sneakypete (#8)
#10. To: randge (#9)
Who won?
#11. To: sneakypete (#8)
I just shut up that end of the house and figured if he was still in there in a hour I'd let the cats have him
#12. To: Ada (#11)
Black snakes are more valuable than any cat.
#13. To: sneakypete (#12)
I've never seen one more valuable than my pets.
#14. To: Ada (#13)
Cats come cheap but a black snake will set you back $40.
#15. To: sneakypete (#14)
What good is a pet store black snake? Especially when wild ones show up in my yard all the time for free?
#16. To: Ada (#15)
Ah, must be something that attracts them if they keep showing up.
#17. To: sneakypete (#16)
#18. To: randge (#17)
#19. To: Lod (#18)
(Edited)
#20. To: randge (#19)
#21. To: Lod (#20)
#22. To: randge (#21)
#23. To: sneakypete (#16)
Worse part about black snakes is they seem to think they are your pal.
#24. To: Ada, Lod (#2)
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