[NatureNS] Garter Snake

From: "Paul S. Boyer" <psboyer@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 08:55:48 -0400
References: <282653.27760.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
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I believe that there are no venomous snakes in Nova Scotia.  However, =20=

even garter snakes can bite, and their tiny, little teeth can even =20
draw blood.  (I have had that happen to me.)  Although cold-blooded =20
animals do not carry rabies, the oral hygiene of a garter snake may be =20=

such that its bite could transmit lots of interesting bacteria, so I =20
would handle the snake with gloves.

Garter snakes have longitudinal striping, and are not really brown =20
(unless they have not shed the skin for a long time).

Isn't it possible that the snake got into the house in some other =20
room, and then slithered into the bathroom by chance?  It might have =20
been hiding somewhere else in the house, and was merely looking for =20
water.  In any case, it really belongs outdoors.

A foot long is small for a snake.  I don't think that there is any =20
rational reason for fear of any snake in the province, although their =20=

movement can startle people.  The most dangerous animals around are =20
probably stinging insects such as yellow jackets (who are especially =20
aggressive in the fall), and bears (if you ever find any).

=97 Paul

On 22 May 2009, at 10:59 PM, Gayle MacLean wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> Had a strange occurrence happen today.
> My husband found a garter snake in our bathroom this evening. How it =20=

> got there I have no idea! I just can't fathom where it might have =20
> come in!
>  Along a radiator pipe maybe?
> I was working at the time so unfortunately I didn't get to see it.
> He described it as a BIG (a foot long or so) brown snake. Sounded =20
> like a garter snake to me which we see around the yard every summer.
> Anyway, he picked it up by the tail and threw it out the door.
> I can just imagine his expression! He said the sweat was just =20
> pouring off him.
> He was not amused.
>
> Gayle MacLean
> Dartmouth
>
>
>
>
> Instant message from any web browser! Try the new Yahoo! Canada =20
> Messenger for the Web BETA


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I believe that there are no =
venomous snakes in Nova Scotia. &nbsp;However, even garter snakes can =
bite, and their tiny, little teeth can even draw blood. &nbsp;(I have =
had that happen to me.) &nbsp;Although cold-blooded animals do not carry =
rabies, the oral hygiene of a garter snake may be such that its bite =
could transmit lots of interesting bacteria, so I would handle the snake =
with gloves.<div><br></div><div>Garter snakes have longitudinal =
striping, and are not really brown (unless they have not shed the skin =
for a long time).</div><div><br></div><div>Isn't it possible that the =
snake got into the house in some other room, and then slithered into the =
bathroom by chance? &nbsp;It might have been hiding somewhere else in =
the house, and was merely looking for water. &nbsp;In any case, it =
really belongs outdoors.</div><div><br></div><div>A foot long is small =
for a snake. &nbsp;I don't think that there is any rational reason for =
fear of any snake in the province, although their movement can startle =
people. &nbsp;The most dangerous animals around are probably stinging =
insects such as yellow jackets (who are especially aggressive in the =
fall), and bears (if you ever find any).</div><div><br></div><div>=97 =
Paul</div><div><br><div><div>On 22 May 2009, at 10:59 PM, Gayle MacLean =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><table cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" =
border=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td valign=3D"top" style=3D"font: =
inherit;"><div>Hello All,</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Had a strange =
occurrence happen today.</div> <div>My husband found a garter snake in =
our bathroom this evening. How it got there I have no idea! I just can't =
fathom where it might have come in!</div> <div>&nbsp;Along&nbsp;a =
radiator pipe maybe? </div> <div>I was working at the time so =
unfortunately&nbsp;I didn't&nbsp;get to see it. </div> <div>He described =
it as a BIG (a foot long or so)&nbsp;brown snake. Sounded like a garter =
snake to me which&nbsp;we see around the yard every summer.</div> =
<div>Anyway,&nbsp;he picked it up by the tail and threw it out the door. =
</div> <div>I can just imagine&nbsp;his expression! He said the sweat =
was just pouring off him. &nbsp;</div> <div>He was not amused.</div> =
<div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Gayle MacLean</div> <div>Dartmouth</div> =
<div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> =
<div>&nbsp;</div></td></tr></tbody></table><br>      <hr =
size=3D"1">Instant message from any web browser! Try the new <a =
href=3D"http://ca.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php"><b> Yahoo! =
Canada Messenger for the Web =
BETA</b></a></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>=

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