Philip warned me never to pick up a baby copperhead, since they don’t know how to let go, and so inject all the venom they have. I couldn’t resist. Unlike last year, I thought I might see what the chickens would do. They went berzerk, all chanting in chicken-talk: “Kill the snake! Eat the snake! Rip it to shreds!” What mayhem! One chicken grabbed the snake and ran. Here’s the result, fast and furious, a blurr of blood and scales. The snake hadn’t a chance.
I did find some killer vines with leaves (and thorns):
UPDATE: On second thought, and having looked through umpteen zillion snake pictures, I’m thinking that the snake is an Eastern Fox Snake, a constrictor that will eat anything it can get its mouth around, including rabbits and… and… chickens. At least the eggs! They get to be six feet long. The second one I’ve seen at the hermitage. Non-venomous. O.K.! I’m happy for them to get the rats and mice, but not the chickens or the eggs.
Accompany me, Father George David Byers, S.S.L., S.T.D., as I begin life as a Catholic Priest-Hermit by choice. Holy Souls Hermitage is dedicated to the sanctification of my fellow priests, bishops, deacons & seminarians going through the purgatory of this life or the next. Prayer and sacrifice go up, of course, for both Benedict XVI and the next Successor of Saint Peter. 
Still praying Father George. Your postings have been very interesting to follow. Lots to pray about here…God bless you.
Someone said that this is NOT a copperhead, but rather a Mountain Rattler. However, I didn’t see any rattle. But, then again, it’s just a baby, so, not having shed any sking yet, maybe it wouldn’t have a rattle yet, right? Dunno. Anyone?
So many snakes already this year….
Father,
That is a baby black rat snake or elaphe obsoleta obsoleta. There are many images on google. It is the largest snake native to North America growing to 6 or 7 feet.Use caution with the larger ones they are aggressive and active in the day time.
Saint Michael the Archangel…
fxr2
Thanks for that…
The biggest huh… In that case, what’s so obsolete about it?
And it seems to abound here!
yikes, that vine looks to be of the “crown of thorns” variety!
We watched a 6 foot black rat snake climb a 20 foot dead tree in our yard just yesterday…fascinating. At first we thought “what is he up to?”, but then we noticed the nice round hole at the very top. I guess he got tired of being shooed out of our coop & decided to go egg hunting elsewhere! We still can’t figure out how he knew to climb that particular tree…or maybe he was just trying all of them (he had actually jumped out of a different tree earlier in the day & almost landed on one of the kids! I’m sure he was quite annoyed that they scared away whatever it was he was trying to squish for supper.)
inara
)
Snakes, and Thorns, and Spider’s- OH My! Guess you aren’t in Kansas.
snakes, vicious vines, evil spiders– I am sooo not moving to s carolina. I’ll stay here with the earthquakes and 106 degree weather, thank you very much…
Yes, well, Holy Souls Mountain is right on the Eastern bits of the New Madrid fault, whose next shakeup is expected to be 10+… It can get 100 here maybe one day out of the year. Mostly mid-eighties on a hot day and mid-sixties at night.
Nice blog. Do you know what type of vine that is?
Alex: One that hurts and trips you up. The root system is massive. It’s everywhere, spreading by the roots or by shoots of the vine which dig down way along the vine.
Non-Venomous Charcoal Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) and even though it is charcoal colored is known as a red rat snake in the pet industry Also known as the Labrador of snakes do to the docile behavior. Thanks for killin’ it. Education Before eradication right? Holding it like that shows your intent to harm out of fear. There are other books than the bible that can teach you many things, you can find these at a place called a library. Maye this snake was the one that would have eaten that Hantavirus (Black Plague) carrying rodent that is now nesting inside you home just waiting to infect you and your loved ones. Food for thought.
Hello Robert: My final guess was a non-venomous constrictor, right? I note that your guess of a red snake grows to about the same size. I was holding it the way I was before I was able to ascertain if it was venomous or not. He could move his jaw at will. I was being nice. Pretty smart, huh? It’s good to know you’re safe than sorry, part of snake handling education, wouldn’t you agree? I’m happy I gave it this super-non-endangered, super-common snake to the chickens to eat, rather than letting it grow up and eat the eggs and the chicks and the hens themselves. In your cited library, you might find some articles in medical journals on the hantavirus, which is not the black plague, and which only has confirmed cases West of the Mississippi. You might know that I am far, far East of the Mississippi. Know your rats, that’s what I always say. Food for thought.