I get the invade their turf thing but I'd still kill venomous snakes.

A little old rhyme for those in coral snake territory - 'red to white, it's alright, red to yellow, can kill a fellow'.

Non venomous snakes are very very mellow. I lived with an 8 foot python for a while, it might have been the best pet ever. Quiet, clean, very pretty in its' fashion, and the kids in the neighborhood loved it. When I carried it its' tail would be around my leg, then around my torso, and then around my neck with the head around 2-3 feet out. It seemed to like just hanging out.

Once though someone didn't properly close the tank lid and it slithered out at night. It must have been hot too. We found out when my friends' girl screamed - it was coiled in the toilet with its' head sticking out. Guess how she found out

Pete

My daughter, who runs screaming for daddy at the sight of a spider the size of a pinhead.

STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!

I'm no fan of snakes myself, my father in law (a typical gun toting Texan military veteran) shot the head of a huge copperhead a few months ago that came out of his tool shed.

That's the way to do it! I have a 20 gauge shotgun for exactly that purpose, specifically copperheads, the rest are good to have around, in my neck of the woods at least (there are no other venomous ones in my area).

Here's a rhyme. You get bitten, anti venom, you ain't gettin. The company that made the anti venom for coral snake bites, Pfizer, stopped producing it a few years ago and the supply in the U.S ran out. With only two dozen or fewer bites per year, Pfizer did not see it as profitable. Not fond of that attitude, but that's it. So don't get bitten.

I believe I'll take your advice I'll be surprised if something doesn't develop.

Good thing I live in the land of snow and rust and decaying cities. I've deep woods camped all over the place regionally, VW, NY, KY, MO etc (and I was lucky - 2 weeks in Algonquin - beautiful) and only seen a few rattlers.

Reminds me of the old joke though:

Two campers are in the woods when one is bitten on the butt by a snake. The other guy immediately calls 911 and gets a doctor.

The doc says "Here's what you do. Take a knife, cut a huge X where the bite is, suck out the poison, and spit it on the ground.”

The guy turns to his friend, who is in agonizing pain. “What did the doctor say?” the victim asks. The friend said, “He says you’re going to die.”

Pete

Is there much rust and decay in VW? ..... Maybe just the older ones?

LOL!

Just the cars. On jacks. In the front yard. Of the trailer.

Kidding of course. From what I've seen SE Ohio is rougher than most of WV. And to be really cliché, some of my best friends are from there

Pete

From what I've heard, the eastern edge of Kentucky is the poorest region of Appalachia.

Out of curiosity does he use the "snake shot" or varmit rounds as they are sometimes called.

After it's pointed out! Thick American is thick.

Pete

Not quite, it's "Red next to black, friend to Jack. Red next to yellow, kill a fellow." There's no white on a coral snake. BTW, "red next to black" is a reference to very similar looking but non-venomous king snake

Also, to those who are worried about coral snake bites, they live in very remote areas, aren't agressive at all and are somewhat rare even if you do go to their environment. You'll be fine.

Not true. Some coral snakes are described as have white bands, not yellow. Here's one in Arizona:

Still doesn't look as cool as a Boomslang... nor is the bite as interesting.