Saturday, August 9, 2008

THE GOPHER SNAKE

Norman here, it was yet another exciting day at Life Inside The Fence, at least for us dogs. We had another crawly critter show up, a gopher snake with an attitude. Now normally we try to avoid crawly critters simply because of the one called Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, which is extremely venomous. But this gopher snake was freakin nuts. He nailed Toby on his rear left paw as Toby (believe it or not) was minding his own business sending Mom into hysterics and she ran screaming across the yard toward Toby totally convince that a rattler had gotten him. I’m not sure whether Toby was more freaked out by the snake or by Mom’s shrieking. Anyway, Toby tucked tail and bolted, hiding under the porch steps leaving me, Scuba and Keiko trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. Finally Mom realized that it was a gopher snake and calmed down, but that was of little consolation to Toby who was quite content to remain beneath the steps thus avoiding both the crazy snake and crazy Mom.
Now this snake just didn’t want to leave. Mom’s pretty good at hooking them with the hoe and walking them down the road a bit but the snake just started acting all crazy, coiling and hissing, even striking at Mom (don’t worry, she’s smart enough not to get that close, I think). Eventually the snake did go under the house so we expect to see it again sometime soon. For more information on Gopher Snakes and how they benefit the environment, please visit the Desert USA web site.



THE EVIL CREATURE

TOP DOG SCUBA STEERS KEIKO AWAY FROM THE SNAKE

TOBY CONFRONTS HIS ATTACKER

10 comments:

Duke said...

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww - we hate snakes! They're UGLY!
We hope Toby is okay!

Love ya lots,
Maggie & Mitch

River said...

Yes, my mom will scream automatically--until she figures out it's a black snake or a milk snake. She tells about the BULL snakes in NM that she used to deal with that act and sound like rattlers. Do you get that type? I'm glad it wasn't a rattler or Toby would have been toast!

love & wags,
River

the many Bs said...

now that's totally scary. we have never seen a snake and don't ever want to. we don't care if that was not one of the very bad poison snakes cuz he bit Toby and that's MEAN. snakes can't just go around biting dogs. that's giving them the bad reputation that they have. of course your mom was screaming. we would have been barking too! hee hee

woofs.

Deefor said...

Very scary. I'm glad it was a good snake. My mom would be screaming a lot too.

Deefor

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My Two Best Friends said...

WOO WOO

We sure how Toby has come out and isn't hurt from the little snakey bite! That sounds scary to me!

Norman, you are such a great storyteller, maybe you need to be a writer of books?

Your Mom is very very brave- Mom said - no way would she take a snake for a walk!

Thor and Marco Polo

Willow the Black Dale said...

Norman you make us laugh! We all hope Toby is getting lots of treats and extra attention for his heroics. After all he did "take one for the team" today!!!
Mommy is a "desert rat" so she said that she wouldn't be too scared of Mr. Snakey!! But I wonder Norman....what would she do if one came around ME???

Smooches to ALL,
Willow

Charlie Daniels said...

Is Toby ok now?

Cheers


Charlie

Rambo said...

Oh Toby,
that must have been quite an ordeal. What if it had been the big bad snake? Please be careful. We have baby rattlesnakes, so G-Mom has to watch us every time we go outside. (cause we're so little and it would probably kill us) We very scared!
Rambo & MM

Kodak the Eskie said...

Wow, that is a very scary, evil creature. Please stay safe!! Especially from that Hugo guy.

Hugs, Kodak