04-29-2021, 09:11 AM
Yep. Time for a new thread. If something happens more than once, that event gets a new thread.
So, Rattlesnakes. We don't encounter them a lot. Within the first month or so of moving in, Havoc and Mayhem spotted a pretty big Rattler near where the Fahey's live now. At that point the property was still vacant. I had quite the dance circling around the snake while trying to catch Maeve, always keeping my body between dog and snake. The cats bring a lot of baby rattlers to the killing floor also known as the back porch. They are dead by the time I see them. A week or so ago, I spotted the first dead baby buzztail out in the street on the way back from the dog walk. Recently, a neighbor on Eagle St was bit and transported to a Hospital in Madera via ambulance because of a snake bite.
We have been warned to get the snake bite vaccine for the dogs but our local vet has been out of it. Plus, we haven't been going to the vet because of pandemic reasons.
Yesterday, we headed out on our afternoon dog walk down the trail behind the house. The path cuts across the rear south slope of the property and winds around the Serenity space before coming back across the slope further down the hill. The path eventually dumps out on a dirt road after crossing through the neighboring vacant property. We let the dogs off the leash thirty feet down the trail in the hope that we are far enough from the cat food bowls for them not to be distracted by the thought of them. Dani tends to dawdle behind us as we walk because walks are becoming less and less of interest to her.
Cindi and I make the loop around the serenity space with Maeve behind us. We get to that point in the walk when we have to ask where is Dani. At this point, the lower part of the trail and the upper part of the trail run parallel to each other. We can see Dani sitting in the shade near an outcrop of granite on the trail above us. Two things happen. One, Maeve takes off through the tall grass and wildflowers to where Dani is sitting. Two, tQ and I can hear a tremendously loud rattling noise. If you have heard that rattle sound from a rattlesnake, you know exactly what you are hearing. Nothing quite like it. Maeve appears to be charging towards that spot, barking all the way. Dani races up the trail to meet Maeve. Dani's barks forming a counterpoint with Maeve's.
I also see our only tuxedo cat, Ishtar in about the same spot in the rocks. I say to tQ, "Oh, the dogs are just chasing Ishtar". Nope. The rattling continues. The dogs have stopped near the rocks, barking their brains out. Ishtar scamper up the rocks and into the bushes. I finally spot the snake climbing up the rock face towards where Ishtar went.
The conundrum I face is if I race towards the snake, the dogs will feel emboldened to the do the same. They are still a good ten feet away from where I can see the snake. Fortunately, there is one siren song the dogs cannot resist. I grab a fallen branch that is in front of me in the grass. I break off some smaller branches and starts pounding the stick on the bush near me. The dogs see me wave the stick. I can see the fight in their eyes as they decide whether to pursue the snake or chase after the soon to be thrown stick. I toss the stick in the opposite direction away from the snake. Flying stick wins the attention war and the dogs head down the trail to grab the stick. The snake proceeds up the rock and disappears into a hole between two rocks.
Thank god for sticks. We continue on our walk with the dogs in tow.
So, Rattlesnakes. We don't encounter them a lot. Within the first month or so of moving in, Havoc and Mayhem spotted a pretty big Rattler near where the Fahey's live now. At that point the property was still vacant. I had quite the dance circling around the snake while trying to catch Maeve, always keeping my body between dog and snake. The cats bring a lot of baby rattlers to the killing floor also known as the back porch. They are dead by the time I see them. A week or so ago, I spotted the first dead baby buzztail out in the street on the way back from the dog walk. Recently, a neighbor on Eagle St was bit and transported to a Hospital in Madera via ambulance because of a snake bite.
We have been warned to get the snake bite vaccine for the dogs but our local vet has been out of it. Plus, we haven't been going to the vet because of pandemic reasons.
Yesterday, we headed out on our afternoon dog walk down the trail behind the house. The path cuts across the rear south slope of the property and winds around the Serenity space before coming back across the slope further down the hill. The path eventually dumps out on a dirt road after crossing through the neighboring vacant property. We let the dogs off the leash thirty feet down the trail in the hope that we are far enough from the cat food bowls for them not to be distracted by the thought of them. Dani tends to dawdle behind us as we walk because walks are becoming less and less of interest to her.
Cindi and I make the loop around the serenity space with Maeve behind us. We get to that point in the walk when we have to ask where is Dani. At this point, the lower part of the trail and the upper part of the trail run parallel to each other. We can see Dani sitting in the shade near an outcrop of granite on the trail above us. Two things happen. One, Maeve takes off through the tall grass and wildflowers to where Dani is sitting. Two, tQ and I can hear a tremendously loud rattling noise. If you have heard that rattle sound from a rattlesnake, you know exactly what you are hearing. Nothing quite like it. Maeve appears to be charging towards that spot, barking all the way. Dani races up the trail to meet Maeve. Dani's barks forming a counterpoint with Maeve's.
I also see our only tuxedo cat, Ishtar in about the same spot in the rocks. I say to tQ, "Oh, the dogs are just chasing Ishtar". Nope. The rattling continues. The dogs have stopped near the rocks, barking their brains out. Ishtar scamper up the rocks and into the bushes. I finally spot the snake climbing up the rock face towards where Ishtar went.
The conundrum I face is if I race towards the snake, the dogs will feel emboldened to the do the same. They are still a good ten feet away from where I can see the snake. Fortunately, there is one siren song the dogs cannot resist. I grab a fallen branch that is in front of me in the grass. I break off some smaller branches and starts pounding the stick on the bush near me. The dogs see me wave the stick. I can see the fight in their eyes as they decide whether to pursue the snake or chase after the soon to be thrown stick. I toss the stick in the opposite direction away from the snake. Flying stick wins the attention war and the dogs head down the trail to grab the stick. The snake proceeds up the rock and disappears into a hole between two rocks.
Thank god for sticks. We continue on our walk with the dogs in tow.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
