Hawks...now SNAKES!!!!

[tamaran2]

Yesterday started as usual, well maybe not. Jack my cocker woke me at 4:00 AM to go out. Weird, he sleeps until 7 most days. But I thought, ok let him out he had to go to the bathroom. But he stayed at the aviary barking. We have wild cats and raccoons in the neighbor so I thought that was it...I turn on the light go around the aviary, nothing, all seems well. I tell Jack to get inside and turn out the lights. (Why didn't I look down)

Fast forward to the morning. 7:00 comes, let dogs out, feed quails, have coffee. I have button quail and bobwhites in the aviary to eat the bugs and the food dropped from the birds. I look for my little hen that is sitting on eggs, she is right by the door and if I don't watch out, she could run out when I open it. She is not there, nor the eggs. There were 17 eggs, she wouldn't have hatched 17 only about 7 or so would hatch. No quail, no eggs. First thing that hits me is it was a snake last night. Had to be. All the egg gone and the hen. So I start searching, nothing... Doesn't look like he is anywhere around. Doesn't look like he outside, inside on the ground...

So after an hour or so of searching I put the birds out....Bam-Bam, my scarlet is acting weird. Like he doesn't feel good. I tell Quincy, I think we have a problem. I need to keep a eye on him, if things don't get better we need to call the vet. You know when they are not act quite right but nothing seems to be wrong...I'm out there with them alot, checking on him mostly.

After 4 hours, it's getting hot. Time to wet the birds down, cool them off. I'm out there, just soaking away. As I go to wet the last 2, I look up... (why didn't I look up ALLLLLLLLLLLL Day??????) There sits a 6 foot rattle snake, right above my head. I could have died. You never seen a woman scream for her husband so loud and I was screaming help me get the birds out ASAP. I think that is the fastest we ever got them out of there. We were carrying 2 by 2. So now the birds are in.

How do you get a rattle snake from the aviary that is 10 ft high. He is sitting between the chainlink and the ten roof. I had to have a drink....before we started! We got him down, by pulling on him then we killed him...I know, normally, all life matters to me but this snake had taken my quail hen! What was funny about all of it? Once his head was off, we let him stay for a few to stop the wiggling that still goes on. The quail went over and stood on the body of this rattle snake, like this is got to be the biggest worm I have ever seen! I think I aged 20 years.

Oh...it got better, as Quincy and I are pulling at the snake, my 18 years comes out and is crying "mom, I need to tell you something" What honey, I'm kind of busy but what? "Mom, I think, I am pregnant, can you go get me a test, I'm 2 weeks late." At that point I lost it...."Honey, can we just finish with this snake before I deal with that snake of a boyfriend of yours"...

Life doesn't get any more real around here huh?

Oh Btw, She is NOT pregnant. and her and the bf broke up.

I will take some time for the birds to heal too. All day today, not one of them would go to the corner the snake was in. I think some trust of the aviary as a safe place has to be worked on.

[guest1717171]

oh goodness!
how scary!

im so glad the snake didnt hurt any other birds

i have no idea how to keep snakes away?
uhm maybe get a mongoose?
j/k lol

[Lessadalinar]

My God, You have had quite the day!!! I hate snakes. We too live in GA. and I can't stand them. I fear them comming into my aviary too.

How did he get your quail and her eggs? he was INSIDE it??!!

[tamaran2]

Originally Posted by Lessadalinar

My God, You have had quite the day!!! I hate snakes. We too live in GA. and I can't stand them. I fear them comming into my aviary too.

How did he get your quail and her eggs? he was INSIDE it??!!

Yes he was inside...we have chainlink on the inside and chicken wire on the outside with a 4 by 4 in the middle. He slithered thru the chicken wire and then when he ate the quail he was too big to get back out....

I thought we had thought of everything....
Guess not!

[Lessadalinar]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, he was INSIDE the aviary all day!!!! HOLY SH*T!
Your right, you could have died. Whew. I can't even imagine.

We have all our cages off the ground, and around the very edges, on the wood, we nailed carpet tack strips. many a times I've seen a cat try to get in and gets nailed ( har har). Am sure it's got to hurt. but it does detour them.

Now we have a mean ass rooster out there in a fenced in area around it. He protects them. Ever seen a rooster chase a cat, racoon, or lunge at a hawk ? LOL it's quite funny. And if a dog comes around, gooood lord. He is so loud and walks around all puffed up. Dogs are prob thinking " crazy ass rooster! I'm outta here!!"

[Parrotpeople]

Eewww, eewww, eewww! So glad you all are ok with the exception of course of your little hen .

And the daughter, omg! Glad that was a false alarm for ya. I agree have a huge drink!

[Kimmarie]

Yeah...that would have freaked me out too. Glad to know you got eveything under control. I don'tknow where you live but here in AZ. if you call the local fire dept., they will come and remove rattle snakes and take them back into the wild. I know it all too well.

[nellysmom]

OMG OMG OMG I can't even imagine. All I can say I hope you had more than one drink. So glad all turned out OK.

[catschair]

Oh geez...I guess I will stop whining about the rats that crawl under the aviary from time to time. I have dealt with lots of rattlers, but not up above me like that!

[vle1170]

I know that folks use those plastic owls to get rid of snakes, the snakes wont come around with them there, but would something like that affect your birds seeing it sit there even if its not real?

I am so sorry about your quail but glad nobody else was hurt.

Vicki