I agree it would have been nice to know my arm was all around this reptile.
I can handle the snakes being around, it's a given since I live in a wooded
area. The same way I deal with lizards and mice. Mice I don't do well with
at all, hence my husband trying to convince me he was a good visitor. I
have learned to look before I weed my gardens.
My panic was that here is another predator after my fish. Grey Heron and
Osprey have cleaned me out prior netting, a suggestion from this group since
K30 said I can't shoot them. As big as this snake was I would have had an
empty pond. I have been looking to get rid of goldfish but not as lunch.
Joann

"Anne Lurie" wrote in message
.com...
I also think that snakes hang out around some ponds (mine, at least)
because
it's a comfy place, not too hot or too cold.

I was *very* surprised a year or so ago to see a snake come out from its
hiding place under my teeny preformed water garden's lip -- apparently,
the space between the lip & the ground has a fairly even temperature, so
he
could sun/cool himself to his heart's content.

I don't actually begrudge the snake his comfort -- unless he was the
same
b***tard that got into my bluebird boxes -- but I sure would have liked
knowing the snake was there before I weeded that area by hand!

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC

"RichToyBox" wrote in message
news:xfgVa.2025$YN5.1795@sccrnsc01...
Most snakes are not at the pond for the fish. They love frogs, lizards,
mice, moles, voles, and other critters that are attracted to the bugs
that
frequent the pond. Lots of people are afraid of them, but unless they
are
one of the poisonous varieties, they are better left alone, to keep the
food
supply down to a number that doesn't draw the poisonous snakes.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"FBCS" wrote in message
...
Plastic netting works keeping predators out. I put lettuce in the
pond
this
morning for the guys to munch on, upon returning from church I saw a
piece
hung up in the lip of the puddle that goes to the lower pond and
proceeded
to stick my hands down under the netting to get it loose. As I stood
I
saw
what made me holler for DH. Right where I was pulling the lettuce
loose
was
a big black snake caught in my netting (4-5 ft.) He was tangled up
real
good. Took DH 30 min to cut him out and get him back in the woods. I
said
to
axe him, he came for lunch. My DH was compassionate telling me they
eat
mice
(my other cringe) we had to try to get him out (as the snake kept
trying
to
bite at him). Will these snakes eat my fish or will they dwell
together?
Joann