Snake Eggs in my Garden

[Travelhunter]

I haven’t met the proud parents yet but they left a treasure trove of eggs in my sprinkler valve box. I have seen some black racers at a neighbors house but never at mine
I am not sure what I should do with these. I know I don’t want the property to be inundated with snakes
I didn’t count them but there are a lot of eggs!
Any suggestions?

[runkcrun]

Get rid of them if you don't want in your yard. Destroy, or take to a park. Once laid, snakes do not "tend" them any more. They will hatch on their own. I you move them, try to place in near same position as found. (not real easy to do) They will hatch between 45 & 90 days.

[Travelhunter]

Get rid of them if you don't want in your yard. Destroy, or take to a park. Once laid, snakes do not "tend" them any more. They will hatch on their own. I you move them, try to place in near same position as found. (not real thaneasy to do) They will hatch between 45 & 90 days.

Thank you

[TNLAKEPANDA]

Great with some Bacon ������

[EdFNJ]

First glance I thought this was about an illegal craps game.

[Bay Kid]

Yum yum.

[davem4616]

get rid of them

you may have seen some Black Racers in the neighborhood...but you can't be sure that these eggs are their eggs....could be eggs left by a viper with a venomous bite...we do have them in TV

My wife hates snakes

If it were my yard, I'd get rid of them quickly

[Retiring]

get rid of them

you may have seen some Black Racers in the neighborhood...but you can't be sure that these eggs are their eggs....could be eggs left by a viper with a venomous bite...we do have them in TV

My wife hates snakes

If it were my yard, I'd get rid of them quickly

For those of us that would not want to handle the eggs, would the extermination company handle a call like this? Has anyone used a snake removal service?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If they're just Black Racer eggs, leave them be. The snakes are good for the landscaping. They eat the pest bugs that destroy gardens. They also eat lizards and small birds. And these snakes are in turn eaten by hawks and similar. They're part of the ecosystem and as long as you don't try to hurt them, they won't defend themselves by biting you. They are only aggressive to their food source and humans are not their food source.

[Travelhunter]

If they're just Black Racer eggs, leave them be. The snakes are good for the landscaping. They eat the pest bugs that destroy gardens. They also eat lizards and small birds. And these snakes are in turn eaten by hawks and similar. They're part of the ecosystem and as long as you don't try to hurt them, they won't defend themselves by biting you. They are only aggressive to their food source and humans are not their food source.

Ok but I am going to have a lot of them

[anothersteve]

Black Racers will bite if cornered but are not poisonous.
If it were me I would leave them be and keep the well cover open just a bit so when they do hatch they are able to get out easy. They won't all hatch at once, and will scatter for food, and won't hang out as a family. You might have a couple that will stick around but you will hardly ever notice them. Obviously your yard or neighbors was the mothers home turf, when was the last time you saw one on your property?
Steve

[CarolSells]

get rid of them

you may have seen some Black Racers in the neighborhood...but you can't be sure that these eggs are their eggs....could be eggs left by a viper with a venomous bite...we do have them in TV

My wife hates snakes

If it were my yard, I'd get rid of them quickly

Well, actually no vipers lay eggs, so no worries there. Coral snakes are the only venomous species in the area that lays eggs but their clutch sizes are not anywhere near as large as you are describing so that’s pretty unlikely.
As far as your yard being inundated with snakes, that’s not like likely to happen, for several reasons. Mostly because your yard likely can’t support that many snakes. You also have to account for those that will become prey, starve, and just die due to other natural selection based causes. Also, many will certainly dissipate in search of their own territory in other yards.

If you haven’t moved them just leave them be. They can only do good things for your yard via natural pest control :)

[Velvet]

No snakes of any kind on my property, thank you. That is what we have the preserves for. No free rent for those who do not help pay the property tax.... ;)

[JimJohnson]

I haven’t met the proud parents yet but they left a treasure trove of eggs in my sprinkler valve box. I have seen some black racers at a neighbors house but never at mine
I am not sure what I should do with these. I know I don’t want the property to be inundated with snakes
I didn’t count them but there are a lot of eggs!
Any suggestions?

There God's creatures, let them enjoy life as god intended.:pray:

[EdFNJ]

//// N/m !

[Velvet]

There God's creatures, let them enjoy life as god intended.:pray:

And no way did God intend snakes to be on my property. Otherwise He wouldn’t have let me buy the place, knowing me .... although I did have some beautiful reptiles in my classroom.

[Travelhunter]

black racers will bite if cornered but are not poisonous.
If it were me i would leave them be and keep the well cover open just a bit so when they do hatch they are able to get out easy. They won't all hatch at once, and will scatter for food, and won't hang out as a family. You might have a couple that will stick around but you will hardly ever notice them. Obviously your yard or neighbors was the mothers home turf, when was the last time you saw one on your property?
Steve
never

[Travelhunter]

Well, actually no vipers lay eggs, so no worries there. Coral snakes are the only venomous species in the area that lays eggs but their clutch sizes are not anywhere near as large as you are describing so that’s pretty unlikely.
As far as your yard being inundated with snakes, that’s not like likely to happen, for several reasons. Mostly because your yard likely can’t support that many snakes. You also have to account for those that will become prey, starve, and just die due to other natural selection based causes. Also, many will certainly dissipate in search of their own territory in other yards.

If you haven’t moved them just leave them be. They can only do good things for your yard via natural pest control :)

That’s what I’m thinking
But I need an expert for plan B to remove all these snakes

[Travelhunter]

And no way did God intend snakes to be on my property. Otherwise He wouldn’t have let me buy the place, knowing me .... although I did have some beautiful reptiles in my classroom.

LOL
I’m sure your students with had fun with these

[joseppe]

There God's creatures, let them enjoy life as god intended.:pray:

And did he not also create Alligators, Black Widow Spiders, Venomous snakes, rats etc.
Who wants those in your yard?

[DJohansen1]

Can you post a picture?

[2mnydogs]

I was told that the black racer was protected. We have them in the yard but they do not set up housekeeping, they move on. Let them be, they will hatch and move on.

[Pedrocarrasco01@yahoo.com]

Ok but I am going to have a lot of them
The black snakes usually leave your property and go on their own to establish their own somewhere else, leave it be

[Travelhunter]

Black Racers will bite if cornered but are not poisonous.
If it were me I would leave them be and keep the well cover open just a bit so when they do hatch they are able to get out easy. They won't all hatch at once, and will scatter for food, and won't hang out as a family. You might have a couple that will stick around but you will hardly ever notice them. Obviously your yard or neighbors was the mothers home turf, when was the last time you saw one on your property?
Steve
I never saw them on my property. I saw one under a neighbors outdoor storage bench when it was removed from her garden. Also another neighbor two houses down removed three from a sprinkler box

[Travelhunter]

Can you post a picture?
I’ll try later but I don’t like to be within 10 feet of the clutch

[024engine]

If you have Black snakes, you won't have Rattlesnakes. Leave the eggs alone. Yes, there are eastern Rattlesnakes here. More deadly than Western. I killed a 5 footer several years ago. They have enough venom to kill 24 adults. Shall we lock down?

[champion6]

I was told that the black racer was protected. <snip>No! You were misinformed.

[Garwood1]

Check to make sure they’re not under a protection list as many things are here

[Joe C.]

Had a large black racer in my hedges (didn't know it at the time) and started trimming with the electric hedge trimmer...caught him in his midsection. After a few days, a turkey vulture untangled him from the branches and took him away for his meal. You never know what's in your hedges. Be careful!

[fdpaq0580]

Would love to have some little Racers around here. They may occasionally startle you, but they are great at getting rid of pests.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

No snakes of any kind on my property, thank you. That is what we have the preserves for. No free rent for those who do not help pay the property tax.... ;)

They already live on your property. You just don't ever see them. And - they DO pay rent, by eating a lot of the bugs and vermin you also don't ever see. Thank them for that.

[tedquick]

Great with some Bacon ������

Everything's good with bacon! :)

[Pdesensi]

The snakes love those boxes. They aren’t poisonous but some people would say kill them. It’s up to you. They catch critters but can be a big nuisance

[aces_04]

Please post a picture

[mollyb]

Agree!

[TimeForChange]

I haven’t met the proud parents yet but they left a treasure trove of eggs in my sprinkler valve box. I have seen some black racers at a neighbors house but never at mine
I am not sure what I should do with these. I know I don’t want the property to be inundated with snakes
I didn’t count them but there are a lot of eggs!
Any suggestions?

Leave the nest alone. This is FL and snakes were here before us and will be after us. They are part of nature. Probably a Garter snake or a Black racer.

[Velvet]

And the dinosaurs were here before us, and the volcanoes... we are not going backwards. Wild animals are supposed to be in the wild and domesticated animals are supposed to be with people. Not the other way around. Like people, they are only welcome on my property by invitation.

[anothersteve]

And the dinosaurs were here before us, and the volcanoes... we are not going backwards. Wild animals are supposed to be in the wild and domesticated animals are supposed to be with people. Not the other way around.

They were "in the wild" until............................well you know the story.
Steve

[Velvet]

If you take the they-were-here-first, the logical conclusion is, people are generally bad for them, let’s get rid of people. There is no animal or insect that would do that to themselves.

[Bellavita]

Let nature be black racers are awesome. Do you ever notice all the rat baits all over the villages? Rats bad-black racers good.

[Dgizzi]

Who cares about snakes. Kill them or they will stay here and we will have more snakes.

[Topspinmo]

If you have Black snakes, you won't have Rattlesnakes. Leave the eggs alone. Yes, there are eastern Rattlesnakes here. More deadly than Western. I killed a 5 footer several years ago. They have enough venom to kill 24 adults. Shall we lock down?

I think you’re confusing black snake with king snake?

[ColdNoMore]

I don't have the heart to destroy any (including snake) eggs before they hatch, but when it comes to snakes, any snakes...count me in the "get them the heck off of my property NOW" club. :D

[wganderson13]

Don't destroy them, they're good snakes. They eat anodes, bugs & mice. There's so little left of FL. & America all thru overpopulation. The fishes & animals are in free fall. Nothing left for our grandkids. I'll move then, Walter 775 4245

[John_W]

There are 4 common poisonous snakes in Florida. The first month in our new CYV a neighbor found a rattlesnake in his garage, that's when I called and had a screen installed on my garage. The others are a Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin, a Copper Head and a Coral Snake.

List of Venomous Florida Snakes :: Florida Museum of Natural History (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-snakes/venomous-snakes/)

The Coral Snake is often confused with the Scarlet King Snake. Here's a diagram.

https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/95402151_10220518559746171_656143906156576768_n.jp g?_nc_cat=106&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_ohc=0Quv9KcPWfAAX-CAL9E&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-1.xx&oh=8910531591ddb820e5ad4999cf08251e&oe=5EF5A4E6

[BostonRich]

On a side note I went to Lowes and bought rubber plugs to close off the holes in my sprinkler valve box covers. No need to encourage them.

[Arctic Fox]

Mrs Fox spotted two in the garden today but by the time I got there with the camera some pesky bird had started its lunch. Black racers lay up to 30 eggs so maybe there will be more later. The snake is still there, in its usual bush.

[BostonRich]

They are fine until they destroy your AC condenser!

84287

[Topspinmo]

They are fine until they destroy your AC condenser!

84287

Due tell? How did they do that?

[BostonRich]

Due tell? How did they do that?

You'd have to ask him but since he got decapitated you might not get an answer.

[BostonRich]

Had a large black racer in my hedges (didn't know it at the time) and started trimming with the electric hedge trimmer...caught him in his midsection. After a few days, a turkey vulture untangled him from the branches and took him away for his meal. You never know what's in your hedges. Be careful!

Yeah I was trimming my hedges the other day and got startled when a black racer climbed higher into the bush. All I saw was a flash of his back half. They always seem to know when you are around and run away when they are on the ground. But I can't believe they aren't smart enough to leave the hedges when you are making all that noise and movement.

[Bambi]

I was sitting on my landscape wall last week when a rather large coral snake passed about ten inches from my foot. I put my little dog in the house, grabbed my phone a took a quick picture. Yes, it was a coral- compared the pic to several on Wikipedia. The stripes matched the jingle- “when red meets black- friend of Jack. When red meets yellow-kill a fellow.” Would post pic if I knew how.
Coral snakes are very reclusive and rarely bit. According to Wikipedia, their venom is the second most poisonous in the world. Black mumba is number one.
The last I saw him, he was trying to cross the street. I have been visually checking my yard before letting my dog wander around and I sit on the wall. This type of snake doesn’t have hollow fangs that allow the venom to inject but corals have to chew on their victims to inject the venom thru grooves on their teeth. Very interesting animal. If you can’t remember the jingle, remember they have black round noses.

[Bjeanj]

Bambi, you have shattered my complacency! I didn’t know there were any coral snakes around here. Yikes!

[BostonRich]

I was sitting on my landscape wall last week when a rather large coral snake passed about ten inches from my foot. I put my little dog in the house, grabbed my phone a took a quick picture. Yes, it was a coral- compared the pic to several on Wikipedia. The stripes matched the jingle- “when red meets black- friend of Jack. When red meets yellow-kill a fellow.” Would post pic if I knew how.
Coral snakes are very reclusive and rarely bit. According to Wikipedia, their venom is the second most poisonous in the world. Black mumba is number one.
The last I saw him, he was trying to cross the street. I have been visually checking my yard before letting my dog wander around and I sit on the wall. This type of snake doesn’t have hollow fangs that allow the venom to inject but corals have to chew on their victims to inject the venom thru grooves on their teeth. Very interesting animal. If you can’t remember the jingle, remember they have black round noses.

Did it look like this?

[anothersteve]

Did it look like this?

I see what you did there :)

Steve

[BostonRich]

I see what you did there :)

Steve

Yeah, I get these corn snakes often. They are harmless and beneficial but often killed because people think they are coral snakes. Just want to verify since it would be good to know if it really was a coral snake.

[John_W]

I put this photo on post #45, here it is again.

https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/95402151_10220518559746171_656143906156576768_n.jp g?_nc_cat=106&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_ohc=0Quv9KcPWfAAX-CAL9E&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-1.xx&oh=8910531591ddb820e5ad4999cf08251e&oe=5EF5A4E6

[Bambi]

Definitely top Pic of coral snake. Can’t figure out how to post the pic I took on my iPhone. If someone knows how or will post if I email the picture to them, please advise. It was quite large for a coral.

[runkcrun]

So....what did you end up doing with the eggs? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Travelhunter]

On a side note I went to Lowes and bought rubber plugs to close off the holes in my sprinkler valve box covers. No need to encourage them.

What section were the plugs in. I would like to get some. I just put a paver over the hole

[Travelhunter]

So....what did you end up doing with the eggs? Inquiring minds want to know.

I hired a critter removal company he removed the eggs carefully and is going to place them in the wild. There is a small about 18” black racer On my property he suggested I leave it there unless it bothers me

[BostonRich]

What section were the plugs in. I would like to get some. I just put a paver over the hole

Aisle 1 Bay 9.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-1-6875-in-Black-Neoprene-Hole-Plug/3013264

Measure well. My two holes were not the same size.

[BostonRich]

Looks like you win the prize, Bambi. Here is a pic of the snake you saw.

By the way, I went to a snake presentation in the Villages about a year ago. They said instead of trying to remember the sayings about the red/black/yellow stuff, when you encounter a snake like this you will probably forget all of that anyway. Just remember if the head is black it's a coral snake.

So where exactly did you see this guy?

[Bambi]

I have a rather tall brick landscape wall across the front of my house. I live on a fairway in Calumet Grove. My little Shih Tzu was on a long leash exploring around. I looked down and the snake was meandering by- about eight or ten inches from my foot. The red band caught my attention. I knew about the round black nose but his head was deep in the grass. I at first doubted what I was looking at because I thought it was too large for a coral.
I took a quick pic just as the neighbors lawn cutters drove up. The snake was about to cross the road but turned and disappeared back into the grass towards the wall.
When I was a little girl I really liked snakes and would keep them in a jar or a container for a day before releasing them. Some of my friends refused to play with me because one of my favorite activities was to explore the woods, turn over rotting wood and look for snakes. So I am not that fearful of them. I just hope this one is not living in one of the holes in the wall. I am looking around now before I sit down.

When I was growing up, my father was the physician for the Detroit zoo. He took care of the employees, accidents, physicals, etc. I remembered that he researched and obtained anti venom from all over the world for different snakes. There would be three vials of each type- one set at the zoo, one set at nearby Beaumont Hospital and one set in a fridge at our house.
Anyway, thanks again for posting the picture.

[Travelhunter]

Aisle 1 Bay 9.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-1-6875-in-Black-Neoprene-Hole-Plug/3013264

Measure well. My two holes were not the same size.
Thank you

[Topspinmo]

I was sitting on my landscape wall last week when a rather large coral snake passed about ten inches from my foot. I put my little dog in the house, grabbed my phone a took a quick picture. Yes, it was a coral- compared the pic to several on Wikipedia. The stripes matched the jingle- “when red meets black- friend of Jack. When red meets yellow-kill a fellow.” Would post pic if I knew how.
Coral snakes are very reclusive and rarely bit. According to Wikipedia, their venom is the second most poisonous in the world. Black mumba is number one.
The last I saw him, he was trying to cross the street. I have been visually checking my yard before letting my dog wander around and I sit on the wall. This type of snake doesn’t have hollow fangs that allow the venom to inject but corals have to chew on their victims to inject the venom thru grooves on their teeth. Very interesting animal. If you can’t remember the jingle, remember they have black round noses.


I would be surprised if it was coral snake. Probably king snake which you would never want to kill.

[BostonRich]

I would be surprised if it was coral snake. Probably king snake which you would never want to kill.

Did you see the picture above?