Second snake shows up at beach display

The Enterprise Journal ^ | August 26, 2002 | The Associated Press

[cryptical]

Gee, a hognose and a water moc, don't have many of those in the Gulf states.

On that beach, I'd be more afraid of the rats than of the snakes. I remember one night driving a block up from the beach in Gulfport, and seeing a rat that must have been 30 lbs waddle in front of our car. The driver didn't want to hit it for fear of knocking his front end out of alignment.

The water mocs are thick down there, at least on some parts of the Navy base. I knew guys who used to hunt them for their skins, then sell them for beer money. I never had the guts for it.

[Free Trapper]

30 pound rat?

Could it have been a nutria?

[Free Trapper]

Looks like Rattlers are under represented in the area.

This calls for bussing in diamondbacks and velvet tails to make things right.

[cryptical]

Had the long pink rat tail. Might have been lighter, but not that much. Bigger than my dog is now, and he's 22 lbs.

[cherry]

"Protesters complain that during their six-week stay at the beach, they've been subject to a steady stream of verbal taunts and racial epithets from passing motorists. But in recent weeks, the climate has grown more belligerent, Tommy Whitfield said.:

THEN it grew belligerant????

[aomagrat]

[wardaddy]

“You’ve got 26 miles of beach here and all of the sudden you get snakes in this one area?” said Tommy Whitfield, the father of Alcorn State University student Jason Whitfield, who is camped at the site. “I just find that ironic.”

Actually Mr. Proud father, it's not ironic. It's suspicious to you. The irony which I'm sure escapes both you and your son is that these reptiles seem to be attracted to their like counterparts amongst us humans in your case. But rather than "snakes in the grass", you and your do-gooder boy would be more aptly "snakes in the sand".

Sidewinders would actually better complete the "irony" of it all.

[johnny7]

That sounds more plausable. I never thought they were this far north though. Global warming? ;^)

[stand watie]

this dumb-bunny camping out on the beach probably saw a worm and thought it was a snake.

BUT,i think we should call PETA and make sure residing next to an ignorant, south-hating jackass is not harming the snakes!

free dixie,sw

[Free Trapper]

Nutria are a major nuisance exotic over a large part of the South.(Kinda like liberals).

Everyplace would be better off if could get rid of all of them.{Kinda like liberals).

They were brought in to raise for pelts a long time back and really took over.

They have quite a history in the U.S. On FR a While back there was a thread about a fancy restaurant in LA. calling them a French name and selling them.I know some meat is sold to Oriental markets.

[Free Trapper]

Agree on these snakes being attracted to their human equivalent.Are you familiar with hognose snakes?

If you get after a hognose he'll stand tall,puff up to look bigger than he really is,hiss and spit,strike out all around and try to convince you he's one bad critter that's not to be fooled with.

If you don't back down and give way he'll roll over on his back,hang his tongue out,coil up,squirm around like he's mortally wounded and puts on a most pathetic show.

Yep,birds of a feather or snakes of a scale,whatever.

[js1138]

I once stepped on a hognose. They may be harmless, but they make a noise like a rattler. Pretty scary in the woods.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Oh for the love of God!

[wardaddy]

They certainly can be mistaken for a rattler especially at night.

I'm from Jackson MS.

[Free Trapper]

Most people in my neck of the woods call them puff adders.

[lgjhn]

"The water mocs are thick down there...."

Yep, they are!!! I'm from south Louisiana (bayou country) and I've had to "take out" two cottonmouths so far on my farm this year. One was almost a 4 footer. I don't like shooting them because they really keep the vermin down, but when they get aggressive to the point where they want to take on a John Deere tractor, I have no choice but to "waste em".
Perhaps the reason they were in that particular area of the beach was that they were just trying to find some vermin to snack on...that's what these onry critters are supposed to do.

[wardaddy]

They sure look like one...thank God they aren't.

[Rollee]

Serpenthead's species: Water Mocassin.

I remember several years ago Tim "Potatohead" Russert interviewed Mr. & Mrs. Carville with their children on his "show" (poor children). He asked the older girl what she wanted for Christmas. Her reply was that she wanted a bug sprayer!

[Rollee]

Serpenthead's species: Water Mocassin.

I remember several years ago Tim "Potatohead" Russert interviewed Mr. & Mrs. Carville with their children on his "show" (poor children). He asked the older girl what she wanted for Christmas. Her reply was that she wanted a bug sprayer!

[one2many]

Thought it would be a rat snake or sumpin' ;^)