[tallrick]

I just left the trunk open and got my shotgun. When I came back it was gone. We have the coons as well, but they have not been a problem. Never had a problem with feral cats, after all they are just cats!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Never had a problem with feral cats, after all they are just cats!

We recently had a problem with a feral cat.

In the process of trying to help a cat, my husband got bitten badly (typical guy.....wouldn't put on the gloves......wouldn't listen to his wife !).

Things we learned from the incident:

1) Feral cats in Florida are one of the biggest carriers of rabies

2) Cats have some nasty bacteria in their mouths, and when they bite you, the bacteria gets pushed down deep into your tissue via their long teeth

3) Finding out if a live cat has rabies is not so easy, it can take up to six months of cat observation (in other words, you'll need the rabies shots)

4) Finding out if a dead cat has rabies is easy, your vet will remove the head, hand it to you in a box (on ice), and you drive it downtown to the health department (because they don't pick up...not enough funding )

Don't worry, the cat needed to be put down, he was in worse shape than we thought so that was an easy decision (sort of...I let my vet make the call on it).

I've made light of it somewhat, but the sad truth is that the feral cats live short and often brutal lives. **please spay/neuter your pets!**

[KeyWestJewels]

I have a black snake that has lived in my yard for several years....I have a bird house he hangs out in, but ironically ran across him this morning....never ready for that...the saying for Coral Snakes goes like this:......BLACK AND YELLOW KILL A FELLOW, RED AND BLACK FRIEND OF JACK....Coral snakes from their head to their body are BLACK AND YELLOW.....their body is BLACK, YELLOW, RED, BLACK YELLOW RED, BLACK YELLOW RED, then at the tail it is BLACK AND YELLOW ONLY. So should you see a colorful snake, look at the head or the tail...if it is BLACK AND YELLOW STRIPPED.....STAY AWAY....They are very small....thin..might be 18 to 21 inches in ..but very deadly....Coral snakes however, are not strikers......they have to "chew"...to bite you and they are also slow moving... they like wood piles, firewood piles, hope that helps....

[TheCroatian]

We are pretty lucky that Florida does not have more poisonous weird animals.

[CrowGirl]

Originally Posted by KeyWestJewels

I have a black snake that has lived in my yard for several years....I have a bird house he hangs out in, but ironically ran across him this morning....never ready for that...the saying for Coral Snakes goes like this:......BLACK AND YELLOW KILL A FELLOW, RED AND BLACK FRIEND OF JACK....Coral snakes from their head to their body are BLACK AND YELLOW.....their body is BLACK, YELLOW, RED, BLACK YELLOW RED, BLACK YELLOW RED, then at the tail it is BLACK AND YELLOW ONLY. So should you see a colorful snake, look at the head or the tail...if it is BLACK AND YELLOW STRIPPED.....STAY AWAY....They are very small....thin..might be 18 to 21 inches in ..but very deadly....Coral snakes however, are not strikers......they have to "chew"...to bite you and they are also slow moving... they like wood piles, firewood piles, hope that helps....

I think the better version of this rhyme is "RED and yellow kill a fellow." The corals are red, yellow, black, yellow, red, etc. While in the coral snake black does touch yellow, black also touches yellow in the scarlet kingsnake. However, red touches yellow in the coral but not the kingsnake. Please also not that this rhyme works in Florida but it DOES NOT work with coral snakes in California.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by 33458

Oh yeah, snakes climb trees down here. :P

I'm having fun, but really, you do have to keep your eyes open...because they really do.

And bushes up close to the house- LOL remember having one on the window sill. Have even had them come in the house when we kept the sliding doors open. That was fun.....NOT!

[KeyWestJewels]

Thank you for the replys.