Relocating to Owensboro (Lexington, Louisville, Paducah: house, transfer, neighborhoods)

[Crazymncatlady]

Hello everyone!

I apologize in advance for the length of my first post on this forum....

My husband and I are so excited to move to the beautiful state of Kentucky within the next year. After spending countless hours researching Owensboro and Paducah, we've decided that Owensboro is a perfect fit for us. We are looking forward to stunning beauty, wonderful people, and milder winters than the frozen tundra that is Minnesota. I will be transferring within my company (lucky to work for a company that has a large presence Kentucky) and my husband has some leads in his profession. We obsessively search the housing market and are confident we'll find something we both love.

I only have One concern: SNAKES. I'm terrified of them. Little garter snakes in my yard make me run for the hills screaming like a little girl. Naturally I've researched snakes of Kentucky and while I know the types and where I'm likely to see a lot more (by water), I can't figure out what my odds are of running across a Copperhead in my backyard in Owensboro. In case y'all didn't think I was crazy enough, I need to add that I'm more concerned about my 2 black labs getting bit. My phobia gives me the ability to spot a snake from 100 yards away so I'm confident I will never "stumble upon" a snake. My husband however, is oblivious to them. My older lab chases snakes when we're on walks and he doesn't even notice.

I realize thousands of people live in Owensboro with their dogs and have no problems. I guess I'm just looking for some local experiences. Are (poisonous) snakes rampant in the suburban neighborhoods of Owensboro? And since this little novel isn't long enough, do I have to worry about my indoor cat getting attacked by a scorpion, black widow, or brown recluse spider? Lastly, we of course will be getting a home inspection on whatever house we decide to buy. Is it an option to have some kind of check for snake, scorpion, or spider infestation in or around the house?

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by Crazymncatlady

Hello everyone!

I apologize in advance for the length of my first post on this forum....

My husband and I are so excited to move to the beautiful state of Kentucky within the next year. After spending countless hours researching Owensboro and Paducah, we've decided that Owensboro is a perfect fit for us. We are looking forward to stunning beauty, wonderful people, and milder winters than the frozen tundra that is Minnesota. I will be transferring within my company (lucky to work for a company that has a large presence Kentucky) and my husband has some leads in his profession. We obsessively search the housing market and are confident we'll find something we both love.

I only have One concern: SNAKES. I'm terrified of them. Little garter snakes in my yard make me run for the hills screaming like a little girl. Naturally I've researched snakes of Kentucky and while I know the types and where I'm likely to see a lot more (by water), I can't figure out what my odds are of running across a Copperhead in my backyard in Owensboro. In case y'all didn't think I was crazy enough, I need to add that I'm more concerned about my 2 black labs getting bit. My phobia gives me the ability to spot a snake from 100 yards away so I'm confident I will never "stumble upon" a snake. My husband however, is oblivious to them. My older lab chases snakes when we're on walks and he doesn't even notice.

I realize thousands of people live in Owensboro with their dogs and have no problems. I guess I'm just looking for some local experiences. Are (poisonous) snakes rampant in the suburban neighborhoods of Owensboro? And since this little novel isn't long enough, do I have to worry about my indoor cat getting attacked by a scorpion, black widow, or brown recluse spider? Lastly, we of course will be getting a home inspection on whatever house we decide to buy. Is it an option to have some kind of check for snake, scorpion, or spider infestation in or around the house?

Hey! Welcome to Kentucky from one Crazy Cat Lady to another, lol.
Sure you can have an inspection for the spiders, snakes and scorpions (I don't think that Scorpions are indigenous to Kentucky to be honest) you run across spiders and snakes occassionally in Kentucky I suppose, but they aren't any more prevalent here than most other places (I don't think). I am over 50, and have only seen snakes a couple times in my life (and I enjoy hiking! Or did.) Now spiders you do find a little more often, but they are usually not a big problem. At least they haven't been for me.
But I live in Lexington, it may be different for Owensboro (although a friend of mine lived there, I use to visit every so often, and really never noticed spiders.) I don't particularly like them, so I would have noticed. But that's been awhile.

[Crazymncatlady]

Thanks Crazee! I appreciate the feedback. We'll be down in February meeting with realtors and checking out neighborhoods so I'm sure I'll calm down once I spend more time there.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Crazymncatlady

Hello everyone!

I apologize in advance for the length of my first post on this forum....

My husband and I are so excited to move to the beautiful state of Kentucky within the next year. After spending countless hours researching Owensboro and Paducah, we've decided that Owensboro is a perfect fit for us. We are looking forward to stunning beauty, wonderful people, and milder winters than the frozen tundra that is Minnesota. I will be transferring within my company (lucky to work for a company that has a large presence Kentucky) and my husband has some leads in his profession. We obsessively search the housing market and are confident we'll find something we both love.

I only have One concern: SNAKES. I'm terrified of them. Little garter snakes in my yard make me run for the hills screaming like a little girl. Naturally I've researched snakes of Kentucky and while I know the types and where I'm likely to see a lot more (by water), I can't figure out what my odds are of running across a Copperhead in my backyard in Owensboro. In case y'all didn't think I was crazy enough, I need to add that I'm more concerned about my 2 black labs getting bit. My phobia gives me the ability to spot a snake from 100 yards away so I'm confident I will never "stumble upon" a snake. My husband however, is oblivious to them. My older lab chases snakes when we're on walks and he doesn't even notice.

I realize thousands of people live in Owensboro with their dogs and have no problems. I guess I'm just looking for some local experiences. Are (poisonous) snakes rampant in the suburban neighborhoods of Owensboro? And since this little novel isn't long enough, do I have to worry about my indoor cat getting attacked by a scorpion, black widow, or brown recluse spider? Lastly, we of course will be getting a home inspection on whatever house we decide to buy. Is it an option to have some kind of check for snake, scorpion, or spider infestation in or around the house?

Owensboro has really cleaned up! I was there last year and was surprised. It was in VERY bad shape only a decade ago. And while it is not really growing, it is holding steady, and is only 1.5 hours from Louisville should you get a craving for bigger city restaurants, arts, nightlife, etc. Welcome to KY!

[rbryant]

We get the poisonous snake question quite a bit here on the KY forum. So here goes: Copperheads, by far, are the most prevalent poisonous snake in KY. You can find them near woodpiles, fencerows, near creeks, gravel roads, old barns, LOL. I hate the doggone things because they camouflage very well in leaf litter and I have found them to be quite standoffish and not willing to give ground easy.

Timber Rattlers are making a comeback in eastern Kentucky, but are a little more rare in central/western KY. They prefer rocky areas and can be found in the Daniel Boone NF.

Cottonmouths are found in western KY near swampy areas. Of the three poisonous snakes, the cottonmouth is the one I'd prefer to not run into.

We have pygmy rattlers but they are relatively uncommon and found in far west Kentucky.

[NekkidFish]

Originally Posted by rbryant

We get the poisonous snake question quite a bit here on the KY forum. So here goes: Copperheads, by far, are the most prevalent poisonous snake in KY. You can find them near woodpiles, fencerows, near creeks, gravel roads, old barns, LOL. I hate the doggone things because they camouflage very well in leaf litter and I have found them to be quite standoffish and not willing to give ground easy.

Timber Rattlers are making a comeback in eastern Kentucky, but are a little more rare in central/western KY. They prefer rocky areas and can be found in the Daniel Boone NF.

Cottonmouths are found in western KY near swampy areas. Of the three poisonous snakes, the cottonmouth is the one I'd prefer to not run into.

We have pygmy rattlers but they are relatively uncommon and found in far west Kentucky.

You didn't tell her how often she could expect to see each of them.

Now she's probably passed out from being askeerd! ROFL

[kkeplinger]

Oh, yay for Owensboro! I'm from McLean County originally (just south of Owensboro) so I was in the city all the time. It's really a nice place.

As for snakes - yeah, we have them. No denying that. However, I think you'll have a little less to worry about living in the city. If you live out in the country, you might have more of an issue. I"m NOT a fan of snakes. At all. But I lived in the country, and we got them once in a while. One big key is not to live too close to the Green River. (I grew up right on the river.) Because you get more snakes there. Especially when the water rises.

But there are plenty of exterminators. And if you're in the city, away from the river, you'll have less of a problem, I'm sure. And even out in the country, it's not TERRIBLE. I lived in KY for 18 years and only had a handful of snake encounters. And never with anything poisonous.

Spiders will be the more common issue. I've seen lots of those. But again, I lived out in the country. I don't think it'll be too bad. I have lots of friends still living in Owensboro, and none of them have complained about spiders. You'll be fine!

Good luck with your move! I love Owensboro, and I bet you will, too! Just promise me you'll try some our famous barbecue as soon as you get there!

[Crazymncatlady]

Thank you for the replies. It's okay Nekkidfish, I'm conscious again! I got myself all worked up in my research seeing things like "I had a big fat copperhead on my garage step this morning" and "we've lost several dogs to snakebites". Unfortunately I even got my husband thinking there will be copperheads lurking around every bend on his walks with the dogs. Oops. Somewhere in my head I realize it is unlikely I will ever encounter a venomous snake, but I let my fear take over. Double oops. On the bright side-kkeplinger, I could eat BBQ 7 days a week and not get sick of it. I can't begin to describe how excited I was when I learned that the city we are moving to is world famous for its BBQ! I should probably look into gym memberships so I can head off the inevitable weight gain!

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Here is a music video shot in Owensboro


Going Home to Kentucky - YouTube

[kkeplinger]

Ha! The guy who wrote that song has played with my best friend and her husband (Molly and Heath Eric) before!
Lord, western Kentucky is small. True story. You never meet a stranger.

As for the BBQ, I'm sure you've heard about the festival, right? I haven't been in years (I live in NYC now, and I always just miss it when I come visit in the summer). But I love it. So fun. Great food. It's the ONLY food I miss since going vegan a year ago. Seriously. the ONLY thing. It's delicious.