This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Monday, February 21, 2011

Bugs and Snakes and Things


Toon gave me an idea in his comment about feeding the turtles bugs and insects. He mentioned Painted Turtles and I don't know what they are. These turtles are considered just common stock tank turtles and farmers and ranchers aren't fond of them. In fact some people are thinking I'm a little touched for feeding them. Have I ever let people's opinion stop me before? South Texas has lots of bugs and insects so now my neighbors will pobably see me crawling around on the ground searching for what, they will wonder. People have been saying one thing about the unusal cold we had, a lot of the bugs will be killed. Okay I'm convinced I'm a bug collector. The turtles have been really hungry last couple of days. Its been cloudy so they aren't sunning. The farm house renters told us they killed a blue snake. I'm thinking Blue Indigo. Aren't they a good snake? I've only seen one in my life and it was out near the cow pens swallowing a rattlesnake. I couldn't believe my eyes that a snake could swallow another snake almose as big as it was. It was having a hard time but it was half way through so it must have tasted good. Along about the same time we witnessed a cat charming a rattlesnake in the pens. Something I had always heard of but never seen and didn't know if it was true that a cat could do that. Now I'm a believer. The rattlesnake was coilded and the upper half was sticking straight up. The cat was circling the snake not taking its eyes off the snake. When we say what was going on John threw a fence post into the charming game and the snake slithered one way and the cat ran the other.

7 comments:

Martha said...

I'm just glad the kitty was safe!

Toon said...

Painted turtles have a distinctive red, yellow and orange design on their undersides. They are fond of ponds and creeks and like sunning themselves on logs. That might just be what you have here. Three cheers for turtle lovers! And also for brave cats!

Unknown said...

I've always hear about cats charming snakes but have never seen it. I'm glad to finally know someone who's witnessed it firsthand. I'm not fond of snakes of any variety, not afraid of them exactly, just don't like them...especially the rattlers that I can hear but can't see. You be careful Paula!

Lisa said...

When you mentioned the blue indigo snake ate the rattle snake it reminded me of the story in the Bible when Moses' rod turned into a snake and devoured the Pharoah's magicians snakes! What a cool thing to see and yeah, kinda gross probly LOL. I love turtles too. Before my Aaron was born I dreamt of a huge sea turtle that swam to me under the ocean and for some reason I knew Aaron was going to be a boy after that. LOL I can just see you crawling around on the ground feeding the turtles.

jack69 said...

I have been missing my diet of Paulines country tales, but this one did not disappoint me. Good entry, I would have liked to have seen the charming thing. I have saw snakes swallow frogs and fish and once on a home movie saw a king snake swallow a rattler., but never inperson.

Love from up in Coooold Ann Arbor Michigan.

Johnny is holding his own. Thanks for the prayers and thoughts.

Lucy said...

I am not sure I would have watched that snake. I would have definately tried to save the cat. As for bugs, No I don't like them. Shows I am old. Didn't mind them a bit when I was young.

Gerry said...

I have never seen a cat charm a rattlesnake either. I know my brother-in-law's dachshund was bitten by a rattler and he was able to persuade the local hospital to treat him for snakebite and saved his life. He was bitten in 'Rattlesnake canyon'.