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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > The ultimate protector of the figs!
 
 


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Howie73x

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Found this critter by the figs. I was wondering why the crows weren't around!
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Zone 8 So Cal desert

Wishlist- Rouge de Bordeaux, Fig de Parfum, St. Rita, Pastiliere, Norland, Smith, (Native) du Argentile, Col de Dame Noir,
javajunkie

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
OMG....why are you touching it? I would have had a minor stroke and run for the gun!
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Tami
SE Texas
musillid

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
That's pretty neat, Howie!
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Dale
non compost mentis in Zone 6a
FiggyFrank

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
oh heck no!
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Frank
zone 7a - VA
DallasFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
umm.. that IS a rattlesnake, yes??  or at least some type of pit viper, by the shape of it's head..
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James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a

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Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon
BLB

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Be very careful!!! That certainly does look like a diamond back rattler
strudeldog

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Hope that's not Howie's last post, but that snake look's limp appears he already did the job, but that head is still dangerous.
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Phil N.GA. Zone 7 Looking for: De La Reina, Del La Senyora, Martinenca Rimada, Parfum De Cafards, Ponte Tresa,  Sangue Dulce, Emalyn's Purple, and on and on
javajunkie

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Snake doesn't look limp enough for me!
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Tami
SE Texas
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
looks like a western diamondback. typically snakes won't bother you if you leave them alone. that one looks like it's been well fed. i prefer a shovel over a gun on snakes if i have to.
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Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
Pattee

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
A really long handled shovel ! 
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7a & 9b ►I assume all my figs carry FMV ◄

Seeking :  Italian 376,395 , Galicia Negra, Negretta,UNK Pastilliere ,Pananas Purple,  Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud)


"We may have our private opinions but why should they be a bar to the meeting of hearts?"
-  Gandhi
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Why a shovel, Pete?  And it's true, they do bite even if they're dead.  Just this last week I met a guy who killed a snake that had cornered his aunt and after he killed it he picked it up.  His index finger was twice as big as it should have been after a week of antibiotics.
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Zone 6, MO

Wish list:
Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
needaclone

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
That's a beautiful snake. 
Living and gardening in the SoCal dessert, I'm guessing/hoping Howie has overcome any snake-killing impulses and has simply taken the snake for a drive.  Not in the "Jersey" sense of taking someone for a ride into the swamps or pine barrens....but rather to relocate it.
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Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M .  Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH  . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano .  ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000
Tonycm

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Snakes make nice fig protectors but they're hard to teach to Sit, Stay and Go Fetch! Lol
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Zone 6a Sarver, PA Wish list; Rafed's Genovese Nero
Howie73x

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
I got nicked by the snake. Just a little bite. I don't think it injected that much venom in me. I didn't go to the emergency room, because I'm Korean and we think snake venom is like a boost to the immune system/libido. My legg is stttarting tooo sswell aand hhurt a lottt,,,tho. I shhhoould beeeee okkkkkkkkk rrrrrrright?  II fffeeel ffuunnnnnnnnnnnnnyyy.........................
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Zone 8 So Cal desert

Wishlist- Rouge de Bordeaux, Fig de Parfum, St. Rita, Pastiliere, Norland, Smith, (Native) du Argentile, Col de Dame Noir,
rafed

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Howie,

Better get that checked. I almost lost my leg last year due to the Brown Recluse bite.
I have pictures of what happens afterwards.
Howie73x

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
I'm just joking. I'm sorry if I alarmed anyone. I didn't want to kill it but felt I had to protect my family and dog. It was hanging out right by the patio door! i think it was feasting on the mice that were eating my figs, sigh. BUT I am not letting it go to waste. I skinned it and plan to try rattlesnake meat for the 1st time!
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Zone 8 So Cal desert

Wishlist- Rouge de Bordeaux, Fig de Parfum, St. Rita, Pastiliere, Norland, Smith, (Native) du Argentile, Col de Dame Noir,
susieqz

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
i have a milk snake hanging out by my fig. it looks enou like a rattler that i got the gun. i kill rattlers near the house, as i hear they don't always rattle before striking. but i waited till i saw there were no rattles, so i left it alone. anything that eats mice is my friend.

but here's the neat part. when he suns by the fig and i want to see my tree, i say ''GO AWAY SNAKE'', and he does! i swear this is true.

ps: i tried rattler in amarrillo once. just survival food with nasty bones












































































































;
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susie 
wish list:  nothing. i can't grow cuttings  . right now, i have  6 trees showing no signs of fmv. i'd like to keep it that way' 

i was told that if i couldn't deal with fmv, i should grow peaches, so i got a peach tree to live with my clean figs.
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcantor
Why a shovel, Pete?  


bob, see the concrete right next to the snake? if i miss and hit that thing, the bullet will ricochet. i don't like bullet flying around. if the snake just happened to be on concrete drive way or something, chances are even greater. beside, i might miss, and just piss off the snake. even if i hit it, i'll have to clean up the mess before the wife gets home.. i hate touching snakes.. 

with nice shovel, one good whack will break the bone, or crush the snake's head. then with edge, another drop for cutting the head off. things get messy on the grass, i can't seem to get a clean cut, still.. less clean up. 
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Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
javajunkie

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
We had a water moccasin in the back yard a couple of weeks ago, my son took his head off with one shot!


water moccasin.jpg 

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Tami
SE Texas
Ruuting

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
I second Frank's "Oh heck no!"
I tremble when I have to get a trapped Rat Snake out out of my netting.

I just remembered the second reason why I didn't move out west!
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Rui
Southeast CT, zone 6B
Figgygoodness

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
Has anyone tried a rubber snake for bird deterrence? Just wondering seems like alot of people have problems with birds.
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Zone 7a
Virginia
Howie73x

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
I'm getting used to them, just last month. My dog came up on a rattler that was 3x as big! It was 50 yards from my house!
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Zone 8 So Cal desert

Wishlist- Rouge de Bordeaux, Fig de Parfum, St. Rita, Pastiliere, Norland, Smith, (Native) du Argentile, Col de Dame Noir,
nkesh099

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
I wish there were few of those guys in back of my property, taking care of the Voles.
Cajun

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Posted Reply with quote  #24 
Howie,
I think its really cool you how you handled the snake!  How did it taste?  I'm the guy in my neighborhood that removes snakes for neighbors.  I won't harm a non-poisonous one, just take em off and throw them in the woods. 

Tami,
That is not a water moccasin.  It is the dark phase of the southern (banded) water snake.  The bands across the back along with reddish brown splotches on the belly are a give away.  They do a real nice job of intimating a moccasin, I've even seen them flatten there backs and heads as if to say "i'm poisonous, stay away", but it's all a bluff.  They will bite though and they do smell bad.  Pretty much all snakes that live in the water have a mean dispostion. 
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Cal - Brusly, LA Zone 9a
Pattee

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Posted Reply with quote  #25 
I bought a package of rubber snakes on ebay. Hopefully they will work when figs here start to get ripe. I've not put the snakes out yet , so the birds don't get used to them .
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7a & 9b ►I assume all my figs carry FMV ◄

Seeking :  Italian 376,395 , Galicia Negra, Negretta,UNK Pastilliere ,Pananas Purple,  Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud)


"We may have our private opinions but why should they be a bar to the meeting of hearts?"
-  Gandhi
Darkman

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Posted Reply with quote  #26 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cajun
...they do smell bad...


Man you ain't kidding. Why do they smell so bad? You think it is a defense mechanism? If it is it's working. I won't pick them up. Man do they stink. It's not the water they come from because I have got them from clear running creeks and they still stink!
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Charles in Pensacola AKA Darkman
Zone 8b/9a
Winter of 09/10 low 19
Winter of 10/11 low 19
Winter of 11/12 low 29
Winter of 12/13 low 31
Winter of 13/14 low 19
javajunkie

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Posted Reply with quote  #27 
Maybe it's a pre warning for us humans to RUN!!!
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Tami
SE Texas
paully22

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Posted Reply with quote  #28 
ha ha ha Strudeldog ....hope that is not Howie's last post.
james

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Posted Reply with quote  #29 
For those using rubber snakes as a deterrent for critters in the trees... Coil the snake's body on a limb, then suspend the head from a higher limb with fishing line. When the wind blows the head will sway. Also, verify you are looking at one of the rubber snakes and not the real deal before picking fruit.
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In containers - Littleton, CO (zone 5b)
In ground - N.E of Austin, TX (zone 8b) 

2016 Wish List:  Dārk Pōrtuguese, Grānthāms Royāl, Lātarolla, Negrettā, Nōire de Bārbentāne, Rockāway Green, Viōlet Sepōr, Viōlette Dāuphine.  Iranian figs are always welcome.
JustPeachy

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Posted Reply with quote  #30 
OH MY GOD! If I stepped outside to see that curled at the base of my steps I'd freak! Snakes are the stuff of nightmares for me. I've had too many close calls, enough to last a lifetime.
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Sophie~

Sophies Choices: Sultane, Sal's , Hardy Chicago and varieties suitable to z7b...not too picky at this point since we are still a fig growing virgin!
cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #31 
Like Howie said, it was keeping birds and mice away.  The number of mice that one snake would have eaten in a lifetime is enough for me to leave it alone.  But then I'm from the west were 4 corners disease (aka Hantavirus) is spread by mice.  Watch out for those prairie dogs too.  They carry the plague!
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
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