Why our small dogs aren't allowed out in the yard after dark unsupervised. *pics*

ChrissyBz

Heard the Brown Jays go OFF right next to my house this morning. Locked the dogs on the porch, went to investigate. (Brown Jays crying always mean a predator around and it often means a snake)

There was a BRIGADE of Army Ants swarming the hill.







We left him be, but I'm going to go back and try to remove him later and release him somewhere further away. He's about 4' and at LEAST 6" in circumference. Big enough to eat our two smallest dogs. Possibly big enough to kill the two 30 pound dogs.

Cracker

I had to go back and see where you lived...lol. Is that a python or boa? Holy cow..beautiful creature but definitely not one you want around your pets.

CoverTune

That's scary!

Leroy&Lucy'sMom

I would be so freaked out, yikes!

jasonm

That is pretty scary. Does anyone know how dangerous snakes are for rottweilers? Mine is almost 2 years old (still considered a pup but definitely the size of an adult I think).

harrise

Goodness. I would have immediately resorted to fire and flat shovels. Rain forest, schmain schmorest.

RBark

Boa costrictor.

Venomous snakes are dangerous to any dog. Constrictors in general are not usually very dangerous. While constrictors such as that boa could eat a dog, they generally won't try to. Boas in the wild tend to prefer multiple smaller meals over a large meal.

This boa, 99% of the time, would most likely just strike at the dogs. If the dog got bitten by a constrictor, it's nothing to worry about. Just disinfect it. I've been bitten by quite a few constrictors, and while painful (hurts more getting them out than the actual bite, since their teeth curve inside the mouth) but ultimately harmless.

That's not to say preventive measures shouldn't be taken, but it's nothing to really freak about. (I know you're not freaking over it, Chrissy, just talking generally)

For instance, a 6' boa constrictor imperator will generally eat rats about 10" long, and before you measure your dogs, realize that these rats are about 1 pound and have a much smaller body and legs than a dog.

ChrissyBz

Thanks for stepping in R. I was off grooming horses.

Yeah, they could possibly eat our two small dogs. There is another, MUCH larger Boa living around here, but we haven't been able to catch it yet.

I worry less about them eating the small dogs than about them killing them. Cookie(JRT) would DEF go after a snake if she found one. She has NO stop. We do occasionally see Fer de Lance, Coral, and Rattlers, but Boas and Black Tails are much more common.

We have a Cat-Eyed Snake living around the bathrooms and It's always neat to see him hunting at night.

Labsnothers

And I worry about hawks and coyotes.

Xeph

OK, I'm confused. If it was a snake...why the mention of ants? I was expecting to see a ton of ants there xD

ChrissyBz

Just a mention that I had to wade through them to get the shot. I wasn't wearing ant appropriate shoes.

dleggs15

wow that would be enough to make me pee my pants! I'm horribly terrified of snakes and would nto want to be within 100 feet of one LOL

Xeph

Ohhhhhhh! Well in any case I'm glad nobody was hurt. That snake is beautiful!

sizzledog

Beautiful snake... I love the columbian boas.

reynosa_k9's

Poor thing, obviously someone's escaped pet. I have the same type of snake. My big girl is 18yrs, 10', and will eat rabbits, chickens, guinea pigs. She has never given my dogs a second look but then again all mine are way too big for her to even consider them as food. Boas are usually very passive.

Jihad.

ChrissyBz

No, they're indigenous to Belize, probably just a wild one. I've met some pretty feisty ones. (especially when trying to remove them from the kitchen)

FilleBelle

I get pretty feisty when someone is forcibly trying to remove me from the kitchen, too.

RBark

Ok, I laughed very hard. Kudos.

ChrissyBz

^ So did I

jnite

Definately not something you want your dogs to tangle with, but very cool nonetheless. I would love to see wild boas, and that cat-eyed snake would be awesome to see too. We breed many snakes, but seeing them in the wild is always sooo cool.