To Kill or Not...

[Rusto 23]

Moved into our new place in November. Love It!!! However today we had our first scaled visitor. Pretty sure that is was a rat snake. Myself felt bad when I was asked/demanded to kill it. Decided to chase it out of the yard (knowing full well it will be back). My wife has sworn that she will never go into the yard again and that I loved the snake more than her.

So what would you do? My first thought is that I need to clean the grill out because that is probably where the rats/mice are. Second thought was getting some snake tongs so that I could relocate them. Or should I not feel so bad...

[Montec man]

Not!

[Saltyag15]

A rat snake or a happy wife....to me the answer is pretty clear! Should whacked it and saved the headache!

[Fishndude]

I’d never kill a rat snake

[TxAg]

Tell her it eats rats (and fib to her that it eats venomous snakes)

[Stoof]

No, he's doing you a service. I bet if you find what he's feeding on and deal with that he'll move along.

[systemnt]

Beat it to death with that garden hose while making hissing noises.

[SamSowell]

I wouldn't feel bad. Would have done like you and just shooed the snake along it's way.

[kcmarullo]

I have several that hang out at my place I just run them off !

[DUKFVR]

You did good. No reason to kill it.

[Rusto 23]

Tell her it eats rats (and fib to her that it eats venomous snakes)

Yeah, except that she has already looked up everything about that snake and now has a doctorate in snakeology...

[Ætheling]

Rat snakes, racers, coachwhips, hog noses and Indigos are welcome at my house. Used to have a black racer that lived in between the brick exterior and the walls of my home. He would come in and out of the weep holes. My wife freaked but when I told her what he is doing in there she was like, oh well than leave it alone. He would also leave me his sheds by the backdoor.

[sandbill]

Protect him

[AntlerCollector]

Next time relocate it where it won't come back. Don't just chase it away

[stickbowcoop]

Yeah, except that she has already looked up everything about that snake and now has a doctorate in snakeology...

Well then she should know it's harmless and helping you guys out with rodent control .