...all creatures

"All creatures great and small the Lord God created them all"... even snakes!!!

I realize all creatures have a purpose in this world and create balance when they are able to live and thrive in their environment. And that we as human creation often upset this balance by merely moving into their habitat by way of a subdivision. I am not an animal rights advocate, however I do respect how very important all living things are.

Some I love to cuddle or play with like a puppy or allow to land on me gracefully like butterfly. But you would not see me cuddling a skunk or standing under a wasp nest either! Respect and wisdom most certainly is wise. And so yesterday I was afforded 2 opportunities with creatures that 'crossed my path'.

In my garage I discovered an object moving about like a snake, and yet had what appeared to be a geometric appearance. Upon closer, but not too close examination was a rectangular sticky rodent trap with a snake wrapped around it! Naturally I returned to the house first to google the snakes markings before I got any closer. A Garter snake, yes they bite, but their venom does not harm humans. Right! I'd keep my distance.

As I read further it became evident that this snake is on a registered endangered species list and it's natural habitat is within miles of our home. Great! Now I couldn't just put it out of it's misery, albeit mine too! Further research led me to discovering that by pouring vegetable oil over a sticky trap a snake will get free! Many snake 'trappers' use this method and return snakes to the wild.

So with canola oil in hand from a safe distance I poured it on the snake. And then waited,... long enough to take several pictures. It was fascinating to witness the snake free itself and slither off up the sidewalk. But then it got stuck again... as a huge glob of the sticky stuff had remained stuck on him/her. And so I carefully and strategically placed a stick on the glob as the snake fought and struggled, bit at the stick and then finally freed itself of the goo once and for all.

Away the snake went, oh no! right back into my garage! At once I was quickly moving rodent traps from the snakes path... after all I would rather the snake rid the rodents. He did retreat elsewhere by evening.

The other encounter was later that evening at my daughteres home. She is pregnant, hubby out of town and it was left to me to step in, literally! A mouse had gotten trapped and was still alive. I hate this part of the trap! I had just learned how oil can free a snake, but wasn't prepared to free a rodent. Sadly the rodent population has gotten out of control in human occupied areas as we provide shelter, water, food and they are not as easy prey for other animals. And yes this does help justify the reason we have no problem catching and destroying them. Not too mention they carry harmful disease while destroying our homes. And so I had to end the mouses misery, suffice it to say, quickly under the cover of cardboard. I would never simply toss the trap with a live mouse into the trash.

Save a snake~Kill a mouse... what a day indeed!