Oh, I missed the perfect photograph yesterday evening.
I’ve mentioned that lately I’m up to my armpits in bull snakes, which is not so unusual in spring/early summer.
Unlike rattlesnakes, bull snakes are entirely harmless and beneficial and I do nothing to discourage them from hanging around – as long as they don’t try to come inside, because snakes are creepy.
But yesterday evening Tobie and I were coming home from his evening walkie when I saw something hanging from the inside of the Jeep’s right front wheel. I looked more closely, and there was a snake working its way up the axle joint and spring and slithering into the engine compartment. Unfortunately I didn’t have my phone, and by the time I got back and opened the hood the snake was inside the fan shroud and headed for under the engine – and there’s no good way to take a photograph of that so you’re almost going to have to take my word for it…
…and strange as it seems I wasn’t all that unhappy about the situation. I’ve had at least one mouse living more or less permanently in the Jeep for quite some time now, apparently immune to traps. Maybe Ms. Slither and Hiss can do something about it.
Do you inspect the fan and pulleys before starting up the engine? A snake can do quite a bit of damage to the fan if plastic instead of metal, won’t do choppy choppy very well and Murphy says the blade will bend such that it cuts the cooling fins and pipes, guaranteed.
As long as one doesn’t slither around your shoulders as you’re driving the jeep down the road! BTW, do you have much problem with scorpions in the desert?
I’ve never actually seen a scorpion here, though I’ve no doubt they exist. And yeah, having cleaned a few cats out of engines (and repaired the attendant damage) during my dealership days, I won’t start the engine without checking the belts for snake for the next few times. The hood’s open right now to remind me.
Has Tobie had the opportunity for a snake encounter?
No, dammit, and it’s starting to frustrate me. I really want to know how he reacts to them, and I’d rather he try to touch noses, if that’s what he tries, with a snake that won’t kill him.