Today's "catch"

Our family loves reptiles. Especially snakes. I think it is a requirement when raising children...especially boys. :) If you don't enjoy reptiles, this post may be a challenge for you.

Today was mowing day for the two oldest boys. Before they mow, they walk through the yards to make sure there isn't any wildlife that could get run over. They found one Three-toed Box turtle, one small alligator snapping turtle and a black rat snake that wasn't small.



Now that picture really does no justice to these creatures, but the boys wanted a picture of their "reptile zoo". Here are a few more - close up. :)


This is the Three-toed Box turtle. We identified it as a female because of the brownish color of her eyes. She ate worms right from the boys hands.


The snapper.

I wanted to add this one too because I laughed so much when I saw the expression on Levi's face! He said the turtle didn't smell so good.


This is the black rat snake. Ukiah saw a commotion ahead of him in the bushes while he was mowing. I was hanging laundry and saw it also. It turned out that there was Brown Thrasher on the ground in great distress, trying to lead an unwelcome visitor from it's nest. I initially thought it was Ukiah mowing that had the bird disturbed...but it was this snake. He spotted it slithering through the underbrush and leaped out to catch it. But that was not all for the day...no, we had another snake show up later. This one, same kind, was even larger.


This is the kind of stuff that makes boys just jiggle with delight!! I love it. :)