Snakes...It had to be snakes...in AK

[beachwarmer]

I was in AK this morning on a Y.E.S. Wild by Nature educational program. It is open enrollment week so you do not need to be part of a large group. There were 7 Grade 2 and 3 children and their parents in our group. We were learnig about how animals survive and what we can do to protect them.

We were along the trail in Asia looking at the tigers when a snake fell from a tree right onto the path next to us. It was about 1 foot long and had red markings. Now I am from Canada and snakes don't fall from trees there....and I am not looking for THAT authentic of an experience at AK. We pointed this snake out to a cast member who was sweeping the path.....she proceeded to pound the snake with the broom. The irony of this was that our instructor had been telling us about how some animals that people are scared of like bats, gorillas (and apparently snakes) need protection from people. The YES instructor asked another cast member to call a keeper....when I asked later it apparently was a native Florida snake and was just visiting like we were. The conservation message was a little mixed for the kids. The snake was "relocated".....and very still.

My question now is .....How often do snakes fall from trees in Florida?

 

[Tonya2426]

I had a snake fall out of tree on top of me when I live in Miami. Needless to say, I avoided walking under flow hanging limbs from that moment on.

 

[SamSam]

I've never had a snake fall out of a tree on me, but I have seen a 5 ft. snake on a sidewalk at BCV. It was there 2 days in a row, and I now walk that path with a new attention to what might be there.

 

[kaligal]

My Spanish "Word of the Day" today was "la culebra." (Snake)

I try to use each one 5 times that day because I heard that once you use a word 5 times, it is yours for life.

So, gracias for giving me another sentence with la culebra.

 

[DisneyKevin]

It's pretty common here in Florida.

After sweating through our clothes, hiding from hurricanes and killing gators.....using a "snake rake" is a Florida pastime.

Each fall we put a big garbage bag of snakes out by the curb.

Sometimes, we rake em into a BIG pile and jump in them

Ok....I'm out of snarky snake comments.

Never...not once...ever...has a snake fallen out of a tree near me.

I would have the car packed so fast.

 

[DisnyMama]

When we stayed at WL we saw snakes go back and forth under the wood walkway that leads to the boat launch.

 

[Launchpad11B]

It's pretty common here in Florida.

After sweating through our clothes, hiding from hurricanes and killing gators.....using a "snake rake" is a Florida pastime.

Each fall we put a big garbage bag of snakes out by the curb.

Sometimes, we rake em into a BIG pile and jump in them

Ok....I'm out of snarky snake comments.

Never...not once...ever...has a snake fallen out of a tree near me.

I would have the car packed so fast.

Kevin has the Heart of a lion!!! (quote from Ron Weasley)

 

[safetymom]

It's pretty common here in Florida.

After sweating through our clothes, hiding from hurricanes and killing gators.....using a "snake rake" is a Florida pastime.

Each fall we put a big garbage bag of snakes out by the curb.

Sometimes, we rake em into a BIG pile and jump in them

Ok....I'm out of snarky snake comments.

Never...not once...ever...has a snake fallen out of a tree near me.

I would have the car packed so fast.

I was wondering what I was missing by not having a snake rake. Then I read further.

I have not had a snake fall on me. I would be running and screaming like a little girl if it did.

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

I'm glad it wasn't me standing there because they would have seen me run away screaming like a little girl the entire time. I'm not even sure I would have remembered to take my DD with me that is how fast I would have ran. There is no way I would have been able to calmly tell the guide or anyone else that a snake fell from the tree and landed next to me.

Saw a snake at Pop Century one day and I did scream like a little girl and jump away, but thankfully it was going back into the plants and I had my DD by the hand. The worst part was it was right by the playground and there was someone sitting there. I'm sure they were like and at me.

 

[ScubaMickey]

I was in AK this morning on a Y.E.S. Wild by Nature educational program. It is open enrollment week so you do not need to be part of a large group. There were 7 Grade 2 and 3 children and their parents in our group. We were learnig about how animals survive and what we can do to protect them.

We were along the trail in Asia looking at the tigers when a snake fell from a tree right onto the path next to us. It was about 1 foot long and had red markings. Now I am from Canada and snakes don't fall from trees there....and I am not looking for THAT authentic of an experience at AK. We pointed this snake out to a cast member who was sweeping the path.....she proceeded to pound the snake with the broom. The irony of this was that our instructor had been telling us about how some animals that people are scared of like bats, gorillas (and apparently snakes) need protection from people. The YES instructor asked another cast member to call a keeper....when I asked later it apparently was a native Florida snake and was just visiting like we were. The conservation message was a little mixed for the kids. The snake was "relocated".....and very still.

My question now is .....How often do snakes fall from trees in Florida?

I usually do not post in this section, but this thread got my attention. I am a native of Florida and work as a Forestry Tech. I spend a lot of time in the forests of Florida both as a professional and hiking/canoeing for recreation. Florida has a variety of snakes and several like to hang out in trees. Ribbon snakes, green snakes, rat snakes, etc. While canoeing, we have seen snakes drop many times from the trees into the waterway.

My Mom lives in Viera, Brevard County, not too far from WDW, and has a snake regularly hanging out in a tree in her backyard. Seems to me, snakes like to find higher ground when we have experienced a lot of rain.

Glad you got to see some of Florida's native wildlife...Sounds like a sad ending...

ScubaMickey

 

[aGoofyMom]

I hope to never have such a close encounter with snakes. They have their place and I try to avoid it entirely. That being said, I do remember having a shaped bundle of worms fall out of a tree in front of me as a kid...yep, in Canada.

 

[beachwarmer]

The snake "rake" was a large push broom. She really hit it pretty hard.
Always enjoy your sarcasm.

In my head I was hoping it had escaped.....that would have meant there was only one.....

It's pretty common here in Florida.

After sweating through our clothes, hiding from hurricanes and killing gators.....using a "snake rake" is a Florida pastime.

Each fall we put a big garbage bag of snakes out by the curb.

Sometimes, we rake em into a BIG pile and jump in them

Ok....I'm out of snarky snake comments.

Never...not once...ever...has a snake fallen out of a tree near me.

I would have the car packed so fast.