"Don't mind if I do," said the copperhead at my doorstep!
NO, this is not how the scenario went, but it could have. I came home from work, walked in to the house to unwind, get something to drink, perhaps a small snack, and then go back out to the shop to take care of the animals (herps.)
I opened the door, and the dog went out first. For some reason I looked down, and there was a copperhead. Not just in my way, but at the very edge of the doorstep. Now was it there when I went into the house? Did it crawl over in the short time I was in the house (less than 10 minutes?) I debated on what to do, decided to go out the other (front) door, got my camera which was in the car, went back around to the door I saw it at, and took this pic. It had not moved. I then got a hook, and moved it out of the way, towards a small garden patch next to the house.
In hindsight, I should have moved it a bit further from the house as now I'm constantly looking for it to reappear. I know I also had a large speckled kingsnake living near that garden patch, so who knows, their paths may cross. I hope not, for the copperhead's sake, but that is what nature is all about.
As for the "why" this animal appeared where it did, I can only assume it's because we have a drain near there for the air conditioner. We have seen lizards attempting to drink out of this small run-off. In this intense drought, any water is better than no water.
NO, this is not how the scenario went, but it could have. I came home from work, walked in to the house to unwind, get something to drink, perhaps a small snack, and then go back out to the shop to take care of the animals (herps.)
I opened the door, and the dog went out first. For some reason I looked down, and there was a copperhead. Not just in my way, but at the very edge of the doorstep. Now was it there when I went into the house? Did it crawl over in the short time I was in the house (less than 10 minutes?) I debated on what to do, decided to go out the other (front) door, got my camera which was in the car, went back around to the door I saw it at, and took this pic. It had not moved. I then got a hook, and moved it out of the way, towards a small garden patch next to the house.
In hindsight, I should have moved it a bit further from the house as now I'm constantly looking for it to reappear. I know I also had a large speckled kingsnake living near that garden patch, so who knows, their paths may cross. I hope not, for the copperhead's sake, but that is what nature is all about.
As for the "why" this animal appeared where it did, I can only assume it's because we have a drain near there for the air conditioner. We have seen lizards attempting to drink out of this small run-off. In this intense drought, any water is better than no water.
