Snake Wranglers

Had some excitement last week: the owners found a large "rat snake" on the premises. I always thought something bigger than a lizard was living in the rock garden and now I know what.

The owners called an animal rescue service and the duo that responded made quick work of it. The snake did not go without a fight, of course, and proved to be remarkably fast and strong. I'm told this particular type of snake is non-venomous but extremely aggressive. It was only the second snake I'd ever seen on the island. The first was bisected by the front tire of my motorbike more than a year ago before either of us fully realized what was happening.

Stuffing it into a burlap sack, the lead wrangler suffered a nasty bite between his thumb and forefinger, but was undeterred in his plans to release the snake humanely (hopefully more than a block away). The two accepted only cigarettes and iced tea as payment.