Killing our ecosystem by killing vital creatures in nature
By craftcatcher
@craftcatcher (3699)
United States
June 30, 2008 1:37pm CST
I understand that many people do not like snakes and some have a downright phobia about them, but they are absolutely vital to our ecosystem. They kill other creatures such as disease carrying mice, rats, insects, etc. Without them our ecosystem is off balance and we all will pay the price. Our ecosystem is in enough peril as it is from land developement, pesticides, toxic wastes, species extinction and much more. We cannot afford to disrupt the balance of nature, the price is just too high as we're finding out.
Ok, so if you have a fear of snakes the solution is simple. Step aside, let them pass and they will go about there business doing what they are on this earth to do! There is no need to kill every single one you see just because you don't like them.
They are here for a reason, please just leave them be.
Love them or hate them.. do you agree that there are here for a reason and fill a vital niche in our ecosystem?
2 people like this
8 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Jun 08
Hi craftcatcher...wow...long time since you've been here and glad to see you back
Did you know for some reason, snakes are the number one phobia amongst most people? I must be an oddball as I've never had any fears of snakes...and in fact have handled fully grown pythons..a friend of mine had a virtual zoo in her home, including snakes.
Yes I do believe every creature that is on our earth serves some purpose and to destroy any animal just because we may not "like" it is wrong...by destroying one creature, you get the whole eco-system out of alignment as it does effect other animals down the line, and as you say in the case of snakes ridding other animals that may be pests, if snakes were to disappear we would no doubt see a rise in population of mice, rats and so forth....Look what happened in Medieval times when people killed cats....the rise of plague carrying rats was on the rise, and the plague situation got out of hand
Did you know for some reason, snakes are the number one phobia amongst most people? I must be an oddball as I've never had any fears of snakes...and in fact have handled fully grown pythons..a friend of mine had a virtual zoo in her home, including snakes.
Yes I do believe every creature that is on our earth serves some purpose and to destroy any animal just because we may not "like" it is wrong...by destroying one creature, you get the whole eco-system out of alignment as it does effect other animals down the line, and as you say in the case of snakes ridding other animals that may be pests, if snakes were to disappear we would no doubt see a rise in population of mice, rats and so forth....Look what happened in Medieval times when people killed cats....the rise of plague carrying rats was on the rise, and the plague situation got out of hand1 person likes this

@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
24 Jul 08
Thank you for the br, craftcatcher
Not only is the human species stubborn, but I really wonder about the so-called intelligence we're supposed to have
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
3 Jul 08
Hi my friend I have not heard from you in a while. I finally got my email notifications working again. I had not gotten email notifications since March. I sure missed all my friends.
I do not like snakes, I do agree with you that we need them. I think we need them more now than ever before because of us taking all the land away from the rats. A friend of mine is over run with rats. They are outside in her yard and keep killing her doves and eating their food. She has poisoned them several times by using plaster of pairs in grain so it will swell up their stomach and make paste. It slowed them down but not enough. She has several dogs and will not put out a poison because of the dogs.
We need the snakes as well as some of the rats but not as many.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
3 Jul 08
Hey there my friend! Long time no see. I've been out of circulation for a while with a bad hard drive. I got it partially fixed but still running pretty slow. I can't stay away from here for long.
I can relate to your friends problem. We get so many mice in our house every fall and winter and sometimes during the spring because all the snakes around here have been slaughtered. I sure hope your friend can find a solution to her rat problem. I think I'd be out in the woods hunting for snakes to take home! LOL
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
5 Jul 08
The problem with my friend is she preaches that she is all in for saving the environment but only when it is convent for her. She has not looked up on the internet a good solution to get rid of the rats. I am sure there is a way that will not harm her dogs nor the environment.

@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Hello my friend! I haven't talked to you for so long. I hope you're doing well.
I agree with you, even venomous snakes will rarely strike without giving a warning first. Their venom is too precious to waste on non-food items.
Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll catch up with you on more discussions. :D

@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
1 Jul 08
I'm not crazy about snakes but I've never really understood the strong hatred people have for them. I may not want one for a pet but I'm totally okay with leaving the slithery little guys alone. I had a friend who had a snake for a pet and she told me that they have as much character as a cat or dog once you get to know them. I'll just take her word for that. But I think you're right, they are as important to the web of life as God's other creatures and shouldn't be destroyed enmasse because some humans don't like them.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Hi Irisheyes and thanks so much for stopping by. I'm so glad to see several responses from people who give proper respect for life and our place in the scheme of things. It does my heart good.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Hi Raydene! Then we are like-minded here. How wonderful, I so agree with you. Thanks so much for coming by. You and several others here have given me renewed hope. :D
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Hubby and I have this conversation from time to time because I grew up with snakes about and he didn't. However when a 6 foot long one crawled out of our neighbors home he didn't ask it any questions. He chopped its head off in an eyeblink and everyone hereabouts was greatly relieved. I always tell him to please make sure a snake is poisonous and threatening before dispatching one, but he says he doesn't trespass on snake territory and they had better not trespass on his.
Personally, I would never kill a snake unnecessarily, but that said, I do keep snake shot in stock because in our part of the world we are host to a kind of rattlesnake with venom 16 times as strong as a sidewinder: the Mohave Green, which is also known for its aggression.
Here is a picture of a pretty one if you'd like to see it:
http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/images/cscutscaztimb.jpg
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Hi Ann! Good to see you again!
I can certainly understand self-defense. I would defend myself against an aggressive venomous snake if I had no choice. It's the unnecessary slaughter of harmless creatures for no other reason than they were alive and had the misfortune of slithering past someone who doesn't understand they were just out to find a mouse for dinner or a drink of water that bothers me. Asking a snake not to trespass on human territory is sort of like asking a fly to ignore a garbage dump isn't it? Since mice and rats live mostly around humans because we feed them so well, snakes are sure to follow. As I've said before, give me 100 snakes in the yard if they will keep the mice out of my house. We have so many mice in my neighborhood I have to kill about a dozen a year in my house, all because humans saw fit to slaughter every snake in the area. I dislike having to kill anything but I have no choice. I would much prefer the snakes come back and do the dirty deed for me. Not to mention the money it would save me on disinfectant.
Thanks for the picture! Wow that is a gorgeous snake, beautiful patterns.
Thanks again for coming by my discussion, it's always good to talk with you.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
2 Jul 08
Good analogy. As we live in upstairs condos we don't see much of either, and yes, mice can pass around some pretty deadly stuff too. We used to have a neighbor who lived above our carport and would throw crumbs down for the birds only they attracted mice. We complained and then she started throwing the crumbs down on us. She would watch out of her window until we came out to get in the car and drive to work and then come out on the balcony with her dustpan and dump the crud down just as we went under.
They did finally cart her off, but until then we actually had to park down the street a ways. Well I am such a bleeding heart that I don't like to kill mice either, but you see that is because we hardly ever see one. My stepmother's kids used to be that way about spiders. One of them saw me step on a spider once and it was like omg. But I am a bit allergic to spider bites, so I am sorry, I dispatch those critters first and think later. Glad to see you back in circulation here, too. I hope you are able to hang around a bit!
@lucy02 (5015)
• United States
30 Jun 08
I don't like snakes at all. I have never killed one but I confess I have had my hubby do the dirty work. It was in my laundry room and one of us had to go. I do agree they are important. God wouldn't have put them here if they didn't have a purpose.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
1 Jul 08
I'm so glad that you can get past your fear to see their importance. They are definitely here for a very important reason and I wish more people would understand that fact.
Thanks so much for stopping by my discussion lucy!
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
30 Jun 08
Snakes do freak me out. We have gardner snakes here, and sometimes I stumble upon them when I am mowing the lawn, or when they are slithering through our pasture. But I don't kill them.
I do, however, kill mice when they get in my house. Gardner snakes seem to small to eat a full grown mouse, but they could eat babies. WHich is sad, but mice eat my chicken feed and carry diseases, so I like that snakes keep them to a minimum. We also get big bull snakes out here. They have a rattle, but they are not poisonous. They can grow pretty big, and I am happy for them to eat the mice, too. Maybe evenm prairie dogs, which are known to carry the plague out here I live.
Just as long as they leave the toads alone. Toads eat bugs, which wreak havoc on my garden, and irritate my sheep. But I guess the chickens can eat bugs, too.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Hi cassidy! Thanks for giving me an opening to make my point which I almost forgot about. When I was a kid I remember people in the neighborhood, including my grandfather who lived across the alley from us, killing every snake they could find. Snakes were fairly common around here when I was young but I haven't seen a snake around here in over 30 yrs. Now I live in my grandparents house and we have a terrible time with mice. I have to keep traps set all year round and I average catching 10 - 12 mice a year. when the snakes were here I don't remember there ever being mice in the house. I would love to let loose about 100 snakes in the neighborhood. I don't want mice in my house either! But until the snakes come back, if they come back, we are going to have this problem.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your input.









