Yoshi the protector,

[Dogdad]

Well Lord Haw Haw earned his place in my heart today. He was already there but his place got bigger. My youngest son was playing in the back yard and Yoshi was going ballastic near the fence. I came out to see what the comotion was and this is what I found.


It was making a rattling sound and was about 5 foot long. I think it is a baby rattlesnake, They are not native hear but I am not sure what else rattles, I quickly pulled Yoshi away and put him inside and then grabbed the camera. I called the Department of natural resources and they don't remove animals so I had to take a huge pole and prod it until it went into the woods. Now I have to be really viligant , I hope it goes far away. Yoshi doesn't appear to have been bitten.

David

[Sirchow]

Brave, brave Yoshi. What a good boy not to get bitten. I really hope that snake has learnt its lesson and wont come back. Oh my goodness I'm so glad I live in Scotland, you have way too much livestock over the pond!

[Auddymay]

My Boxer Bud was bit by a rattle snake. He was running the flats by Black Creek, which runs about a quarter mile behind our house. I guess they are common enough, but not as venemous as our southern variety. He was bit on the big curved part of his back leg (would be the front of our thigh). He had necrotized tissue, but was fine after what seemed like a long healing time. Yoshi, you are the KING SNAKE CATCHER of Wisconsin!

[Mailie's Mom]

Yoshi great job warning Dad and protecting your human brother. Well Done!!

[sweetpea]

I don't think it was a rattlesnake. Compare the markings of this fox snake to the one you took a picture of.

"Fox snakes, like many other harmless snakes, sometimes mimic rattlesnakes by vibrating their tails. This defensive strategy backfired when humans began persecuting rattlesnakes and, with them, fox snakes. They are generally docile animals but may bite when molested."

[Dogdad]

I think you may be right, I sent the pics to our dnr in hopes of positive id.

[chow fancier]

Yoshi, you rock. Tell your Dad you deserve something extra special, maybe steak or I really like these little fishes mom gets out of a rectangular can. You should get to pick for being such a good watch/alert chow.

Cinder

[vicster605]

Way to go Yoshi!!!! We HATE snakes down here, and had to save Mom from one that slithered in front of our door.....but then we like to go after anything that moves, funny thing is Mom thought she was saving us from the snake by screaming and dancing around and clapping her hands We just stopped grrrrin' and showin' the snake out teeth and watched her but the snake was ticked off!!!!! That must have been some scarey body language thing she was doin'

[Judy Fox]

Well done Yoshi - what a good boy to tell your Daddy.

[kingalls]

good job, Yoshi! it might not be a rattler (probably what we call a harmless gopher snake here in CA) but you are the #1 protector!

[chowpups]

Oh, David
I read your posts the other day and keeping it in mind I saw Nikki franticly digging at a stepping stone in our back yard.. We did have a snake in the front yard a week or 2 ago. So, my mind says Oh, snake made a nice cool spot in the back under the stone. So I called hubby to come get the snake and I'll grab Nikki and put her in the house .. Well hubby didn't wait long enough for me to put her in all the way and he picked up the stone and out pops a little chipmunk instead of a snake and scammers past Nikki so she tries to take off after it with me holding on.. Now Iam heading to the dr. for a back injury.. needless to say Iam not talking to hubby or Nikki at the moment..and I hope the little chipmunk thanks me for saving his life and doesn't come back.. next time, if there is Nikki is on her own.. LOL.. I know the snake is out there in the bushes somewhere..so my big protector found a ferocious chipmunk..

[Dogdad]

ferocious chipmunks are the worst. Good thing you only have a sore back, According to Yoshi and Maxine, they can take down a hooman faster than you can say ow!!!! you are so lucky Nikki was on duty

David

[Babs64]

There was an article in the local paper not that long ago about how there is an effort underway to bring back the native rattlesnake to Illinois. It is supposedly much less venomous than their southern cousins. All I could think was why would you want to bring them back?

I'd have been screaming if I'd seen that snake. Yoshi was so good to let you know it was there. I am glad he didn't get bit.