I started mucking the donkey pasture first. As I trudged along, pulling the muck cart, shuffling my feet in a weary slog with my head down, I noticed a branch under the oak tree. A white branch. Like a birch or an aspen. My brain slowly wrapped itself around that thought and reminded me that we have grey-black oak trees here; not birch or aspen.
I walked over for a closer look. Eek! Snake! ...headless snake!
No rattles...
Most likely a gopher snake. A big one.
But what killed it? Did the donkeys stomp on it? And where on earth was the head?
I asked them to come over for a family conference.
They were all ears.
But not very forthcoming on details.
Brett tossed the snake in the garbage
and I starting mucking the mare's pasture.
Any theories on how the snake was killed from my readers?
headless. hmmm... dogs would tear it up, more. donkeys would surely stomp more than just the head. no idea.
ReplyDeleteI say the donkeys. Our big male llama (gelding) used to kill them, stomping on the heads, and leaving the bodies.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the donkeys or maybe a hawk was flying over with it and dropped it by accident. It looks all lumpy too like it had just eaten.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the neighbors killed it by chopping off it's head with a shovel and then flung it into your property, or something drug it there. Can you tell I am skeptical about neighbors? hehe
ReplyDeleteDidn't Bret just mow? My guess is it lost it's head then and thrashed it's way to where you found it. (Retiles are kind of like headless chickens that way). BTW, it was a Bull Snake (also known as a Gopher Snake) and are beneficial in that they also hunt and kill rattlers.
ReplyDeleteIf not the mower, than probably killed by a hawk, although why the bird didn't come back for it's prey is another question. And the snake is pretty big. If the donkeys had attacked it, the snake would have been a bit more battered, IMO.
Mongoose:)
ReplyDeleteWow I have no idea on the snake!
ReplyDeleteThe donkeys are so cute! Those faces!!!!!
It's been hot here too and the humid is absolutely horrible! Sadly once it cools off in the evening to do anything then armies of killer mosquitoes come out... so I pretty much hide indoors lol.