Oh YES I did!!
I wrangled me my very own gen u whine snake!
You see, the Reptile Wrangler happens to be out of the state... so he didn't hear my shriek when I spotted this gem in the pool. Yesterday was pool girl day. I went out to sweep the steps, basket out any leaves and put the shark in to sweep the bottom. My first surprise was the nice little rodent down by the drain in the deep end. So, off to get the long handled basket to try to scoop it out. That is when I saw this precious little reptile wrapped around the thermometer!
Cool!!! My lucky day!
So, forgetin' about the mouse for a bit, I changed plans and went for my camera instead. I got as close as I dared and identified it as a boa constrictor by the way it is hugging the floating thermometer !
I wonder if there was a little game of snake and mouse last night after dark? Obviously, although it managed to escape the jaws of the reptile, the mouse still lost the battle... by way of drowning instead.
The snake, found a pretty clever way to keep his head above water. While snapping a few pictures, texting a few of you "by-the-minute photos" and pacing back and forth trying to decide what I was going to do about this situation, I remembered my very own set of grabber thingies that were in the closet.
Last Christmas, Chuck and I both handed each other the presents that we had thoughtfully and secretly picked out for each other. As soon as we both saw the size of the package and gave it a little feel we both started to laugh. When we peeled off the paper... "shore 'nuff, we each had gotten the other the same exact gift!"
A "Pick Up & Reaching Tool" or when you live here in the wild, wild west...a "grabber thingy"!
I hadn't even clipped mine from the packaging yet. No need when I have my very own Reptile Wrangler around to take care of things for me. Not today though. I was a lone Wranglerette. Before I got to work, I pulled on my safety boots first and got out my safety glove. I wasn't taking any chances.
I want you to know...it took me quite a long time to get up the nerve and strategize just how I was going to do this thing. I plotted out the quickest most direct route to the lowest portion of the fence. I was going to be as humane as I possibly could. I tested the grip many times on my "reaching tool", so I knew just how strongly I needed to pull the trigger. What? Look up there at the picture again...it looks a little like a trigger doesn't it?
And then, I tested it a few more times with my safety glove on. I wanted to be sure I could still work the trigger. Squeeze, release, squeeze, release. Once I felt fairly confident and skilled I went in for the
I knew I had to get it behind the head because that is how I've seen the pro do it. You know, so you don't give them any room to reach around and sink their venomous teeth into you!
Wait for it.
I had to be sure I was perfectly lined up. I didn't want it to foil my plan and sneak its way up that grabber. Wait for it...
"Engage grabber"!
I might have blurted out something like that.
"UUUUUUUHHHHHHHH" it is wiggling"!!!!!!
"Keep it way far away from your body (ya ok, so I'm wearing an oven mitt, whatever...) keep walking. Now lift up and clear the fence. Ok. ready Norma"....
I did, however, peek over the fence and saw it just laying on the ground. I feared (briefly) that I might have pinched a little too tightly, constricting the life out of its little neck (do they have necks?).
And then I still needed to deal with the mouse. I couldn't get the pole on the basket thing to extend long enough to reach that little drowned rat. I pondered whether or not the pool sweep would sense it and just go around it, or would it try to sweep over it, suck it up and clog the machine up, which would have been really bad and then I would have some serious 'splaining to do when the real Wrangler got home. So, I finally went for the sweeper brush, which I was able to loosen and lengthen, reach down and "sweep" the mouse towards me, which actually put it into this floating acrobatic kind of motion, which gave me time to trade out my tools and get the basket thing. I swooped in and scooped it up, real pro like...
And there he is. All tucked in nice and neat ready to be dropped over the fence. I decided to take it to the same spot as the snake. Getting it out of that net basket was almost as time consuming as it was getting it in. I ever so cautiously peeked over the fence to see if it had landed next to the snake. Alas...the snake was gone! And so was I!!!
Perhaps Wranglerista is a better name than Wranglette for me. You know, like fashionista!
Note: No real harm came to the snake since it obviously slithered away. Also, I know it wasn't a boa constrictor, that is my attempt at being funny. I'm not sure, but I think it was a rattlesnake. And, based on the size, I'm inclined to believe it was a young one, which in turn makes me wonder where the mother is! This critter extraction took over an hour and exhausted me. But, I'm a little proud of myself.
Really, I am. ?
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