Indiana Jones and I have one thing in common that is undisputable: we hate snakes.
This weekend I was cleaning my pool when I noticed a snake head sticking out of the small rock waterfall. It was hanging out inside of the hole where the water flows out. It was about an inch across but only about 2 inches of it were ever sticking out at any time so I could not tell how big or small it was.
I have no experience with snakes. Nor do I want to have any experience with them. I am not scared of snakes passing by, but when one is lodged in my pool area where my kids swim ... I had to do the "dad" thing and chase it away.
I tried several tactics to get it to come out. Everyone I called had ideas but nothing worked. I could not get pinchers into the area either. So I got my pressure washer and stood about 7 feet away from the waterfall holes, sprayed it into the holes and hoped the pressure would dislodge it and make it swim out and into the pool. It took about 5 minutes (felt like 30 minutes!) and it shot out of the hole from the pressure. It was 4 feet long! The thing swam crazy fast as it tried to get out of the pool. We tried to net it with the skimmer, but it just dove deep and went to the other side of the pool.
It jumped out a minute later and I used the pressure washer to chase him out of the pool area. It was in no hurry once outside in my backward so I tried to ensure that it would not return. When I approached it, it turned around before I could even get close and made a dash for me! Luckily I still had the pressure washer and thrust it back with the water. It ran off into the woods.
I learned later that is is either a black rat snake or a black racer snake. From the photos I have seen it is one or the other, though both are NOT venomous. I am on my way to the store today to purchase snake repellent. I will also be putting screens on my gutters to block any return visits.
Here is a photo of a black racer snake about the same size (4 foot length and 1 inch thick) as the one I found in my pool area.
