Summer Visitor

The other day Kaitlyn's friend came over to play and brought her motor scooter. She parked her scooter in our garage and we closed the door to keep it from being stolen. As her friend was leaving, Kaitlyn and Jared come running in to my bedroom..."Mom! There's a snake in the garage!! Come get it, quick!" I thought for sure this was some sort of prank. So out I went to the garage and sure enough, right where the back wheel of the motor scooter was, there's a small snake coiled up, poised to strike.

Of course I go in panic mode (but not too bad because I'm the only grown up around and I gotta protect my kids) wondering how in the world to catch this snake. So I run inside and find a bucket, find some leather work gloves and a stick when my prince in shining armor comes walking up the driveway (just arriving home from work). I gladly handed him the stuff and told him he had to catch the snake then proceeded to get up on a chair so the snake wouldn't come after me. I'm not a fan of snakes. I'd rather see them in a glass aquarium than in my personal living space. (I guess this is one of the downsides to having a field in your backyard.)

So my kids, after seeing my reaction, found a rubber snake that Jared has and for the last 2 days have been strategically placing the fake snake in places where I will find it like my purse, the cereal bag, my chair, and right inside my bedroom door to name a few. The first few times it startled me, now I just find the snake and look accusingly at my kids after which they giggle and take pride in the fact they put a toy snake somewhere where I'd find it. I think it's so funny that they find this so entertaining...even after 2 days!

We took pictures of the snake and then went online to figure out what kind of snake it is. We can't tell exactly the breed but we are sure it's not venomous (what a relief, right?). It does have teeth but we aren't sure if it will hurt if it bites (and I don't think I want to find out). Now my kids and husband are begging to keep it as a pet. My neighbor, who found a baby rattlesnake in her garage a couple of years ago, actually encouraged my hubby by telling him that Wal-Mart has aquariums for $12! She even told us that it would be better (less time consuming and cheaper) for us in the long run to get a couple of mice and breed them in our garage for feeding to the snake! Ugh!! I'm just not ready for this. When my kids ask about keeping the snake, all I can think of is the snake getting out of it's cage and being loose in the house. I just can't handle that thought. I'd temporarily move out until the snake was caught..er, found, and evicted from the house.

What do you think? Would you let them keep this snake??