critters in your shelter...

[mr mover]

i live in west texas and we have quite a few snakes out here (mostly the not too friendly rattling type) and am afraid that if i build a shelter and leave it for any extended amount of time that it may become inhabited by one of said creatures.

any ideas...comments...

[macclint]

I guess it would depend on what sort of shelter you are talking about.

If it's a debris hut, and you don't wnat to break it down between stays, you can put a bowl full of smoking sage inside (be careful not to catch the debris on fire!) to drive out pests of all sizes...

Just an idear.

[ORGANIC]

Keep it nice and smelly inside and critters should keep away (Fragrant leaves, frequent smudges, ect.) Red cedar worked great for me. (If you can get your hands on some). Good luck

[jhond]

Not to worry
First, if you find a snake in your shelter after a short absence, congratulate yourself on good work. Reptiles seek a stable environment with a mean radiant temp close to their ideal core; when active about 75 deg.F. Snake presenc indicates a comfortable micro climate. When the weather is much hotter or colder, the snake will seek this temp, usually underground.

Bugwise, you might want to discard your "bedding" (leaves, grass or what- have-you) at least once a week. If it's hard to come by, I'd stash it a dozen paces away, in a bush if possible.

A snake seeking shelter (warmth) is quite unlikely to bite unless you rolled right over on it. A hungry snake, out hunting (this only happens a dozen or less times a year) usually spends 98% of its time waiting alongside a rodent/rabbit trail or by a road or wash. Most snakes stay very close to home( less than 100 yd) all their lives and are territorial and habitual except when hunting a mate. Sweep your camp with fine dust/sand to be able to detect snake tracks. Don't camp where there are abundant rodents & rabbits. Bring along a pet snake or a smart dog or a tough cat. If you find a snake, move him FAR away (at least 1/4 mile) or perhaps, have him for dinner. I wouldn't do that though, snakes are too much fun to watch. The LAST thing they want to do is attack someone who is 50 weight classes above them.

sssssssssleep tight! Jhond Wild Wise-Felton CA

[mr mover]

thanks for all the information!

i would definately be glad to find a snake but i wouldn't want to have to share a bed with a rattler...i guess i'm just picky.

thanks again!

[ictracks]

The cool thing is, snakes seek a stable environment which means they are typyically looking for rock shelters that maintain heat for a duration, not shady, debris shelters, unless during aestevation.

However, maybe in lieu of bringing any kind of fire into your gigantic tinder bundle of a shelter, don't build a compressed doorway, and whack a big stick around the inside before climbing in. Snakes love a heat source, and as long as your shelter is open during the day, it's pretty unlikely--but not impossible--that you will find snakes inside in the evening. Mice, yes--another testament to a well-built shelter--but snakes? Not so much. Regardless, if there is a threat, vibrate the surrounding area, and make sure you're clear. Smoke is decent, too, but really, if you think about it, if a snake really wants to get in, it doesn't matter what you do before bedtime, they're coming in whether you like it or not. They can fit through those little holes that we overlook.

Keep the area around your shelter clear of brush and debris. Offer as little cover for snakes and rodents as possible to minimize their comfort. Snakes are also very scent-oriented. It's unlikely with fire and our human stink that they'd be looking to set up residence. Really, your most crucial safeguard is awareness. When you go to an area for camping, ask yourself, "If I were a snake, would I find shelter here?"

Jeff

[mike]

Well, I live in Pennsylvania but had once found a VERY large rat snake in a shelter i had mad in a tree. I had not yet matered my bow and had been driven out by its hissing and striking. I had later come back to find the head amd most of the front torn off by a mother hawk. On another occasion drove a racoon out of a shelter by seting a small fire in the shelter. so i have two things:
1. Let them stay there until you need it, then start a fire to drive them out.
2. Build your shelter next to the den of a small predator or the nest of a raptor.
As for bugs, don't let them find cover- don't leave a bedding(make new) and beat the ground down hard (discourage burrowing).

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Well it depends on what type of shelter you're using Mike... I know if I tried your fire technique in one of my debris huts I'd have a very large tinder bundle go up in flames within 30 seconds. If you're using organic material (wood, boughs, debris) the minute it dies or dries out... the fire technique would be very very unwise.

[paul vallandigham]

Actually, Mike, unless you like sleeping on a rock, its better to use a knife or sharp stick to fluff the ground where you are going to sleep, but turning it over and breaking up qand clots, removing stones, sticks, etc. and then scooping out a place for your butt. Then cover the area with fresh dry leaves about 12 inches deep to make a decent bed for an over night. If you are in a pine forest, by all means use pine bows for the bed. But soften the ground before you make plans to sleep. 2 in the morning is a lousy time of day to realizes there is a sharp stone sticking into your kidney that is waking you up!

[Kortoso]

thanks for all the information!

i would definately be glad to find a snake but i wouldn't want to have to share a bed with a rattler...i guess i'm just picky.

thanks again!

I've heard critters digging around in my shelter once (which since it was a converted cave/rock shelter may have been previously occupied), and I had to get serious control over my imagination just to get 40 winks.

[phrige]

Anyone have trouble with bugs in their shelter.. Ticks/ Skeeters?

Any tips on ticks when building debris huts or bedding down in a nice pile of dry leaves? I read a bit of a yahoo group yesterday, one guy was frantic over being mindful of ticks. I guess he had a few not too friendly run ins with them and so was putting down leaves as a form of bedding.

"Do not use a bed of leaves under your tent for padding! Ticks gather and
hibernate in those leaves... They will crawl all over your tent. Clear an area
or chose a clear area."


Thanks,
Pete

[Raiders2win]

I would leave it in tact, and then when you are ready to use it I would do the following: Take a metal can and start a small fire in it, then put some green or brown leaves. The smoking can is then put at the entrance. In about a couple of mintutes all creatures will vacate. You can then chase it down, smash it and voila "dinner".