You activated the snake's defense mechanism, not its digestive tract. And good for you for taking it outside - it would have starved in the building.

Paul Losch, what is the issue? It did not have rattles on its tail, so end of story. Why is this a story, to you?

Susan,

It's a "slice of life," nothing more. How many times have you at work in a commercial establishment had to deal with a snake? This was my first, although I encountered a few copperhead snakes, which are poinonous, when I mowed lawns in my youth in Houston. I did not pick those guys up.

I suspect that others who have lived here over the years have had encounters such as I had, thus my reason for the posting.

I appreciate that you read my blog.

No story? When a contractor's truck ran over a snake they shut the BART to SFO project for a week, at a cost of 9 million dollars. Paul, you better hope that snake thrives.

It is a bad omen--someone put the evil eye on you--must be something you wrote about " bullies " in the Holy Land.

However--while the serpent does have an allegorical history--there are solutions.

Sharon,

I appreciate that you read and post about my blogs.

Let's not get metaphysical about an unfortunate incident where a cleary confused, young animal found itself in a place it did not belong.

I kept my personal safety in mind, snakes do bite, poinsonous or not.

Hey-Paul

No worries

We have your back, you took a lot of very nasty flack for that post-in fact you were very fair and accurate-- see Web Link
not that that counts for much in that conflict--these days.
you were correct
You showed great courage in dealing with the topic in a forthright, fair manners-well done--
a snake is just a snake--unless one is a Freudian-- but that ideology has been discredited by clinical trials.

Paul,

What a surprise that must have been! Bless your heart for capturing and taking it outside.

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

Talking of snakes--
there are no reports of rattle snakes in Foot Hill Park this year-- the notices always used to shock our East Coast friends when we took them on hikes there, they thought they were in the Wild West.
We have seen the a species of "false rattler" there this year-- it is not venomous, is much smaller, and does not rattle.

A poodle in wolfs clothing.

Still tracking down the name of that resembling snake, RS ,
and whether it does really, in fact, exist in Palo Alto/Stanford, anyone know the facts about RS?

There was Black Mambas scare in Palo Alto years ago cute story-Web Link .
At least we do not have the python problem they have in Florida.

Editors, please note Sharon's latest scurrilous attack on those that criticize her.
("Still tracking down the name of that resembling snake, RS ,
and whether it does really, in fact, exist in Palo Alto/Stanford, anyone know the facts about RS?)
I am sure you will leave her post as is and will certainly delete mine--after all Sharon is either a member of the PA staff and/or is reflecting the Weekly's editorial stance . You have already removed at least 5 postings I made criticizing her unrealted to this thread comments regarding the holy Land.