Well, I had a bit of a surprise this evening. I heard Westley chirping on my back porch. It’s the sound he makes when he’s actively watching a bird or squirrel so I wasn’t worried about him. But I was curious what had his attention so I wandered into my Florida room to check.

I was a bit startled to discover a snake in my house! Truthfully, I think all three of us were equally surprised by the situation. It took a few minutes of careful negotiation but eventually I was able to encourage the Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) outside and my cat inside.*

I’m not an expert at cat language translation but I think Westley was saying, “Mom, look what I found! Can I keep it?” My answer was no but I do hope our snake friend chooses to stay around.

I love knowing that wildlife can make a safe home in my yard!

*No one was harmed during this event.