The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[Jones]

Thanks to all on the advice for toddler hair trimming.

It was so easy with Jean (now age 7)...we just let her hair keep growing. Sadly, in our society I can't do that with my little boy. He does have a cartoon he loves to watch, others are passing bursts and hit-or-miss, but he doesn't like it enough to distract him from something interesting happening by his head.

That said, I gave him a lollipop, which distracted him for a few seconds, then I put a lock of his trimmed hair in the other hand, which he admired and giggled over long enough for me to finish with the clippers. I even got to swipe at the nape of his neck. After the shower--he prefers showers to baths-- I checked and the sides look mostly even; not bad for a speedy job. Hopefully he'll have a longer attention span in 6 months when we have to do it again.

[Slartibartfast]

Is there a way to keep necklaces from eating your hair? I have a few necklaces where something about the type of clasp or chain that snares my hair something awful. It hurts a little to wear, but mostly the chains just look awful with hair all around them. Is there anything I can do short of changing out all the chains?

It's probably either the type of clasp or a jump ring that's not quite flat.  I'd suggest going out to a craft store and picking up a few magnetic clasps or ball and hitch clasps and swap them out with a pair of pliers.

[Elfmama]

Is there a way to keep necklaces from eating your hair? I have a few necklaces where something about the type of clasp or chain that snares my hair something awful. It hurts a little to wear, but mostly the chains just look awful with hair all around them. Is there anything I can do short of changing out all the chains?

It's probably either the type of clasp or a jump ring that's not quite flat.  I'd suggest going out to a craft store and picking up a few magnetic clasps or ball and hitch clasps and swap them out with a pair of pliers.

I have the same problem, and it's definitely not the clasp, because clasps have a bad habit of working their way around to the front. It's the chain itself, and it happens with all types of fine chains. 

[mmswm]

Please don't read if you're squeamish about snakes...

There's a snake trapped in the office in my house.  I have NO clue how to trap/pick up/kick out a snake.  It's a harmless non-venomous little garden snake.  I hate snakes, but I'm not afraid of it.  I just have no clue how to go about getting it out of my parents' office.

[Elfmama]

Try sweeping it out the door.  If it goes into a coil, put a bucket upside down over it, slide a piece of cardboard under snake and bucket, and turn rightside up.  Holding cardboard onto bucket like a lid, take snake outside and release.

[Slartibartfast]

Please don't read if you're squeamish about snakes...

There's a snake trapped in the office in my house.  I have NO clue how to trap/pick up/kick out a snake.  It's a harmless non-venomous little garden snake.  I hate snakes, but I'm not afraid of it.  I just have no clue how to go about getting it out of my parents' office.

Reply in white for similar reasons:

Professionals have a long stick with a loop on it, similar to what animal control uses for dogs.  If you can't jury-rig something like that, the next best thing is to get something long and stiff like a serving spoon or a stick.  Press down on the snake's neck right behind its head, pinning the head to the ground.  Since it's hard to get the right spot on the first try, I suggest finding two serving spoons so you can pin it wherever you can reach and then work your way up as necessary    Once you have it pinned right behind the head, you can pick it up right behind the stick/spoon and the snake can't bite you.  Garter snakes will still pee on you (well, spray a smelly chemical to scare off predators).  If you can't carry it straight outside, you can put it in a bag (anything with a drawstring top and not made out of mesh) - the snake can't get any leverage to get out, and being in the dark inside the bag will calm it down long enough for you to transport it.  You kind of have to keep the bag suspended (held), though, so don't go putting it on the floor of your car or anything!

[RebeccainGA]

Please don't read if you're squeamish about snakes...

There's a snake trapped in the office in my house.  I have NO clue how to trap/pick up/kick out a snake.  It's a harmless non-venomous little garden snake.  I hate snakes, but I'm not afraid of it.  I just have no clue how to go about getting it out of my parents' office.

Put a small heating pad, on low, underneath a box on it's side. Make the room very cool (open a window if it's cold outside - shut the door if you have to keep the rest of the place from freezing). Leave. Come back in about an hour, snake should be in box. Take outside, away from house, look for bushes, empty box.

[mmswm]

I will try the heating pad under the box thing first.  I can't figure out a way to rig a snake handler's tool, though I'll keep searching through the tools in the garage and see if I can't find something.  My parents live on the edge of the Everglades, so I'm quite thankful this is a harmless little critter instead of any number of other things that aren't so harmless that could have found their way inside.  I really don't want to have to call out a professional, but I don't want to hurt it either.  Though, if I didn't mind if it got hurt and wouldn't mind the mess, I'd lock a cat or three in there and let nature take its course.

[Dazi]

Re: snake.  Double and triple check variety before attempting.

You can take a broom handle, wiggle it in front on their face, near the ground and when you have their attention, grab their tail end, pick them gently off the ground and put broom handle about the halfway point of their body.  Walk out, lower snake.

I just pick them up thumb behind the head, index finger under the jaw and use my other hand to gently pick up their bottom half.  Then again, I'm not snake squeamish in the least.

If I were closer, I 'd happily come over for snake relocation.   

[2littlemonkeys]

Re: snake.  Double and triple check variety before attempting.

You can take a broom handle, wiggle it in front on their face, near the ground and when you have their attention, grab their tail end, pick them gently off the ground and put broom handle about the halfway point of their body.  Walk out, lower snake.

I just pick them up thumb behind the head, index finger under the jaw and use my other hand to gently pick up their bottom half.  Then again, I'm not snake squeamish in the least.

If I were closer, I 'd happily come over for snake relocation.   

That's what I would do if it were a non-venomous snake.  We had to catch the snakes in our garden and relocate them for my mom when we were kids and that's pretty much how we did it.

[GreenEyedHawk]

Re-The Snake

Take a plastic soda bottle and rinse it out thoroughly.  Cut the top part off, like you're making a funnel, then turn it around and re-tape it onto the bottle so that the end where the cap would go is now inside.  Knowing what kind of snake it is, toss in something it likes to eat (perhaps a frozen/thawed pinky mouse, or some freeze-dried crickets.)  (the term "garden snake" is pretty all-encompassing so I'm not sure specifically what kind of snake you mean)

Set the bottle trap around where you saw the snake last, you'll probably have better luck around the outside edges of the room.  Then just leave it alone.  Check it once or twice a day and change out the bait regularly.

I've been keeping corn snakes for years as pets and they are very Houdini-like in their ability to escape.  A bottle trap is usually the first method anyone suggests for catching an escapee.  They get in, eat the bait, then either can't figure their way out again or are too full and lazy to try.

[mmswm]

Well, I've tried the heating pad and box thing.  The snake got into the box, but there's a reason these little boogers are called "little black racers".  Those suckers are fast.  It will cost $200 to get a pest removal company out here, and they would have to destroy the snake if they come out.  One of the companies advised a different method, which will kill it, but at this point, it's probably going to die anyway, since I'm having no luck capturing it on my own.

[perpetua]

In the UK in this situation you would call the RSPCA and they would come out and humanely trap the snake then take it somewhere to release. Do you not have anything like that in the US? (assuming this is where you are)

[violinp]

In the UK in this situation you would call the RSPCA and they would come out and humanely trap the snake then take it somewhere to release. Do you not have anything like that in the US? (assuming this is where you are)

As far as I know, the ASPCA will capture and release wild animals. Perhaps you could call them, mmswm.

[Shoo]

You need Billy the Exterminator!