Identification Please

"Sarnic, are you buuuusssy?????" 

….it's always a bit disconcerting when coworkers refer to me by name...and ask if I'm busy.

Course, I do like it when they call me by name instead of saying "Petcare to Birds" because like...if I'm the only one in the department....why not use my name? I'm the only one there to help.

*shakes head*

But when I'm not the only one in my department it is....weird to hear my name.

Of course it always means that they need me to do something. Most often help customers.

But in this situation. The way my coworker said my name....had me a bit on edge.

Like I was about to acquiest to some troublesome task that I would end up regretting. 

*shakes head*

So I was like "No?? But your tone of voice has me concerned"

She had a customer up at the register.

Who had found a snake in her yard.

And wanted someone to help her identify the type of snake it was. 

Which. O.o I never understand why people do this....

Like we're a PET store. Not a WILD animal store. 

Therefore. If you caught it in the wild....more than likely we won't know what type of creature it was. 

Still.

I was hoping as I came up that the customer hadn't ended up capturing a rattlesnake. :S At least I'd hope that they'd recognize that type of snake at least.

It wasn't a rattlesnake.

*sigh of relief* 

The woman had a snake...probably two or three feet long, coiled up in a bottle. 

As her daughter had been mowing the lawn, and moved some netting (bird netting) out of the way and had found the snake stuck in the netting.

Poor thing had it's mouth all tangled up.

-And as much as I wanted to help out the snake out....there was no way I was going to try and free it in the middle of the store when I didn't even know what type of snake it was.

Looking at it though.

It looked like a Gopher snake.

As I remembered Gopher snakes looked similar to rattlesnakes...they just don't have the rattle on the tail. 

-And as I learned from my brother. If the eyes are big and round....they're safe. If the eyes are slitted that's when they're dangerous. 

But again.

I didn't want to risk telling her the snake was safe and have it turn out to be dangerous.

As her daughter was wanting to keep the snake. 

So best to make sure.

So I ended up calling my brother.

Because he's obsessed with snakes, and has caught wild ones before.

And sent him some pictures of the snake so he could see it.

Yep.

He confirmed my suspicions. He too believed it was a Gopher snake. 

So I told the customer this.

Told her that they were good for keeping rattlesnakes away.

And she left the store to free the snake from the netting...and decide from there whether or not she would let her daughter keep it or release it.

Pretty sure she was leaning towards releasing it. 

*shrugs*

But at least I was able to help her out. ^^;; 

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi