Creepy Crawly Creepers
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (123295)
Gainesville, Florida
March 28, 2025 6:43pm CST
Say that title five times fast!
As many of you are aware from my last discussion, my son and I went on a week-long camping trip in a remote area of a national forest here in Florida. For the most part, the entire camping trip was uneventful, but there were a few surprises in store for us during the week.
The first night I was sleeping in my tent, I awoke in the middle of the night to a very small animal rummaging around at the back of my tent. It was by no means being noisy or trying to get into the tent, but I'm such a light sleeper that even the slightest noises wake me up. Anyway, I didn't bother checking to see what it was, but rolled over and went back to sleep all snuggled up inside my warm sleeping bag. I verified the next morning through examining tiny footprints in the sand behind my tent that it appeared to be a small field mouse. No big deal.
On the second night, I decided to set up a trail camera in front of my tent (facing my tent) to see if I could capture a photo of the little mouse or anything else wondering by my tent.
Wow, was I surprised the following morning when examining the trail camera footage! Slithering by less than a foot in front of the entrance to my tent was a huge rattlesnake! My tent is 7 feet wide, so this snake must have been at least 6 feet long (slightly less than 2 meters), as it was almost as long as the tent! And it had a small bulge in its belly, which tells me that the little field mouse probably was no more.
I am by no means terrified of snakes, but I was a little creeped out that such a huge venomous snake was in our campsite and so close to my tent. Had I not seen on the camera footage that the snake had eaten a meal that night, I would have been a little more freaked out.
But the snake and the mouse weren't our only visitors. We also had a raccoon stop by, but I'll save that discussion for another day.
My question to all of you was going to be to tell me about any visitors you have had on camping trips, but from my last discussion it seems that not many of you like to camp! haha. So, instead, my question to you is, have you had any run-ins with snakes (venomous or non-venomous) in your house, yard, work, etc? Or any other critters?
14 people like this
14 responses
@lovebuglena (45754)
• Staten Island, New York
29 Mar
A few times inside the house there was what looked like a salamander. The first time hubby noticed it and captured and released it outside. The second time I was home alone. It was wandering around the living room. No way was I gonna try to catch it or touch it. But I kept an eye on it. It never went up or down the stairs and yet at one point it just vanished, as if it never existed. I was hoping it’d reappear when hubby came home from work so he can get rid of it but it never did. I still don’t know where it went. And it never came back. I wonder how it got into the house.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
@lovebuglena Well, in the case of a wasp or bee, you could have been stung, so your are in your right mind to be more terrified of the insect than the reptile.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (45754)
• Staten Island, New York
29 Mar
@moffittjc I hope they will not return this summer. Last summer they were flying in and out of our siding and sometimes managed to get into the house too. I do not want that.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (45754)
• Staten Island, New York
29 Mar
@moffittjc I was less afraid of it than a wasp or a bee that was in my house last summer. Not sure exactly which it was.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (113690)
• Marion, Ohio
29 Mar
You know I have many critters roaming around here. The snakes are starting to move now that it's getting warmer. We have non venomous ones here
2 people like this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
I was going to ask you how to get the photos from the trail cam to my computer, since everything is saved on a SIMS card, but after looking at the trail cam I see there are USB ports, which I assume are so the camera can be hooked up to a computer to download the photos.
On the night the trail cam captured the photo of the rattlesnake, the temperature was only about 35-36 degrees. I was completely surprised that a snake would be moving around at night in such cold temperatures, unless by chance it had slithered over to the campfire beforehand to warm up.
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (113690)
• Marion, Ohio
29 Mar
@moffittjc Mine connect wirelessly to my phone through an app. I love that as I just walk to each camera and download to my phone and then erase them. But they do have memory cards too.
That is cool for a snake to be out. It could have been attracted by the fire.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
@wolfgirl569 I have older trail cams that don't have the ability to connect wirelessly. I think it may be time to upgrade! lol. Although my two cameras still work great.
This is the second year in a row that a snake has invaded our campsite. Last year, a 4-foot black rat snake went racing through our campsite at high speed when we were setting up our hammocks.
2 people like this
@kareng (71303)
• United States
29 Mar
When I was about 4 my mom picked me up from my aunt's house who kept me while she worked and we came home. My mom went into the bathroom to change out of her work clothes and immediately ran back out screaming to me to, "Come on, WE ARE GETTING OUT OF HERE!" There was a snake in the bathroom that she said was huge. She called my dad and told him we were not going back home until the snake was out of the house. Luckily he found it and got it out. It was non-poisonous, thank goodness.
1 person likes this
@kareng (71303)
• United States
29 Mar
@moffittjc Had to have come up through the sewer and toilet I presume.
Did you see or hear that the LSU Lady Basketball team is headed to Super 8?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
I wonder how "huge" that snake really was? Sometimes people exaggerate the threat when they are panicked or scared. I know I've done it before.
I'm sure it was scary for your mom no matter what. I would be freaked out too if I went into my bathroom and saw a snake.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Mar
@kareng My biggest fear is opening the toilet lid and finding a large snake sitting in there that came up through the sewer. Yikes!
I did see that LSU made it. There's some tough teams still left, but I hope they can represent the SEC well.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (143002)
• India
29 Mar
What an adventure that was. I suppose in situations like that it is no surprise to encounter such adventures.
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@allknowing (143002)
• India
30 Mar
@moffittjc But the thought that there could be snakes around as well may result in sleepless nights. 
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@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Mar
@allknowing But generally snakes avoid humans and don't attack us and try to eat us like bears and coyotes and such do. I'd rather take my chances with the snakes.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
As many snakes as there are in the area where were camping, surprisingly we have rarely come into contact with them. More often than not, it is animals (deer, bobcat, raccoons, etc) that seem to come roaming into or near our camp.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72824)
• United States
29 Mar
I saw a trash panda on my back porch on my security camera, munching on the cat food during the winter. I’ve seen plenty of things in the national parks that you expect to see (prairie dogs, bison, bears, elk). And yes, we had a (non poisonous) snake on our hiking path back in the days when I belonged to the local hiking group.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72824)
• United States
29 Mar
@moffittjc — Huntsville Alabama’s minor-league team is called the Rocket City Trash Pandas. 
. Raccoons are sooo cute…wish they could trade looks with those ugly-but-useful possums!
. Raccoons are sooo cute…wish they could trade looks with those ugly-but-useful possums!1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
@FourWalls That's hilarious that the baseball team named themselves the Trash Pandas. I love it! Now I want to become a fan of the team!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
You're the second person this week that has spoken the words "trash panda!" lol
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (144474)
• United States
29 Mar
You should try sleeping with one hand outside your tent and see what wakes you up just from the feel of it walking/slithering/
stomping on your hand. 
I'm positive you'd have fun tales for us then!
As a teenager, I set up a tent in our field and had some interesting visitors several times. (Dad, sneaking down to see what I was doing in the tent. He was disappointed I was asleep. 
Then, another night, dad sent one of my older brothers down to see what I was doing. Again, sleeping. Then there was the night one of the horses got too close to the tent and collapsed it on me while I was asleep. *sigh* All the fun stuff happened while I was asleep. )
stomping on your hand. I'm positive you'd have fun tales for us then!
As a teenager, I set up a tent in our field and had some interesting visitors several times. (Dad, sneaking down to see what I was doing in the tent. He was disappointed I was asleep. Then, another night, dad sent one of my older brothers down to see what I was doing. Again, sleeping. Then there was the night one of the horses got too close to the tent and collapsed it on me while I was asleep. *sigh* All the fun stuff happened while I was asleep. )1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (144474)
• United States
30 Mar
@moffittjc I prefer not to let them get too close. They carry the bacteria for leprosy.
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@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
Back in my Boy Scout days, there were many camping trips where we would sleep out under the stars. For the most part, nothing eventful ever happened, although one time I was awakened by an armadillo bumping into me as it was scurrying around (they have notoriously bad eyesight). Thankfully, no snakes ever curled up next to me for warmth.
I can't believe you just slept in your tent when you set it up! Where's all the fun in that? LOL
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Mar
@DaddyEvil I was terrified when I saw the armadillo, and I just froze up because I didn't know what to do. I just laid there like a frozen block of ice until the thing finally scurried away.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (162836)
• United States
29 Mar
We tend to get black snakes here. We have even stopped to let them cross the road. I like them because I do not have mice and rats here due to their diligence.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
I have a rat snake that lives in my yard (a rainbow snake, very beautiful) that I leave alone, because I know that as long as he is around, we won't have any rat/mice issues.
@Juliaacv (52711)
• Canada
29 Mar
Watching that footage would have sent me screaming for the hills, I am petrified of snakes and cannot fathom being so close to such a poisonous snake.
Last summer when we stayed in the cottage, we wandered one afternoon on the property, there were a few rows of cottages as well as an RV park and little fishing huts (without plumbing). We saw prints at the very back of the property, I took pictures of the prints as I hightailed it out of there when my husband suggested that they were bear tracks. Yup, no need to linger in that area, I was outta there quicker than you could blink an eye or the snake could gobble up the field mouse.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
Snakes used to bother me quite a bit, but I've had enough experience with them over the years to come to appreciate them more, and be less terrified of them. I was a little uneasy because the snake in our camp was a rattlesnake, but such is life. We were, honestly, invading his home in the woods, so out of fairness it was his territory to defend.
Every time we camp we see bear tracks all over the place, but so far we haven't come across any close enough to worry about.
1 person likes this
@rakski (134984)
• Philippines
30 Mar
@moffittjc that is true, it will make run back
but good for you, you stayed there despite those event and I am glad you are back safely
but good for you, you stayed there despite those event and I am glad you are back safely@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
Oh no, we stayed at that campsite for another 4 days. I did exercise a lot more caution when I was walking around the campsite thought. Not knowing where that snake was hiding during the day made us be a little more apprehensive about straying far from the camp fire.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (349379)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Mar
Does your tent have a floor so the snake couldn't get in the tent? I killed a snake just outside the front door once but unless they're near the house I leave them alone. I would have loved a trail camera when we lived on our acreage.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
Yes, my tent has a floor. It is sealed pretty well all around (mostly to make it mosquito proof). When inside the tent, I'm not worried about any creatures or critters getting in, except for bears. lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (349379)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Mar
@moffittjc That's good. Nothing worse surely than being trapped in a tent with something nasty.
@LindaOHio (185259)
• United States
29 Mar
I hope you keep your tent zipped up? When we were driving through Dismal Swamp in Virginia we saw a copperhead in front of the car. I wanted to get out and investigate; but they have flies there that are about an inch long. They were around the car; and I wasn't getting out. My husband didn't want me to investigate a venomous snake anyway.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
I keep my tent zipped up at all times, even during the day. Otherwise, mosquitoes and other insects would get inside and eat me alive at night!
The only experience I've ever had with a copperhead was one time when I was fishing. I had just caught a fish, removed it from the hook and set it down on the grass beside me. Within seconds, a copperhead appeared out of nowhere and was coming straight for me! Well, it was probably going for the fish, but it looked like it was hellbent on eating me! lol
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (185259)
• United States
30 Mar
@moffittjc I'm glad the copperhead didn't get you. I was more afraid of those giant flies than I was of the snake.
@Kosgey (1728)
•
29 Mar
Wow, that’s quite the camping experience!
A six-foot rattlesnake right outside your tent is definitely a bit unnerving, even if it had just finished a meal.
Good thing you had the trail camera set up otherwise, you might never have known just how close it got!
I haven’t had an encounter quite that intense, but I’ve definitely run into a few snakes before. Mostly harmless ones, but there was a time when a cobra (yes, a cobra!) was spotted near a friend’s house.
Let’s just say, nobody was feeling brave enough to investigate too closely!
I’d love to hear about that raccoon story too those little guys can be quite the troublemakers. Have you had any other memorable wildlife encounters while camping?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
There were two other times that quickly come to mind when thinking about other encounters while camping. One time, we were camping on the edge of a lake, and we woke up to an alligator sunning itself in our campsite right next to the camp fire! And another time, I was woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of something big rummaging through our campsite. We didn't dare get up to investigate, but the next morning we found bear tracks all over our campsite.
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
Yeah, I think the only thing that made me uneasy about the whole situation was not knowing where that rattlesnake was taking up residence in or near our campsite. We had to be extra careful from that point on about where we stepped and walked, especially when heading out into the bush to go to the bathroom.
1 person likes this
@porwest (98526)
• United States
30 Mar
@moffittjc Yeah, I hadn't thought about that, but you're right. It has to be living somewhere and it's probably nearby. I wouldn't want to accidentally step on it. lol
@MarieCoyle (42150)
•
29 Mar
I know you like ''roughing it'' in a tent, and I can't deny that tent camping is fun. But it's just not so comfortable, sleeping on the ground, so I will leave that for you to enjoy. But the rattlesnake would be a clincher for me, I would pack it up and be gone! Just a big NOPE from me!!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (123295)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Mar
I hate sleeping in a tent when camping, about 99% of the time I sleep in my backpacking hammock. Like you said, the ground is just too hard to sleep on. But in this case, I decided to use the tent instead of the hammock, even though I brought the hammock with me. Honestly, I should have just set the hammock up and slept in that. I probably would have been a lot safer, and more comfortable! lol
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (42150)
•
30 Mar
@moffittjc
If I slept in a hammock I would be eaten alive by mosquitoes! They love me!!
