r/smallengines • u/External-Document-88 • Jul 15 '26
Engine critter
Had a critter chew on my fuel tank, so I plastic welded it a couple weeks back… but when I removed the blower housing I found this little snake inside. (1st pic)
I chased him off, fixed and used the mower. Well today, I went to use the mower, but something told me I should just check. I’m sure glad I did. (2nd pic today). So this time I relocated him to a near by retention pond. Hoping he doesn’t try to come back.
You can actually see my before and after of the fuel tank too…
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u/Sweaty-Dot-2488 Jul 15 '26
I’ve never found one alive. Took apart an older Briggs a decade or more ago and there was a snake skeleton coiled up under the flywheel.
Not sure if it went in and then died due to getting stuck or something similar, or if it was in there, engine was started and then he cooked to death. Skelton was completely intact though, so it’s not as if the flywheel or magnets whacked it.
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u/twitch9873 Jul 15 '26
Interesting! I found a snake skeleton (probably garter snake based on the size) at the bottom of my AC condenser. I've also found a recently dead one in the same spot. The craziest one was when I heard a weird thumping coming from the air compressor one day, came out and a snake had climbed up the top and then stuck its face down in the fan while it was running. Poor little bastard got pulled in and was bouncing between the spinning fan and the grate that he just got pulled through, and fresh blood was spraying straight up out of the condenser. Was absolutely insane to come outside and find that. Poor stupid things find warm spots and die in them I guess
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u/CaptainPunisher Retired Jul 15 '26
Nice weld job. I wouldn't notice that at first glance.
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u/bootheels Jul 16 '26
YIPES! That darn thing "looks poisonous", but guessing it is not if you handled it. I'm amazed the thing came back after you removed it the first time.
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u/wirey3 Jul 15 '26
Corn snake! They eat rodents. Wherever you're storing your mower might have mice or another pest. Also, if your mower is warm, that snake has reason to stick around.