Every year or so, usually in August, I discover some baby danger noodles in my kitchen. They're cute little wigglers, of the ring-necked black snake variety. There is a spot in my kitchen wall where a mama black snake squeezes in and lays a bunch of eggs, then goes away. The sun hits that wall and keeps the eggs nice and toasty until they hatch.

Most of the baby snakes go outside, but there's a tiny spot where they can get into my house. I'd have to remove my kitchen cabinets to find where that little hole is. A couple wander indoors and hit the linoleum, then squiggle around because they can't get any momentum on the slick floor.

I collect them in a jar and bring them outside and drop them somewhere on my five acres of forest. Black snakes don't bother people (although they can look scary...there's a five-foot tree-climbing black snake that I see every so often.) They eat bugs, mice, and other pests, so I'm happy to have more hanging around.

As far as baby snakes go, if they're of the poisonous variety like the western diamondback rattlesnake, they can be particularly dangerous. Adult snakes squirt just a bit of venom with each bite in case they need to defend against multiple attackers. Baby snakes can dump everything with one bite, delivering much more than an adult.

If you see a baby snake, make sure you know it's not dangerous before you get up close to admire its cuteness. And please, make sure any pets you have with you are safe,

Fe