Her is your post. I could reply on my phone from work as I do not type that well.
If a rat snake can each 9-12lbs of rodents eat yer then think about how many pounds a Fox can eat.
If they are full of ticks think about how many ticks is that Fox is eliminating.
You say "Speaking of ticks, Some smaller species consume up to 4000 ticks in a single year" Are you saying the snake is actually eating the tick or eating the rodent that ate the tick or eating the rodent that has the ticks on them? Whichever way the Fox wins.
You say "They have been proven to help control the grasshoper (sp) population which can be incredibly invasive." So are you saying snakes eat grasshoppers? I have read some small ones do but grasshoppers have never been an issue for me especially in my house. I occasional annoying cricket yes.
You say.....It's just a matter of whether you want to educate yourself or not........ Well I am pretty well educated and I have yet to see any documentation that proves if all snakes were eliminated the balance of life would be upset, we would starve and be eaten by rats.
Everything you quoted of me is fact, and easily verifiable, including the bit on crickets. Just because they've never bothered you doesn't mean they can't be invasive if not kept in balance.
A snake eats less than a fox....well duh. There are also undoubtedly more snakes in a given area than fox.
I see snakes all over the area by my pond and greenhouse but there sure aren't any fox running around the same area. Regardless, just because one species outperforms another doesnt make the lesser species invaluable. Its called a
balance and they all play a role.
Like I said, you can educate yourself on the matter If you like. Or don't, and continue to make pointless claims on a chainsaw forum until the other guy goes away, and you "win" as you see it.