Never kill a black snake! (Graphic)

[Woodland Detectors]

My buddy who lives here in Swannanoa just emailed me these photos of why you don't kill black snakes. I have always been told that they will kill and eat venomous snakes. I just have always thought this to be myth!

Now we know.

This is also why we don't venture in these woods, metal detecting this time of year. This occurred less than 1 mile from where I sit typing.

 

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[ivan salis]

ya black snake

 

[bootybay]

That is one HUGE black snake.. holey moley

 

[Frankn]

They eat copper heads right over the line from me in PA. I have seen 6' long ones on my property. Guess they ate all the poison ones on the Md. side of the line. I have never seen a poison snake on my property. They also eat rats and mice.

​

 

[RGINN]

Nice pics. Nice rattler too, and notice the black & white banding near the rattles. That's what I stay alert for cause I can spot that easier in the woods or the prairie. A black and white combination in nature is a danger indicator, and even the color blind can spot it. Rattlesnake tails, skunks, Oklahoma Highway Patrol cars, all black and white and good to stay away from. I thought maybe the black snake was going to start on that garden hose for dessert.

 

[lumbercamp]

That would be a king snake eating the rattlesnake. The common black rat snake and black racer snake that we have in Penna are not known to eat venomous snakes. My daughter said what a pretty snake. I taught my kids to not be afraid of snakes.

 

[RGINN]

...and that is why they're called 'King' snakes, lumbercamp. Good info.

 

[Bramblefind]

Yikes!! You go King Snake! Those are fantastic pics.

 

[VOL1266-X]

Very interesting Mike!!! It amazes me how quick black snakes are. They can cover ground very quickly. I'm sure that many relic hunters get bitten by poisonous snakes each year. Be careful out there, Quindy.

 

[truckinbutch]

Awesome pics ! I was taught from toddler stage that there is no wrong way to kill a rattler or a copperhead . Others were to be allowed to go about their business unmolested .

 

[Shortstack]

Those black King snakes are our friends, but they also look a lot like a cottonmouth moccasin. You have to look at the shape of the head; looking for the viper shape. Cottonmouths are not afraid of man and will actually come after you if they haven't eaten in a while because when they're on the hunt, they do not back down from anything. They are BORN with a very BAD attitude.

 

[River Rat]

Cottonmouths are not afraid of man and will actually come after you if they haven't eaten in a while because when they're on the hunt, they do not back down from anything. They are BORN with a very BAD attitude.

That's the truth!!! I DO NOT want to get chased by a cottonmouth never, ever again.

I watched a moccasin eat a fish like this. I don't think I could stomach watching the snake eating another snake. Ugh! I'll probably have nightmares tonight.

RR

 

[Shortstack]

Cottonmouths are not afraid of man and will actually come after you if they haven't eaten in a while because when they're on the hunt, they do not back down from anything. They are BORN with a very BAD attitude.

That's the truth!!! I DO NOT want to get chased by a cottonmouth never, ever again.

I watched a moccasin eat a fish like this. I don't think I could stomach watching the snake eating another snake. Ugh! I'll probably have nightmares tonight.

RR

LOL. My cousin and I would often shoot cottonmouths with a .22 rifle. We'd sneak up to the edge of a slough pond, then stomp the ground a bit. The vibrations would make the snakes come to the surface to investigate, then they'd start swimming towards us. We'd shoot some with head shots, then run off to another pond and do the same thing. We'd NEVER wait for them to get to the bank of the ponds, because they're a hell of a lot faster on land than in the water.

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

Only ever got one cotton mouth to go away without having to kill it. It was not full grown but it kept striking at me and wouldn't leave the area i was working so I waited for it's mouth to open for a strike then flicked in a lit cigarette butt. He left. siegfried schlagrule

 

[WilliamBoyd]

King snakes, too.

 

[RGINN]

I see that, shortstack, they do resemble a cottonmouth. All water snakes are territorial. Cottonmouths and regular non-venomous water snakes, too. They're very curious and check out everything that pops up in their territory. Cottonmouths are closely related to copperheads, so if you have the water moccasins you might also have the copperheads, but farther back from the water. Water snakes have teeth that are curved backward, and they love to bite, not strike. In other words, they will clamp down, and hang on. If they're really po'd, they'll start trying to rake backwards which slashes the flesh. I've been bitten by a diamond back water snake before, and it was like having a bulldog latch on to my hand. I don't have a lot of experience with cottonmouths, but I would imagine they would be more the type to just strike and go.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Your right Mike never kill a black snake, instead take 2 with you next time you go detecting in the woods then you are sure to be safe from the rattlers

SS

 

[kuger]

I was going to say,"send some black snakes my way!!",but we have King snakes only ours are black and white.I catch em and bring them home when I can

http://www.lodwick.com/images/California King Snake.jpg

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Man 'o Man. No wonder there's so many tot lot bandits this time of year. We see a lot of black snakes here where I live, but never anything poisonous. (Yet) Those images sure make my recliner look a whole lot more comfortable!!!

 

[Shortstack]

A big advantage the King snake has over the vipers is that the vipers' venom has no effect on them. If you look at those pictures again, you can see the King's technique. They'll grab the viper behind it's head and break it's neck, then starts swallowing it head first......never tail first. The King is a constrictor similar to boas .