# Why we should never kill non-venomous snakes !!!!!



## Jody Hawk

I know some of y'all say the only good snake is a dead snake. Well I came upon something today that I have always wanted to see and thankfully I had the camera with me. I came across this black racer eating a timber rattler. He probably had him half way down when I first saw it. As I was getting these pictures he spit him out and took off !!!!!! Now get this, the rattler layed there for a few minutes and then he came to, coiled up and started rattling at me ready to strike. I finished him off for good !!! Folks, don't kill non-venomous snakes !!!!!!!


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## Jody Hawk

Another shot !!!!


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## Jody Hawk

He spat him out !!!!!!!!!!


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## Jody Hawk

Rattler revived and ready to strike !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## DCHunter

That's something you don't see everyday...very cool!!! .You didn't get an after the shot picture?


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## Wade Chandler

That's one of the coolest series of pictures I've seen on here.  I'm glad you had your camera with you!!!


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## KillABiggin

Wow..that was cool...just like the discovery channel..good job


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## doenightmare

Did you kill the rattler?


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## Nicodemus

Unbelievable set of pics Jody! I would consider myself lucky to be able to witness that.
That black snake looks to be a black phase King Snake or an Indigo. I don`t think the Indigo ranges that far up into Georgia though.

Thanks for postin` those!


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## Jody Hawk

DCHunter said:


> You didn't get an after the shot picture?



No but how 'bout "after the rake"?


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## Arrow3

awesome pics jody!!


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## Bruz

Incredible set of pics!!!

That's a once in a Lifetime event for sure.

I've seen a King finishing up a Red Bellied Water Snake before (no camera) but never a common Racer and a Timber Rattler.

Thanks for posting.


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## Jody Hawk

nicodemus said:


> That black snake looks to be a black phase King Snake or an Indigo.



Nic,
I'm thinking indigo. Any black snake around here is a black racer.  

Folks,
I do accept tips for going out and capturing the action fer y'all !!!!!!


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## Nicodemus

If Woodys has a "PIC OF THE YEAR" contest, that one will for sure get my vote!!


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## Jody Hawk

Why thanks Nic. That's why I had to rush home and post these for y'all instead of scouting like I went down there to do.


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## FERAL ONE

jody, you killed a JONAH rattler!!!! that thing had a bad day twice !!!


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## gacowboy

Great pictures Jody, lucky you had your camera to share these.


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## HuntinTom

Now that's something right there!  Great pictures Jody...


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## elfiii

Outstanding pictures. That was an opportunity of a lifetime. Glad you took care of the "bad guy" too!


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## shaggybill

Wow, awesome pics Jody. That's a once in a lifetime sight right there. I wish you had let the rattler live, but I'm glad you thought of all of us back here and took pictures of the show. Great stuff. 

Do you mind if I show these pictures on a reptile forum I visit frequently? I'll credit you with the pics, of course. I will be posting them over on that site instead of bringing them here because you'd never hear the end of it for killing the rattler.  haha.

By the way, you're right. It's a southern black racer.


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## Jody Hawk

shaggybill said:


> Do you mind if I show these pictures on a reptile forum I visit frequently? I'll credit you with the pics, of course.



No problem Shaggybill.


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## Hoss

Neat set of pictures.  Thanks for sharing em cause it's not likely I'd see a sight like that any other way.  

Hoss


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## R Smith

Jody,
I had seen several snakes eat'n other snakes in the wild, but to have one spit out and revived! WOW!  You are fortunate indeed.

Great pics.


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## Jody Hawk

R Smith said:


> Jody,
> I had seen several snakes eat'n other snakes in the wild, but to have one spit out and revived! WOW!  You are fortunate indeed.
> 
> Great pics.



R Smith,
I was always taught that they constrict their prey and kill it before they eat it. This proves that they also eat their prey alive !!!!!


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## shaggybill

Thanks, Jody.

This thread reminds me. Couple days ago I found a kingsnake that had a pretty nasty open hole in its side. I took it home and dressed up its wound and put it in an aquarium with a rat snake. About 8am the next morning a noise woke me up and sure enough, that kingsnake had swallowed the head of the rat snake and they were wrestling around. I checked back at 11am and they were still going at it. Finally around 1pm the rat snake stopped moving and the kingsnake gulped him down. Took about an hour to get him all the way down. Pretty neat to watch, and a good sign that the kingsnake will remain healthy.


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## ultramag

That is an awsome sight Jody!!!Goes to show you that you need a camera in the truck all the time.You never know what you might see.


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## fatboy84

Best series of pics, hands down......Absolutely awesome.


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## matthewsman

*super picture sequence*

 You and I have the same deer cart too.....


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## ed'sboy

Fabulous series of pics. Animal Planet at its finest.


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## Woody

Great shots Jody. -- Thanks for sharing.

Another reason to keep the camera handy.


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## Booner Killa

Best pics I've seen on here Jody. That was awesome. I can't believe the rattler came too. That rattler really had a rough day. I got killed twice!!!!


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## Dixie Dawg

Wow!! Awesome pics!!!

Any idea why he would have spit him out instead of finishing the meal?


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## Jody Hawk

Dixie Dawg said:


> Any idea why he would have spit him out instead of finishing the meal?



Black racers are very afraid of humans. When I walked up to him he started regurgitating him so he could get away.


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## Sixes

Incredible pics!


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## Bruz

Jody Hawk said:


> Nic,
> I'm thinking indigo. Any black snake around here is a black racer.
> :



Jody,

If you look at the ridge above the eyes it's a dead give away for a common Black Racer...kinda looks like a lizard....The King and Indigo both have a flat and broad head.


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## Bruz

Dixie Dawg said:


> Wow!! Awesome pics!!!
> 
> Any idea why he would have spit him out instead of finishing the meal?



All snakes will regurgitate(sp?) when they feel a threat is nearby because they can't defend themselves while they have their mouths full....I had a Burmese that was so skittish that I had to leave him alone in the dark for 2 days after every meal.


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## LJay

Jody, you da man!!!!


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## brinkf350

Can you say LUNCH!


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## GeauxLSU

That certainly has to be the rarest event captured on film posted on here.  Good stuff Jody.  Thanks.


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## butterbean7008

Glad you had a camera. Great pics.


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## Dixie Dawg

Thanks for the info, Jody & Bruz!  Learn something new on here every day!!


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## leo

*Awesome set of pics Jody*

Thanks for sharing them and the unique experience with us


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## Jasper

Jody,

That's an awesome sight you witnessed. I would have done exactly as you did. GON might be interested in running those pics if you're interested. Give em a call.


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## Bubba_1122

That's definately one cool set of pics. 

Thanks for sharing em.


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## DSGB

That's awesome! Too bad he couldn't finish his meal, though.


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## flintdiver

Jody,

I once came upon a hognosed snake down in the Appalachicola Forest that had just obviously eaten a meal. The snake proceeded to regurge a nice sized toad. The funny thing was, after a minute or so, the toad literally used his front little legs and feet to wipe the slime and gunk from his eyes, and off he went. What a lucky day for him !


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## the HEED!

I never kill a snake period they all have a function in nature, I remove the VENOMUS type far away in the woods, snake arent poisonous they are venomous, there is a difference, if they were poisonus then a king snake couldnt eat a rattler


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## W4DSB

very cool pictures , but i can't beleive the rattler is all stretched out just waiting to be swallowed!


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## SlipperyHill Mo

Those are some cool pics Jody!!!!!


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## SBG

Jody Hawk said:


> Now get this, the rattler layed there for a few minutes and then he came to, coiled up and started rattling at me ready to strike.



Ungrateful cuss!


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## MOTS

Nice pics! What if the black racer was eating him tail first and the rattler decided he would eat the racer starting at his tail. What would be the results?


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## Jody Hawk

MOTS said:


> What if the black racer was eating him tail first and the rattler decided he would eat the racer starting at his tail. What would be the results?


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## FERAL ONE

"What if the black racer was eating him tail first and the rattler decided he would eat the racer starting at his tail. What would be the results?"  

mots it would be a gnarly lookin' hoola hoop


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## Sugar Hill Scouter

Amazing !!! Consider yourself fortunate to have witnessed it...


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## Bruz

MOTS said:


> Nice pics! What if the black racer was eating him tail first and the rattler decided he would eat the racer starting at his tail. What would be the results?




It would look cool but snakes never eat tail first...Always head first.


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## short stop

Great Pics  Jody !!!! Man Ive seen some stuff in my time  and knew   they ate Rattlers  but Ive never seen it  ---ever . Love that after the  Rake  shot  .


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## Jody Hawk

Bruz said:


> ...Always head first.



Bruz is right, always head first !!!!


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## Holton

Good picture! Yes glad you had your camera.


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## rip18

Really neat series!!!  Glad you had your camera & glad you shared!!!!


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## EAGLE EYE 444

Jody,
I have seen it happen before but it was a long time ago, about 30 years or so.  It was with a King snake eating a Cotton Mouth at the time.  Thanks for sharing such great pics that most would NEVER get to see otherwise.


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## Jody Hawk

I've had several folks pm me asking about my new avatar. Thought I'd bump it up for the newer folks who haven't seen this thread. Here's another shot of it that I didn't originally post. I actually thought this was the best picture. Don't know how I missed it the first time.


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## NorthGaBowhunter

I thought I new a lot about snakes, I did not know black racers were canables like king snakes. I have seen king snakes eat snakes . but that is a grown black racer.


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## Arrow3

I wanted to bump this back up....Me, Jody,and Hambone got to talking about this when we seen a black snake saturday while running the dogs...


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## cpowel10

These pics are so neat it deserves a bump


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## Tulip

I'm thinkin that is an indigo snake not a black racer. Indigos eat other snakes alive and dont contrict them like other snakes. They are also the largest native snake in North America.


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## puredrenalin

Very interesting series of pix....that is just too cool!!! Thank you for sharing them!!


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## dawg2

Jody Hawk said:


> R Smith,
> I was always taught that they constrict their prey and kill it before they eat it. This proves that they also eat their prey alive !!!!!



My wife, two sons, and I watched a black racer beat a timber rattler against a tree for a couple of minutes to stun it, then swallowed him up right in front of us.  It was a sight to see.  Those pics are awesome.  Great catch on film!  Kings are constrictors and will squeeze their prey, but racers like to bash theirs.


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## shaggybill

Tulip said:


> I'm thinkin that is an indigo snake not a black racer. Indigos eat other snakes alive and dont contrict them like other snakes. They are also the largest native snake in North America.



The snake is definitely a racer. Despite their scientific name _Coluber constrictor_, racers don't constrict their prey. Most of the time, they just swallow them alive.


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