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Black rat snake tried to trick me

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
5,944
Was hiking today with the mrs. when we spotted a large black rat snake in the trail catching some rays, I went in for a closer look, but he was being basfull so he slithered into a brush pile...As I approached the brush pile he began to shake his tail within the leaf litter producing a sound that could easily be mistaken for a rattle snake. I've heard of non- venemous snakes doing this before but this is the first time I've ever seen it. Just though it was cool and worth sharing.
 
We have fox snakes here in Illinois that do the same thing, yet you can pick them up without them getting too aggressive.
 
I have a pet corn snake that did that once. . . I slipped and dropped the lid into his aquarium as I was putting it back on and really freaked him out. I think I've heard that hog nosed snakes use the same trick as well as a few others, including flattening their neck/head like a cobra, hissing and eventually playing dead.
 
Hey Guys..

RR..

Fox snakes do Exactly the same thing,, even the little ones...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
You SURE there wasn't a Rattler in there as well:D

All snakes tend to freak me out, I can't get over the urge to swing my stick at them when hiking, stupid I know:eek:
 
Snakes are interesting to watch as are most animals. All part of the outdoor education on plants and animals. Lots to learn if you're interested. I have gotten over the urge to swing my hiking staff at every snake I see a long time ago.
 
Well, ome really interesting aspect of this encounter. Was how hard the snake worked to avoid an encounter. My wife is a competitive runner so she usually leads me by about 10 yards,and she had stepped right over him as he was completely frozen the 15 sec delay it took for me to catch up was when he decided to make a break fo it....It did cross my mind there also might be a rattler around, or that I might have misidentified the snake. but I've been infomally studying, observing and reading about snakes for a while so after a brief moment of self doubt I felt confident in my assessment.
 
I've read that copperheads also vibrate their tails in leaves, in order to attract mice. Never seen a copperhead doing that though.

Once I had a 6' chicken snake in my attic. Wouldn't have know he was there, but repeatedly heard the noise from him shaking his tail. I think he was doing it to attract rodents, since there was nothing threatening him.

In Arkansas the hognose snakes are refered to as "puff adder". They'll stand up and spread their throats to look like a cobra. First time I saw one, it scared the hell out of me.

Hiking along with a female friend, we came across a "puff adder" / hognose snake on the trail. He stood up and did the cobra immitation. I'd been told that if you poke them, they'll roll over and play dead, sometimes even vomit. So I wanted to show off my friend and get the snake to play dead. But he never did - just kept hissing louder, cobra immitation getting better, and swaying back and forth towards us. Convinced it was a real cobra, we walked way around and didn't bother him further. LOL.

-Bob
 
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