Arizona Black Rattlesnake!

[AZjeff]

Out riding in the woods this morning on the mountain bike and came across this fine specimen. A 3 foot Arizona Black Rattlesnake stretched across the trail. He started to move off when I went back to get a pic then he gave me a little warning when I was 8' away. The Black is somewhat rare, I've seen 3 live and 1 dead in the same general area so I guess there's a thriving population there. This was deep in the forest and he went off to live his life. This is why we don't let our dogs run off leash when hiking here. A neighbor lost a beautiful German Shepard last summer to a snakebite because she likes to let her dogs run.

 

[DCDG]

Why Didn’t you kill it

 

[AZjeff]

No reason to, I was on it's home turf. Like I said it was deep in the woods doing it's own thing. If it can't live there then where? If it was in front of our house where it had to come up the street across other properties that's different.

 

[Boomer]

Never kill a snake! They control the rodent population. Respect them and give the poisonous a wide berth but let them live to do their thing.

 

[fdcg27]

Yep, leave him alone and he'll leave you alone.
No good reason to go after a snake in its normal habitat and the snakes were living there long before any people.
Not like it was on your doorstep.

 

[JGmazda]

Sheesh.... Let's just kill everything that "could" hurt us. It's called nature. In many ways, we are entering their territory. Respect for nature and understanding that everything has a role in the ecosystem. OP - I'm very happy you let the snake do it's thing! Good for you.

 

[Pablo]

Respect and avoid = yep

Get in for a close "inspection" = NOPE!! SNEK!!

 

[ClutchDisc]

Beautiful snake! Thanks for the photos!

 

[AZjeff]

Respect and avoid = yep

Get in for a close "inspection" = NOPE!! SNEK!!

These Blacks are a bit testy, I've seen 3 and they all have been defensive. Cameras have zoom and crop no reason to get close.

 

[User_19876]

Beautiful animal.

 

[BobsArmory]

Those are really good to cook. I would never pass up the oportunity .

 

[ripcord]

Snek tas lik chikn!

Or at least that's what I've heard. I'll take folks' word for it, though.

 

[alarmguy]

Sheesh.... Let's just kill everything that "could" hurt us. It's called nature. In many ways, we are entering their territory. Respect for nature and understanding that everything has a role in the ecosystem. OP - I'm very happy you let the snake do it's thing! Good for you.

Agree! Drives me nuts in my community. Think about it, some humans = defective, kill anything they don’t like, even each other.

 

[kballowe]

We have a lot of black snakes. Not black rattlesnakes. Just black snakes.

 

[4wd]

Why Didn’t you kill it

Because the hot looking wind turbine lawyer was not there?

 

[Arc]

I have to disagree with the don't kill a poisonous snake crowd. Those snakes are dangerous.

 

[Pablo]

I have to disagree with the don't kill a poisonous snake crowd. Those snakes are dangerous.

Let's say you have a build up around the house, where the kids play. Yes, agree.

Trail, way out in the sticks. No point.

Just generally killing native species ALWAYS has negative consequences

 

[Urshurak776]

Infestation in my yard with the kids and dogs - DEAD. If it's just one in a blue moon, I chase them out of yard with a long pole. Rattlers aren't much of an issue around me, but we get copper heads.

Out in the wild - No. That's his home, not mine. I'm the intruder.

 

[Arc]

Let's say you have a build up around the house, where the kids play. Yes, agree.

Trail, way out in the sticks. No point.

Just generally killing native species ALWAYS has negative consequences

They don't stay out on the trail. That little dog in my pic was bitten four times right outside my back door and I never did find the snake and have never seen one near my house in the thirty years I've lived here. I'm not just against poison snakes because it killed my dog, it's because they are dangerous. Even out in the woods I occasionally run across a rattle snake or copperhead and I dispatch them immediatly so next time they can't catch me by surprise. If you see one there is a ton more nearby.

 

[Arc]

Infestation in my yard with the kids and dogs - DEAD. If it's just one in a blue moon, I chase them out of yard with a long pole. Rattlers aren't much of an issue around me, but we get copper heads.

Out in the wild - No. That's his home, not mine. I'm the intruder.

That copperhead believes you are the intruder and he will come back into your yard. Lately in my area you have to watch out for bears and coyotes. Kentucky's forestry department is clear cutting hundreds of thousands of acres of land and the wildlife is moving into residential areas.