Today’s feature is a series of pictures that show how rattlesnakes court. They intertwine, twist, writhe, raise up and then fall to earth in a effort to exhaust the opposite sex. If the male outlasts the female then they copulate.
Baby rattlesnakes are born with the ability to inject venom. Rattlesnakes are commonly called poisonous when they should be more accurately described as venomous.
What do you do in Texas when you see such a spectacular sight? Well, first you shoot the rascals…
Comments
10 responses to “Mating Rattlesnakes”
First off, this is not a “mating” ritual it is a male combat ritual during the mating season. To shoot these creatures is criminal….for what reason??
That’s just terrible- shoot them because you can?! As hunters, we need to be careful that we don’t perpetuate the stereotype of “blindly shooting everything that moves”. Unfortunately, that’s the impression I got from the last bit of this article.
Idiot!
I wander while anyone would call this man an idiot. Or suggest that there is something wrong with shooting them. I am an avid hunter and if a rattlesnake crosses my path I am going to kill it and it has nothing to do with hunting. These snakes are very deadly and are multiplying at an unusual rate it seems. As dry weather as been dominating our areas in Texas rattlesnakes are making a strong appearance. Many cases not even rattling when you come in the same area. People should know that these animals are not an endangered species and as I said are numerous in count and need to be controlled. I am just stunned that people would see why this was needed.
Whatever ritual it was, seeing this kind of action in person just today was definitely awe-inspiring; however, where you have rattlesnakes, you also have the possibility of them biting either cattle, your dogs, or yourself, (if you happen to live on a farm or ranch, as I do). I actually had one come after me about 4 years ago. Everywhere I went to get out of the way, it went. Luckily I didn’t get bit! I had a dachsund die after being bitten 3 times on the head at one time.
I have also had another one of my dogs, a big mutt named Tuffy, get bit 3 separate times. (Twice on the head, and the 3rd time on the lower front leg.) He was missing for 3 days, and when he finally made it home, he was in pretty bad shape. The hair was gone, the skin was sloughing off, the muscle was definitely decaying. Was a very expensive vet trip and after we got him home, I had to treat his leg, clean it, re-wrap, etc. every day until he improved. Amazingly enough, he didn’t lose his leg; but he did lose some muscle. While the muscle didn’t regrow, his skin grew back over it, and some of the hair grew back. It was a horrible mess to take care of. Grandpa always swore by a mixture of bacon grease (olive oil works too) and milk as a curative for animals if you can get them to drink it. The grease absorbs the venom and the milk helps shoot it out of the system. (Or was it the other way around?) At any rate, it worked for Tuffy.
The guy who reads our water meter got bit on the hand while reading a meter on someone elses property. He’s still off on workman’s comp.
After experiencing all this, I have no problem with shooting them, either for my animals protection or my own!!!
Oh, yeah – they were both about 4′ 10″-11″ long. One had 4 rattles and a broken button, the other had 10 rattles and a broken button….
Great pics and i agree with killing them 100%!!!
why the fuck do you want to shoot them it they are not part of your hunting…. then u might as well shoot people that u don’t like… I SOOOOOOO HOPE SOMEONE SHOOTS YOU FOR FUN, MAKE U SUFFER AND THEN KILL YOUR FAMILY TOO BECAUSE THAT’S HOW FEEL ABOUT YOU WANKERS.
Carl,
How would you like it if we wished you to be bitten by a over populated venomous snake? How do you know the hunters aren’t eating the kill?! And if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, my food poops on your food.
Good day.
Agreed, this is combat between males with the female nearby.
I won’t say don’t kill, as they are dangerous, but it’s not always necessary.