# snakes locked up wrestling



## Loohan (Jun 18, 2016)

Hard to say exactly who is getting the better of whom:




Neither of them was moving.
Software won't let me upload 2nd pic...


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## Loohan (Jun 18, 2016)

This is a different black snake than the ones i've mentioned on another thread. Smaller. With a copperhead.

I tickled the copperhead a bit with a leaf. It tensed up and shifted a bit when i did that.


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## cmacusa3 (Jun 18, 2016)

Looks like the black one was eating the copperhead


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## Loohan (Jun 18, 2016)

After reflecting a bit, i decided i'd better go help that black snake. I got my loppers and pruned away the excess copperhead sticking out. Now you can see the black snake's head, which seems to be on the copperhead's neck. Both are still moving slightly. The copperhead is still dangerous. But now the black snakes chances have improved.


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## cmacusa3 (Jun 18, 2016)

That black one is a Speckled King Snake.


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## cmacusa3 (Jun 18, 2016)

The Do and will eat venomous snakes. Good snake to have around.


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## Vladsfriend (Jun 18, 2016)

Loohan said:


> After reflecting a bit, i decided i'd better go help that black snake. I got my loppers and pruned away the excess copperhead sticking out. Now you can see the black snake's head, which seems to be on the copperhead's neck. Both are still moving slightly. The copperhead is still dangerous. But now the black snakes chances have improved.
> 
> View attachment 177636


For the record, that King Snake needed no help. It was the Copperhead that was being eaten. I tend to think all snakes are good snakes to have around. But I understand the desire to remove a possibly dangerous creature from your property. 

Either way, those are cool pics. You don't see that everyday! Thanks for uploading.


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## Loohan (Jun 18, 2016)

Ah, so. Yes, about 14 years ago i heard racket in the shrubbery, and found a large King snake (forget the color) with it's mouth clamped on a big copperhead's neck, slowly working the latter's head down into the former's mouth.

Took another pic. The King is holding open the jaws of the copperhead.


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## leigti (Jun 18, 2016)

Loohan said:


> After reflecting a bit, i decided i'd better go help that black snake. I got my loppers and pruned away the excess copperhead sticking out. Now you can see the black snake's head, which seems to be on the copperhead's neck. Both are still moving slightly. The copperhead is still dangerous. But now the black snakes chances have improved.
> 
> View attachment 177636


"Pruned away the excess copperhead" eeewwww!


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## leigti (Jun 18, 2016)

I wonder if the king snake would eat the pruned off part of the copperhead? He would probably appreciate having his whole dinner.


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## Loohan (Jun 18, 2016)

leigti said:


> I wonder if the king snake would eat the pruned off part of the copperhead? He would probably appreciate having his whole dinner.



Yeah, i had tossed it some distance away, then felt guilty for depriving the King snake, so i brought it back to the spot. By then the snake was gone, but i think he's in the rock wall nearby.
Went back out a while later and he had not gotten it yet. Maybe still will before some other animal does...


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## MPRC (Jun 18, 2016)

I was worried about Fred when I opened the thread. Looks like a tasty snake.


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## Pearly (Jun 19, 2016)

I love your snake threads!!!!


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## keepergale (Jun 19, 2016)

I am jealous of your snakes. I have to make do with a few lizards at my house.


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## Pearly (Jun 19, 2016)

keepergale said:


> I am jealous of your snakes. I have to make do with a few lizards at my house.


I'm actually quite happy with just following Loohan's snake threads and NEVER see them in my garden. They just scare me. I know! I know! Can't help it...


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## Loohan (Jun 19, 2016)

Do snakes even eat dead carcasses? I don't know much about snakes, but i doubt it. It was still there this morning, but gone this afternoon.
I should never have taken the cut off part away. I guess i was thinking, no way the King snake would eat that all, because the coperhead was almost as big as he is.
Actually he probably was fairly satiated from the 1/3 copperhead he got. Probably the equivalent of a dozen small mice.

I have a co-worker who is into snakes. He said the King would have eventually eaten it all, after hours of constricting. I guess it just takes a long time to kill a copperhead when there is little size difference.
My impression is, the copperhead was much shorter but had similar girth, and possibly a larger mouth.


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## surfergirl (Jun 19, 2016)

Great action shots! I have never witnessed this but read about it plenty. 
kingsnakes are immune to poisonous snake venon so the kingsnake would have no problem taking the copperhead down. they are fierce constrictors. King snakes den with poisonous snakes and then eat them when they get hungry. I love to have kingsnakes in my yard. I tolerate the other snakes too, though.


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