cobra-imitating snakes in alabama?

[ilovebugs]

Hey everyone,
it's been a while since I've been on, been pretty busy with work.

Last sunday I overheard a man at my church describing a snake he had killed in his yard, so I kinda jumped in the conversation to find out more details.

He said it was black, (completely I beleive) it raised it's head and opened it's jaw all the way exposing it's white mouth. Then he said it's neck got really flat and wide (like a cobra as he described it)
After it was dead, he looked in the mouth, but didn't see any fangs so unless he just didn't see them I don't think it was really a cobra, but it's still strange.

I know we have black racers and rat snakes but I didn't know that to be characteristics of either.

I told him I would ask around (meaning here) and see what I could find out.

thanks.

 

[UrbanJungles]

It's most likely a poor Eastern Hognose snake.

 

[ChainsawMonkey]

Cottonmouths and Hognose snakes. Hoggies flatten out their throat sometimes to make itself appear bigger. But it was most likely a cottonmouth because of your description. Brown to almost completely black, have a vividly white lining in the mouth. It open its mouth wide to deter predators. Oh, and they are a highly venomous snake. Also refered to as water moccasin or just moccasin, illegal to keep without a permit.

 

[Ted]

It's most likely a poor Eastern Hognose snake.

bingo.
and personally i would never try to identify a snake described by a churchgoer.
those people have some very wild imaginations.

 

[beetleman]

It's most likely a poor Eastern Hognose snake.

i was thinking the same thing

 

[pitbulllady]

It was almost certainly a harmless Eastern Hognose snake, which are often found in a jet-black color phase in the South(in fact, the only ones I last saw in the wild were melanistics), and they do put on a defensive display like you described, spreading out a quite-impressive cobra-like hood and opening the mouth. It's all pure bluff, though, as they will not bite and normally will follow up with playing 'possum if the threat still lingers. I'm hoping that the ignoramus only THOUGHT he'd killed it, and it just got up and crawled away after everyone left, but I know that's some really wishful thinking.

Not all church-goers are so ignorant or just plain stupid when it comes to snakes. I attend church, and I also keep snakes. Our preacher and his wife are both rather fond of snakes, and no, we are not one of those churches who practice "snake handling" as a test of faith. One of our other church members had me release a couple of Black Ratsnakes in his garage last year, after a mouse invasion, so he has learned enough to recognize a harmless species and appreciate their pest control benefits. I've found that when it comes to snakes, the non-religious or non-church-goers tend to have the same ratio of nutcases and idiots who refuse to be educated or believe that snakes are not all deadly, filthy creatures who are out to harm us as do people who do attend worship services.

pitbulllady

 

[ilovebugs]

I'm hoping that the ignoramus only THOUGHT he'd killed it, and it just got up and crawled away after everyone left, but I know that's some really wishful thinking.

So yea, I'm thinking that once the head is separated from the body it can't play possum anymore... but thats just my opinion ;P

Thanks for the ID everyone. Hognose snakes must not be very common around here, as I don't recall hearing of or seeing any before.

and just to throw it out there, I don't condone the killing of snakes especially non-venomous snakes. when I was growing up we killed copperheads on our property and left anything else (they are the only venomous we've ever found here)


and on another side note, my brother in law killed a rattlesnake at his girlfriends house last week. I helped him skin, made a science lesson of it and then I cooked it. it was really good. and I felt like a real outdoors man, living off the land and whatnot

 

[Drachenjager]

It was almost certainly a harmless Eastern Hognose snake, which are often found in a jet-black color phase in the South(in fact, the only ones I last saw in the wild were melanistics), and they do put on a defensive display like you described, spreading out a quite-impressive cobra-like hood and opening the mouth. It's all pure bluff, though, as they will not bite and normally will follow up with playing 'possum if the threat still lingers. I'm hoping that the ignoramus only THOUGHT he'd killed it, and it just got up and crawled away after everyone left, but I know that's some really wishful thinking.

Not all church-goers are so ignorant or just plain stupid when it comes to snakes. I attend church, and I also keep snakes. Our preacher and his wife are both rather fond of snakes, and no, we are not one of those churches who practice "snake handling" as a test of faith. One of our other church members had me release a couple of Black Ratsnakes in his garage last year, after a mouse invasion, so he has learned enough to recognize a harmless species and appreciate their pest control benefits. I've found that when it comes to snakes, the non-religious or non-church-goers tend to have the same ratio of nutcases and idiots who refuse to be educated or believe that snakes are not all deadly, filthy creatures who are out to harm us as do people who do attend worship services.

pitbulllady

thanks , saved me from posting that lol



anyway yeah it sounds like a hog nose snake or as we called them back home "spreading adders" lol its not an adder but it does spread lol
they are quite intresting critters if you mess wiht them they throw a great cobra immatation and then they will puke and roll over and play dead lol

 

[Ted]

Not all church-goers are so ignorant or just plain stupid when it comes to snakes. I attend church, and I also keep snakes. Our preacher and his wife are both rather fond of snakes, and no, we are not one of those churches who practice "snake handling" as a test of faith. One of our other church members had me release a couple of Black Ratsnakes in his garage last year, after a mouse invasion, so he has learned enough to recognize a harmless species and appreciate their pest control benefits. I've found that when it comes to snakes, the non-religious or non-church-goers tend to have the same ratio of nutcases and idiots who refuse to be educated or believe that snakes are not all deadly, filthy creatures who are out to harm us as do people who do attend worship services.

pitbulllady

interesting experiences you've had.
unfortunately i feel it may be a fluke or geographical..as far as my experiences go, i have never met a christian yet who knew the first thing about science.
i guess everyones experiences are different.
good to know there are some who take the time to put away centuries old fears and learn about how snakes arent evil.

 

[ilovebugs]

good to know there are some who take the time to put away centuries old fears and learn about how snakes arent evil.

yea, a friend at work was telling me about this wild game cookout at a church (they served everything from deer and turkey to snakes and turtles)
he said there was this old man who was going down the line, and when offered some rattlesnake he got really offended and was like "were not supposed to be eating snakes! were supposed to be at war with them!"

I don't know what bible he reads, never seen it in mine, and I've been catching and keeping snakes since I was 5.

I'm a christian, an I love science and learning about it. God invented science, it's not evil, it's amazing and logical. Although many times man tries to make it illogical for his own gain.

but yea, thats another time and place I suppose. (seems I always get into these here lol.)

 

[Ted]

yea, a friend at work was telling me about this wild game cookout at a church (they served everything from deer and turkey to snakes and turtles)
he said there was this old man who was going down the line, and when offered some rattlesnake he got really offended and was like "were not supposed to be eating snakes! were supposed to be at war with them!"

I don't know what bible he reads, never seen it in mine, and I've been catching and keeping snakes since I was 5.

I'm a christian, an I love science and learning about it. God invented science, it's not evil, it's amazing and logical. Although many times man tries to make it illogical for his own gain.

but yea, thats another time and place I suppose. (seems I always get into these here lol.)

lol..man..i could not and would not eat a turtle, or a snake
but good to hear you are an opened minded christian.

 

[Drachenjager]

interesting experiences you've had.
unfortunately i feel it may be a fluke or geographical..as far as my experiences go, i have never met a christian yet who knew the first thing about science.
i guess everyones experiences are different.
good to know there are some who take the time to put away centuries old fears and learn about how snakes arent evil.

really? you never met a Christian who was an electrician, hvac tech , waste water plant operator, doctor, pharmacist, chemist ect? All these require a bit of scientific knowledge. Also , check out Dr. Marion Hagler's stats. He is my cousin , and i know his stance on Christianity...

 

[ilovebugs]

lol..man..i could not and would not eat a turtle, or a snake
but good to hear you are an opened minded christian.

never had turtle either, seems like it would be really weird, but I hear there are 7 types of meat in them and that they are good.

and I've just eaten that one snake, it was different than any kind of meat I've ever had. nothing like chicken. I want to say it reminded me of fish as far as the texture of it. you really should try it if you ever have a chance.

 

[Ted]

really? you never met a Christian who was an electrician, hvac tech , waste water plant operator, doctor, pharmacist, chemist ect? All these require a bit of scientific knowledge. Also , check out Dr. Marion Hagler's stats. He is my cousin , and i know his stance on Christianity...

well..i shoulda said ''natural science''.
i never asked what they did for a living.

 

[Ted]

never had turtle either, seems like it would be really weird, but I hear there are 7 types of meat in them and that they are good.

and I've just eaten that one snake, it was different than any kind of meat I've ever had. nothing like chicken. I want to say it reminded me of fish as far as the texture of it. you really should try it if you ever have a chance.

aaarrgh!
nooo way!
i'm not eating anything that eats rodents.
besides..it would mean that someone killed the snake...i dont want to support that.

 

[David_F]

interesting experiences you've had.
unfortunately i feel it may be a fluke or geographical..as far as my experiences go, i have never met a christian yet who knew the first thing about science.
i guess everyones experiences are different.
good to know there are some who take the time to put away centuries old fears and learn about how snakes arent evil.

You must move in very small circles. I have relatives and acquaintances of various christian denominations (even Pentecostal ) who work in bioethics organizations that make their money, and do a lot of good, basing their arguments on science. But like you said, everyone's experiences may be different. My advice, which is worth bugger all, is to talk to some "real christians" (whatever those are...ask anyone and you'll get a different answer ), not just the most outspoken in your community, and ask them what their views are.

Man, I'm not a christian...'bout as far from it as you can get, actually...but some of the stereotyping I see thrown toward them here is sickening. They're no more intolerant of snakes (or anything else) than any of the various godless heathens running around sacrificing virgins and babies and whatnot.

Aaaaaand....on topic. Yeah, I'd agree. It was probably a hognose. You guys got 'em so thick down there that folks are killin' the damn things and I can't find one here. Not fair at all.

 

[Ted]

You must move in very small circles. I have relatives and acquaintances of various christian denominations (even Pentecostal ) who work in bioethics organizations that make their money, and do a lot of good, basing their arguments on science. But like you said, everyone's experiences may be different. My advice, which is worth bugger all, is to talk to some "real christians" (whatever those are...ask anyone and you'll get a different answer ), not just the most outspoken in your community, and ask them what their views are.

Man, I'm not a christian...'bout as far from it as you can get, actually...but some of the stereotyping I see thrown toward them here is sickening. They're no more intolerant of snakes (or anything else) than any of the various godless heathens running around sacrificing virgins and babies and whatnot.

Aaaaaand....on topic. Yeah, I'd agree. It was probably a hognose. You guys got 'em so thick down there that folks are killin' the damn things and I can't find one here. Not fair at all.

at 39 i have met all kinds and types..but i suppose that the odds just are such that i have met the ones with antiquated and deep seeded fears and misconceptions about them.

 

[David_F]

at 39 i have met all kinds and types..but i suppose that the odds just are such that i have met the ones with antiquated and deep seeded fears and misconceptions about them.

I know what you mean. It's just that stereotypes don't seem to go over really well here...unless, of course, they're pointing out the flaws in religious beliefs. Then it's okay. And then you've got tools like me that'll point it out when we see it....every once in a while. Just pointing out that not every x-tian out there is like that.

I don't know what I'm saying........

Anywho....GO HOGNOSES!

 

[Ted]

I know what you mean. It's just that stereotypes don't seem to go over really well here...unless, of course, they're pointing out the flaws in religious beliefs. Then it's okay. And then you've got tools like me that'll point it out when we see it....every once in a while. Just pointing out that not every x-tian out there is like that.

I don't know what I'm saying........

Anywho....GO HOGNOSES!

a:clap: greed!
go hognoses!!

 

[ChainsawMonkey]

No, not all christians are like that, but my dad is an anti-serpent advocate. I love snakes, and am planning to accquire one. Despite my father's feelings, he can just deal with it. He often relays ther fact that the bible states that god cursed the snakes to crawl about on their stomachs and eat the vermin of the earth, but honestly I think God's pretty much got it covered... However, he's afraid of them because they supposedly dealt with the devil or something like that, and I look at him and often say,"Huh?" Anywho, he's terrified of snakes and honestly, there are some very large boids that scare me a little, but I don't kill every snake I see. Honestly, if God cursed them, I suppose that all that dealing with the devil stuff has been atoned for, so... Yeah.