Why we don't kill black racers in Florida

[BRDof3...Rob 40]

Ahh you'd just be a little bloated.

Yeah, but it'd be worth it.

[Roberta 42]

We have a black snake about that size that hangs out along the edge of our property. I'm always happy to see him because he keeps the mice from the neighboring property away. I hope if a rattler ever comes around, our big blackie eats it!!

I'd never kill a non-poisonous snake unless I couldn't identify it as such before it got away. We had either a coral or king snake come in the yard a couple of years ago. I forgot what the color combo of the good one was so I tried to kill it but it got away before I could get a weapon. It still haunts me.

[polkadotsuitcase 12]

Very cool. We get the black snakes coming into our garage all the time (fortunately, they always go back out eventually. I think.), and I'm happy to see them around. Not because they get our rattlesnakes (don't have those, happily), but they definitely get the mice.

But how did the racer kill the rattler? It seems like in that match-up, the venomous snake would have the upper hand?

When we were at the park when the kids were really little, we watched a snake grab up and eat a frog. We've seen the nature documentaries of stuff like that, but it was amazing in real life!

[AuburnJen 777]

My guess is that snake is probably not going to need to eat for a while.

my guess would be probably one to two months :)

[AuburnJen 777]

Very cool. We get the black snakes coming into our garage all the time (fortunately, they always go back out eventually. I think.), and I'm happy to see them around. Not because they get our rattlesnakes (don't have those, happily), but they definitely get the mice.

But how did the racer kill the rattler? It seems like in that match-up, the venomous snake would have the upper hand?

When we were at the park when the kids were really little, we watched a snake grab up and eat a frog. We've seen the nature documentaries of stuff like that, but it was amazing in real life!

I would have loved to see those pics of how he actually got a hold of him. My scientific background guess is ambush to the head, followed by constriction. That would be the only way I could think of. Even the dead rats I used to feed my red tailed boa would attract that same reaction with them. They would always shoot for the head, dead or not. If he got a good hold on the rattlers head and kept it closed, (which seems like he was successful) there was no hope for that guy.

We had a fairly good size black racer I would let come in our garage to handle mice from the field down the street. I have clothing in boxes for the stores I have online in plastic in the garage, but sometimes they get in there. As long as I left a little hole in the garage, he would take care of business for me and I would have no damage. About 5 months ago, our resident pair of red tailed hawks had him for breakfast under the front of my RV. I need to find another black racer so I can put my stuff back out there again.