# Good snake / bad snake



## Nueces (Jul 22, 2008)

Some will say the only good snake is a dead one, but some I like blue indigos. The blue indigo snakes will eat rattlesnakes. I prefer to build owl houses and let owls control mice and rats. I enjoy seeing rabbits bouncing around.

I had an encounter with a moderate size rattlesnake that was just over 5 feet long not including the rattles. It had 12/13 rattles depending if you count the first one. This evil thing had all the opportunity to make a loud BUZZZZZZZZZZZ, but instead it decided to make a very faint "zit" and just got ready to inject it's venom. :evil: They know they can pack a punch and this one had an escape route but didn't use it. With that, I have no problem eliminating a threat.

The blue indigo and others are free to roam and I like knowing they are out looking for rattlers, plus the blueu indigos will also eat mice, rats, frogs and I have seen them attempt to eat many other things but they do not have any venom. 

Here is a pic of blue indigo. Usually you can not get close enough to them to take an image because they are wild. I think it would be very hard for anyone to be bitten by one unless you physically catch it and start squeezing it. I think they may still try to get away under those circumstances. This snake is not huge, probably in the 6 foot range.










Another image...it was surprised in the first image, then quickly darted for cover to escape.










I did not take this image, but wanted to post the benefits of the blue indigos (if you don't like rattlesnakes).










An image of the head - it looks a little mean! :shock:










The tail...










The body...the buldge in the middle of the snake was a rabbit.










The former rabbit. 










The fangs!


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## cornerfinder (Dec 4, 2008)

ewww. :mrgreen:


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## tuffluckdriller (May 27, 2009)

COOL! I've never heard of or seen a blue indigo. That'd be cool to see.


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

Nueces - Be careful - I believe it may be illegal to keep a pet rattlesnake in Utah without a permit, which you may have (don't know about other states).
The Indigo snake is not a Utah native, but we do have rattlesnake eaters in Utah such as the Great Basin Gopher, and California King Snakes.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

The Naturalist said:


> Nueces - Be careful - I believe it may be illegal to keep a pet rattlesnake in Utah without a permit


That was my understanding, when we saw two young uns at powell this year, we simply relocated them to a happier place, since you can't kill them. I have heard that it is a very happy place there.


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## Nueces (Jul 22, 2008)

The Naturalist said:


> Nueces - Be careful - I believe it may be illegal to keep a pet *rattlesnake in Utah *without a permit, which you may have (don't know about other states).
> The Indigo snake is not a Utah native, but we do have rattlesnake eaters in Utah such as the Great Basin Gopher, and California King Snakes.


Thanks for the pointers - but this one was in Texas. The vegetation indicates it's location (far from Utah), then the blue indigo kind of gives a geographical location stamp also.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

ah ha ha ha Huge29 I see what you did there


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

colorcountrygunner said:


> ah ha ha ha Huge29 I see what you did there


I have heard that it is a very happy place and a lot of people are trying to get there. WE had a bunch of little kids and these ones were not rattling, I have heard the small ones (these were about 18" is all) are the most dangerous in that they can't control the venom very well and can use it all in one bite.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

thats kind of true. The young snakes always inject you with venom, they cant control it. The adult rattlesnake very often does not inject venom as venoms primary function is feeding and not defense. I cant remember the exact percentage but it was significant. Also I have caught and relocated rattlers too, but I did it for the snakes protection. I really see no piont in killing these neat creatures but to each thier own.


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## uthntr (Feb 19, 2008)

if i see a rattlesnake it dies. I dont care legal or not i hate them they creep me out.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I'm with you Uthntr!


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