My First Hobby

[PrimitiveTim]

My first hobby was reptiles.  It still is today but between my other hobbies it doesn't get as much attention as it once did.  I really have a soft spot for snakes.  They're extremely misunderstood by the most folks and I feel it's our duty to give any animal our attention and try to understand them before we make an assumption and lop its head off.  Snakes are NOT out to get us and they are NOT evil.  I've caught hundreds of snakes and about a tenth of those have bitten me and 0% of those were venomous.  I have caught a few venomous species, even our great eastern diamondback rattlesnake but even those tend to give more than enough warning to their potential danger. 

So this is why I tend to discourage people from killing snakes.  There are tons of snakes that get killed crossing rural roads during the warmer parts of the year.  Literally tons.  This is a real shame but what is more shameful is letting them just rot away on the road.  Many of these snakes are in good enough condition to skin and use. 

Anyway, here are pictures of some of the cooler species that I've found:

Pigmy Rattlesnake


Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake


Water Moccasin (Juvenile)


Eastern Coachwhip


Southern Black Racer


Scarlet Kingsnake


Scarlet Snake (different species than the above)


Rough Green Snake


Timber Rattlesnake (didn't so much as rattle at me.  Was totally calm and non-aggressive)


Yellow Rat Snake


Corn Snake


These are very beneficial creatures as even smaller specimens can devour mice with a much larger girth than themselves as show from the snake above.  The snake above actually ate a few baby mice and the mother.

I hope I was able to convey my views of snakes to everyone and how they play an important role in the ecosystem and they're beautiful creatures that deserve our respect. 

Thanks for reading,
Tim

[sonny]

cool pics Tim!
thanks for sharing....and well said!
 

[JW_Halverson]

Oh wow!  Ain't them pygmy rattlers cute???  They have one at Reptile Gardens, when he sheds his skin is absolutely gorgeously patterned.

And that looks like a whompin' big timber rattler.  Amazing critters!

[Ifrit617]

Nice pictures. I respect them and let them be, but they still scare the living daylights out of me.. Out of everything that I've ever encountered in this world. Snakes are the one thing that truly give me the creeps. 

Jon

[Stringman]

Couldn't agree more! Love snakes and have been intrigued by them as long as I can remember. Even though the rest of my family is scared breathless by them I have never hesitated to catch  one if I see it. I have no problem letting them go if there's a reason to do so, or skinning them to use on a bow. I'm just a fan either way!

Scott

[Don]

Nice pictures and I agree with what you said.

[Buffalogobbler]

WOW, Tim,
 really cool pictures, I never knew too much about them, but when I was a kid I used to catch snakes and bring them home, once caught a garter snake that was swallowing a frog, always freaked my mom out, and one time while walking my dog, I saw a snake I could'nt identify strike my dog as he walked buy, the dog never knew anything happened, I was afraid it was an eastern rattle snake, but was'nt sure so I caught it in a jar and checked it out with a field guide, turned out to be a milk snake.
COOL pics!

Kevin

[PrimitiveTim]

once caught a garter snake that was swallowing a frog,

Like this?

[Newindian]

Who doesn't like frog legs?

[Lemos]

Great pics, I too love to go herping used to breed pythons also. I agree with your statement about road killed snakes,and would like to add one if I may. I for one see no difference in taking a animals life be it a deer ,rabbit or a snake and try to treat both with the respect deserved and utilize everything I can. And if not wanted for a bow treatment and possibly food either for you or possibly other pets (I have friends who feed road kill snakes to their carnivorous lizards and kingsnakes). Then to me that's just wasteful.

[chamookman]

Good post. Every time I see a pic of a King Snake, the old " Red next to black, is a friend of Jack" thing runs thru My Head. Bob

[PrimitiveTim]

I for one see no difference in taking a animals life be it a deer ,rabbit or a snake and try to treat both with the respect deserved and utilize everything I can.

Here's the thing though.  Deer and rabbits are regulated by law.  Here in Florida I can kill as many rattlesnakes as I want and most people won't care. 

[vinemaplebows]

I for one see no difference in taking a animals life be it a deer ,rabbit or a snake and try to treat both with the respect deserved and utilize everything I can.

Here's the thing though.  Deer and rabbits are regulated by law.  Here in Florida I can kill as many rattlesnakes as I want and most people won't care.

I do not agree with killing a species unregulated, unless they are being a major problem within the ecosystem. Now, seals up here in the northwest could use some thinning, the salmon eating vermon!

VMB

[Squirrelslayer]

Some nice pics. I hear you, I also have reptiles (geckos) and I love it when they shed there skin.  SS

[Lemos]

Regulated by law or not, I never could see how someone will hack, club, slash or in any other way make the death of an animal inhumane. If your going to kill it use it, do it quick and utilize it just like you would with the more "respected" species.  Can you imagine the outrage if someone showed several deer lined up all killed in one day for their skin only and a video of them taking multiple shots at its body while it squirmed in pain.  I don't mean to rant but to me a life is a life. He'll I'm scared to death of spiders but I only kill them accidentally during the flailing dance after I walk into their web, other then that I avoid them or relocate them with a stick and jar.