Snake dancing

Prospector · 03-19-2009, 09:19 PM

Living in Arizona we've seen our share of unusual stuff but this last one takes the prize. The other day my wife calls me over to the window: "Hey Hon, there's two snakes outside fighting" This I've never seen so I run over to have a look. Sure enough there are two adult rattlesnakes out at the periphery of our back yard, and acting mighty strange for sure, but that doesn't look like fighting - it looks more like some kind of ... mating ritual??

Gotta get pictures, so I grab the camera and run ... uh, tiptoe out there. Get to about 10 feet of them and they're still going at it and totally oblivious to my presence. Trying to get a bit closer got their attention so I pretty much stayed in back of that invisible line and took my pictures. This was one of the few times I wished I had a video camera.

Now I've seen plenty of rattlers in the wild but in all my years on this Earth I have never seen anything quite like this, which is why I wanted to share it with you. I hope the pictures below are visible, as I have had some problems in the past getting pictures to show up in my posts. In retrospect the pictures don't really do it justice. This 'dance' went on for at least 3 hours consisting of head bobbing, intertwining, neck craning and weaving (do snakes even have necks?), separating and reconnecting, trance like gazing, ... it was really quite the show.

smokin5 · 03-19-2009, 09:35 PM

Very cool!
Thanks for sharing the dance with us.

Of course, many here will think that's why we Arizonans
don't go out to B&M's often.

hotreds · 03-19-2009, 09:37 PM

Ain't love grand!

WildBlueSooner · 03-19-2009, 09:39 PM

Those are really good shots! I think I have better moves though!

rack04 · 03-19-2009, 09:39 PM

Where is the screaming like a little girl smiley?

hotreds · 03-19-2009, 09:45 PM

ade06 · 03-19-2009, 09:46 PM

Very Cool!

theonlybear4CORT · 03-19-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBlueSooner

Those are really good shots! I think I have better moves though!

Pics or ban

bonjing · 03-19-2009, 09:48 PM

great pictures. Me, i'd be freaking out because of the one i don't see.

Sauer Grapes · 03-19-2009, 09:51 PM

Very cool. I bet it's an adrenaline rush when you come upon one in the wild.

03-19-2009, 09:55 PM

Those are some fantastic pics!!! Very Nice!

Prospector · 03-19-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonjing

great pictures. Me, i'd be freaking out because of the one i don't see.

Yeah, my wife hasn't set foot out back since.

Interestingly, in all my encounters with rattlers in the wild I have never had one advance on me. They always hold their ground or retreat - never advance. During this mating ritual, however, when I got too close the two snakes immediately disengaged, one retreated, and the other started moving towards me. I'm assuming that one is the male.

WildBlueSooner · 03-19-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic_mike

Pics or ban

You asked for it....

livwire68 · 03-19-2009, 11:12 PM

Great pics! Just think how many more you will have in the yard after, well however long it takes. Thanks for sharing.

lightning9191 · 03-19-2009, 11:20 PM

Those are some neat pics! Thanx for sharing.

michael88n · 03-19-2009, 11:57 PM

It's electric! Boogie-woogie-woogie-woogie!!!

03-20-2009, 12:10 AM

That's what I call, True Love.

Skywalker · 03-20-2009, 12:30 AM

Very nice photos!!!

Glad you captured that rare event!!!

Thank you!!!

stitch · 03-20-2009, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prospector

Yeah, my wife hasn't set foot out back since.

Interestingly, in all my encounters with rattlers in the wild I have never had one advance on me. They always hold their ground or retreat - never advance. During this mating ritual, however, when I got too close the two snakes immediately disengaged, one retreated, and the other started moving towards me. I'm assuming that one is the male.

A Mohave Green WILL advance on you, they are quite pissy and agressive.
And yes, you got a very rare glimps at Rattle snake Looooove ...
I hate rattle snakes,
I once sat for quite a long time and watched a King snake kill and eat a Diamondback ... That was cool.

jledou · 03-20-2009, 05:41 AM

I will go further than hate rattle snakes I hate snakes period! Run like a little girl!

I did get to see this though once out in western Kansas. There were out in the middle of the country in the ditch of the dirt road. Didn't stick around though to take pictures. Very good shots and you got a LOT closer to them than I ever would have!

03-19-2009, 09:19 PM	#1
Prospector I'm nuts for the place Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Mike Location: Arizona's beautiful Verde Valley Posts: 2,500 Trading: (11)	Snake dancing Living in Arizona we've seen our share of unusual stuff but this last one takes the prize. The other day my wife calls me over to the window: "Hey Hon, there's two snakes outside fighting" This I've never seen so I run over to have a look. Sure enough there are two adult rattlesnakes out at the periphery of our back yard, and acting mighty strange for sure, but that doesn't look like fighting - it looks more like some kind of ... mating ritual?? Gotta get pictures, so I grab the camera and run ... uh, tiptoe out there. Get to about 10 feet of them and they're still going at it and totally oblivious to my presence. Trying to get a bit closer got their attention so I pretty much stayed in back of that invisible line and took my pictures. This was one of the few times I wished I had a video camera. Now I've seen plenty of rattlers in the wild but in all my years on this Earth I have never seen anything quite like this, which is why I wanted to share it with you. I hope the pictures below are visible, as I have had some problems in the past getting pictures to show up in my posts. In retrospect the pictures don't really do it justice. This 'dance' went on for at least 3 hours consisting of head bobbing, intertwining, neck craning and weaving (do snakes even have necks?), separating and reconnecting, trance like gazing, ... it was really quite the show.

03-19-2009, 09:35 PM	#2
smokin5 Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: On the Mountaintop - AZ Posts: 2,002 Trading: (69)	Re: Snake dancing Very cool! Thanks for sharing the dance with us. Of course, many here will think that's why we Arizonans don't go out to B&M's often. __________________ Pobody's Nerfect.

03-19-2009, 09:37 PM	#3
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,665 Trading: (63)	Re: Snake dancing Ain't love grand! __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

03-19-2009, 09:39 PM	#4
WildBlueSooner I'm nuts for the place Join Date: Feb 2009 First Name: James Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,322 Trading: (19)	Re: Snake dancing Those are really good shots! I think I have better moves though! __________________ "To dilute the will to win is to destroy the purpose of the game. There is no substitute for victory"-- Douglas MacArthur

03-19-2009, 09:39 PM	#5
rack04 Lebowski Urban Achiever Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Justin Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,023 Trading: (20)	Re: Snake dancing Where is the screaming like a little girl smiley? __________________ "Why don't you put them in your secret compartment" - 12stones (Ricky)

03-19-2009, 09:45 PM	#6
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,665 Trading: (63)	Re: Snake dancing __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

03-19-2009, 09:46 PM	#7
ade06 Have My Own Room Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Ade Location: Philadelphia Posts: 1,190 Trading: (24)	Re: Snake dancing Very Cool!

03-19-2009, 09:48 PM	#9
bonjing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,012 Trading: (39)	Re: Snake dancing great pictures. Me, i'd be freaking out because of the one i don't see.

03-19-2009, 09:51 PM	#10
Sauer Grapes Snatchin' yo people up Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,235 Trading: (44)	Re: Snake dancing Very cool. I bet it's an adrenaline rush when you come upon one in the wild.

03-19-2009, 09:55 PM	#11
LordOfWu Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Snake dancing Those are some fantastic pics!!! Very Nice!

03-19-2009, 11:12 PM	#14
livwire68 Las Vegas Herf Crew Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: In the Asylum Posts: 509 Trading: (7)	Re: Snake dancing Great pics! Just think how many more you will have in the yard after, well however long it takes. Thanks for sharing. __________________

03-19-2009, 11:20 PM	#15
lightning9191 I think I'm normal... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Kevin Posts: 1,007 Trading: (8)	Re: Snake dancing Those are some neat pics! Thanx for sharing. __________________ I eat gummy bears by tearing them limb from limb and eating their heads last.

03-19-2009, 11:57 PM	#16
michael88n Finger Sniffer Join Date: Feb 2009 First Name: Michael Location: PNW Posts: 166 Trading: (3)	Re: Snake dancing It's electric! Boogie-woogie-woogie-woogie!!!

03-20-2009, 12:10 AM	#17
Waynegro1 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Snake dancing That's what I call, True Love.

03-20-2009, 12:30 AM	#18
Skywalker BABOTL Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dice Location: Galaxy Far Far Away Posts: 10,168 Trading: (18)	Re: Snake dancing Very nice photos!!! Glad you captured that rare event!!! Thank you!!! __________________ Smoke what you like!!!

03-20-2009, 05:41 AM	#20
jledou Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jay Location: Kansas Posts: 2,225 Trading: (27)	Re: Snake dancing I will go further than hate rattle snakes I hate snakes period! Run like a little girl! I did get to see this though once out in western Kansas. There were out in the middle of the country in the ditch of the dirt road. Didn't stick around though to take pictures. Very good shots and you got a LOT closer to them than I ever would have!