Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I brought home a new baby king and he started shaking the tip of his tail and going into his aggressive position ready to strike.

Was he imitating a rattlesnake...I've heard in the wild the some snakes do this to scare off preadtors into thinking they are venomous when they really are not...anyone ever hear of this before???

All snakes that I know of do this - except maybe boas and pythons not sure about them. The rattle on the end of a rattlesnake exists because of the behavior all snakes do with curling into an S and rattling their tales. Think of a rattlesnake as just a suped up version of other snakes. I don't think it has anything to do with mimicking venomous snakes - but is rather a warning mechanism and rattlesnakes just have a highly specialized version of it.

Yeah, lots of snakes do this, especially Cal Kings. In the wild they will rattle their tail in the leaves, and it will sound almost like a rattlesnake. This is definitely some sort of rattlesnake mimicry to protect themselves. Greg

They (kings) used to be called "Oak leaf Rattlers" by farmers back in the day, farmers have a unique relationship with the kingsnake, because of the fact that the king kicking the rattlers arse!! In essence protecting livestock, children, wives etc. ECT. ect. ---- Ask an old cat , a farmer that's been around for awhile and they will tell you that they often spare the lives of the "oakleaf rattlers" for this very reason and i personally
Prefer this term over "kingsnake" i may get flamed for this, but
it i think it fits......

I've heard the term oak-leaf rattler used for rat snakes, kingsnakes, and pituophis. As well as some others too.
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That is refreshing. I think you are one of the few who got it right. Most snakes rattle their tails when they are angry or defensive. The rattlesnakes are simply acting the same way other snakes do. Many people who do not know snakes well think that the non-venomous snakes are "mimicking" the rattlers. The tail-vibrating behavior actually came first, enabling the subsequent evolution of the rattle in some snakes as an audible warning device. I agree that the rattlers are souped-up versions of the regular snake.

The rattlers are clearly imitating the kings... Actually, since the king's 'ancestors' from Asia show this behavior, I guess that's possible... My mandarin ratnsakes really love doing it
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

My Speckled does that also. Is this common to any snakes that arent related to the Kings, like Milks and Rats and Bulls are?

Yep. They all do it.
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