Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is there anyway (besides catching it) that I can get a young ( approx.2-3ft) rattlesnake? Are they're sites you can order them from or do I need some sort of license? Another thing is does it have to be a foreign rattlesnake, meaning an out of state one(im from california) because states protect their own state species? Ever since I found out that Kingsnakes eat rattlers in the wild I've bin wanting to feed him 1. I've fed him a corn before but that wasnt very much of a challenge though, the corn got swallowd alive( got eaten butt first and never even struck at my snake). Thanx

I believe it is unlawful in California to import venomous snakes without proper permits. If you do import a rattlesnake it will cost upwards of 100 dollars just for shipping alone. Feeding herps to herps is also a great way to introduce internal parasites to your pet. The best bet for the health of your Kingsnake, and your bank account, is to use frozen/thawed rodents. There is also less risk to you and your household in avoiding venomous species.

Randy
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Firehouse Herps

Learn to accept disapointment. that you want to obtain a rattlesnake for the purposes of entertainment (namely seeing if your king can overpower it and eat it) shows you really need to grow up.

It is documented in nature and that should be enough.

Offering a rattler even to a snake that is "immune" to it's venom is a risky affair. Even if the venom is negligable in effect, a fang puncture could cause an infection, that could be deadly.

This is the dumbest idea I have ever seen on this forum. If you cannot resist maltreating your snake, please give it to someone who will take proper care of it.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

TY for your reply...
In all honesty I understand how my post may sound dumb/stupid, but I probably take better care of my snake then 99% of the people who own one (and I say that very confidently). I take my snake to get checked up ATLEAST 4 times every 2 weeks, he eats 5 to 12 mice every 2 weeks, I keep him in a 60 gallon tank (way bigger than most people would have) and I have even taken it to get Xrays once when it was being very immobile (very expensive). Also I have taken it to do pet therapy at 2 local retirement homes. I have even bought other (uniformed) friends hides, branches and heat lamps just because I hate seeing there snakes suffering without what they should have. I'm sure if you knew me personally you wouldnt want me to give it away(I would probably be the guy you gave your snake to if you had to get rid of it for some reason). Im a large advocate of informing the public about snake safety and reptile owners about being informed of their pets. I would never ever want anything to happen to my snake (if you only knew), but like I replied in the kingsnake forum I never thought about internal parasites, I asumed that I would be able to get a clean rattlesnake (breeder), and I wanted a smaller rattlesnake to minimize the chances of it getting struck. After reading this I still understand how this sounds dumb to some people but feeding mice/rabbits to snakes sounds dumb to some other people. Your defense is that this is what they do in nature, I guess its my defense too then. Im truly sorry if I have made anyone angry, but ever since I found that out (shortly after getting my snake) its just bin something I am very curious about. Also this is why I post, I love getting others opinions from informed owners, and your post is has bin noted. TY

Actually I am offended that you would place both snakes at risk for no good reason. I understand curiousity, but there have been several films of this form of predation, so it is not necessary to sacrifice perfectly healthy ratsnakes and rattlers to observe this.

These forums are about keeping, CONSERVING, maintaining and learning (in a positive way)about these animals. Not wasting them for no good reason. If it was a necessary food item...or involved increasing the knowledge about a species, I would condone it. but since this is about something that is esablished fact, it is wasteful.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Okay boys, he apologized. Enough. I have many snakes, some of which are venomous. My boyfriend and I agree that if a venomous snake were to get loose we'd let the kingsnake on it before it could harm our baby or anyone else. Now this may be a slightly different situation but I'm sure it offends someone. I've noticed that some people here seem to value their snakes over human life. As for this poor guy I'm sure he feels terrible so now can we leave him alone? Thanks guys,
Sera
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5.7 ball pythons (7 normal, 3 het albino, 2 het axanthic)
1.2 king snakes (1 chocolate, 2 albino)
1.1 columbian red tail boas
1.1 pueblan milksnakes
2.2 african house snakes
2.1 striped albino gophers
1.0 watersnake
1.2 burmese pythons (1 albino, 2 hets)
2.1 pygmy rattlesnakes
1.1 dumeril's boas
3.3 corns (miami, okatee, snow, caramel, 2 creamsicle)
1.1 jungle corns
0.2 ferrets
0.2 degus
0.1 salcotta tortoise
1.2 mice
1.1 rats
0.0.1 human on the way

Thank you warriorprncss...
First off I am NO longer looking into this. Second of all I was only INTERESTED in the subject and was looking into trying it. I do not appreciate some comments( actually just 1) that makes me sound like some sort of animal abuser (not you rearfang). This whole thing started off with my fasination to the fact that over thousands of years the kingsnake had grown immune to rattlesnale venom and even eats them on occasion. I am equally fasinated by the fact that some ground squirrels had the same immunity( I have seen those videos). I would never do anything to harm my snake. I do want to thank all the people that do post their informed comments and constructive critisisms. Ty all again, and again I will no longer be trying this.
..ps.. where can I fing those videos at? ty

The corn snake that I fed to my snake was only a few weeks old. After the people at the reptile store had relized the bump that it had on it (bad hatchling) was preventing it from completeing its digestive cycle properly(taking a poop) and it was going to die anyways they gave it to me to feed it to my snake instead of throwing it in the trash, and yes it was very interesting to watch. TY

I cannot give you a specific title but I know National Geographic has some footage in one of their reptile documentaries. Also if you watch the nature channel they have also shown footage.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Gosh interested in one snake eating another goes along the lines of starting fires and watching "how neat" it consumes things, are you fasinated in murder also? I just came upon this forum and putting my cents in. That is an obserd thought having one snake eat another, can't be safe your really not looking into it anymore. So much i could say about this discusting way, maybe it's neat to watch it escape and harm your child?? I live in Nrthn calif and for your info you don't need a permit it's a free for all on rattlers, but laws change. the best thing is I hope you get bit by one as it is fasinating to watch the venom move up your bloodstream toward your heart, thats COOL!!!!!! (
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My roomates are2 boas, 4 corns,Rotti,3cats and snake food AKA the food chain.

WOW... are you some kind of a freak? Did you even read any of the posts? Talk about an extremist.

First, let me apologize, as I typically do not get involved with such disputes, but I cannot keep quiet about a comment made by warriorprincess.
If turning your kingsnake out, to subdue and escaped venomous specimen, is the extent of your captive venomous protocol, you seriously need to reconsider keeping such.

Jeff

That may be worse than the first idea about feeding a rattler to a king. If there is even a remote chance that a venomous snake could get out or if you have kids, then the risk should quite obvsiously outweigh the benifit. And who knows if the kingsnake would even go for or find the rattler. It might just find a nice attic or basement with a good population of mice.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"Some things will never change. They just stand there looking backwards. Half-unconsious from the pain. They may seem rearranged. In the backwater swirling. There is something that'll never change-The Meat Puppets"

why are you taking in your snake 4 times every 2 weeks for check ups??Thats alittle far fetched ,dont you think.I just had to point that out.

You spend all this money and time on this one snake to ensure it is healthy and has a good life, but you want to endanger its life by feeding your own morbid fascination with watching it feed on another snake? And one that has the ability to kill your snake?
To me that is just a very foolish risk that shouldnt be taken.
Your argument is that it happens in the wild. Yes it does, but snakes in the wild are not fed F/T lab grade mice either. And wild snakes do not live in a sterile environment, and bred for color morphs either!

I wouldnt do it, period!
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1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Punisher and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

>>I take my snake to get checked up ATLEAST 4 times every 2 weeks,

I'll bet your veterinarian either loves you (you're paying for his Sunday golfing, you know) or hates you ("Oh, God...not AGAIN!".
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson