Record Rattler!

[MA-Caver]

Got this in an e-mail today... sheesh!

Guess what was found just south of Jacksonville, Texas …... in a new KB homes subdivision.
15 foot Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. Largest ever caught on record. After seeing this, I did a little research, and learned the following: One bite from a snake this large contains enough venom to kill over 40 full grown men. The head alone is larger than the hand of a normal sized man. This snake was probably alive when George H. W. Bush was President. A bite from those fangs would equal being penetrated by two 1/4 inch screwdrivers. A snake this size could easily swallow a 2 year-old child. A snake this size has an approximately 5 and 1/2 foot accurate striking distance. (The distance for an average size Rattlesnake is about 2 feet) Judging by the size of the snake, it is estimated to weigh over 170 pounds. How much do you weigh?

To me, I found it sad that this animal was killed. Such a magnificent specimen and it could've been on display to help teach folks more about these wonderful creatures.
Yeah I know, a lot of folks think... only good snake is a dead one. Well... if not for them we'd be over-run with rats and mice and other small vermin.

Like all creatures on this planet they have a purpose.

 

[Flying Crane]

agreed. If it scares us, we must kill it. very sad mentality.

 

[MA-Caver]

agreed. If it scares us, we must kill it. very sad mentality.

That or if it's even remotely dangerous, kill it. If we waged war against disease carrying vermin, i.e. ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, roaches, rats, mice, et al. with the same intensity that we do with predatory animals that KILL and EAT those littler things. Then I think we'd be better off eh? Ah well. Still that's one big honking snake eh?

 

[Ken Morgan]

suddenly the feral cat population explodes....

 

[Drac]

Wow!!!!!!

 

[Bruno@MT]

agreed. If it scares us, we must kill it. very sad mentality.

Not so much if it scares us, but if it can and will kill us, then yes.
Granted, perhaps they could have caught it and released it. I don't know if that works for snakes.

As for teaching us anything: it's a rattle snake. We already know what rattle snakes do and don't. This one is not in a unique position to teach us anything new, and I doubt that the local zoo has room for a giant rattle snake.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Spent a few years of my youth worrying about Rattle snakes (the biggest den in Pennsylvania, is in the Allegheny National Forest in Warren County and I use to go fishing there all the time), got too close to them on more than one occasion and was incredibly lucky. Had a great uncle that was a game warden that use to catch them for research purposes many many years ago too.

That is one big rattler and I am not sorry it is an ex-rattler either. As an Environmental Conservation Officer (who shall remain nameless) once told me. Rattle Snakes are considered an endangered species in NY….but to tell you the truth, one gets too close to me, it is REAL endangered.

Yup they have a purpose and yes they do a good job at what they evolved to do but get one close to me or mine it will not survive. I will not go looking for them, I will not go into areas I know that they are in if at all possible nor will I go out of my way to kill them but in the end I plan on not getting bit by one so…

 

[clfsean]

Sorry I'm not upset one bit at that new pair of boots... and car seats... and belts... being dead.

A snake that large is a danger.

I've seen what plenty of rattlers in the 4-6 foot range have done to people/pets here in Ga over the years. Growing up on a farm in South Ga, my grandpa put it to me "a good snake is a dead one" & paid me for each one I blasted that wasn't a friendly snake (corn, king). But dead rattlesnakes & cotton mouths from our pond put $$$ in my hands & oddly enough, we never noticed the increase of the rodent population.

I still believe the best way for me to view a snake is from looking down the sights of my pistol. The next best view is after the bang & not seeing the head connected to the snake.

 

[Bruno@MT]

That is like my approach to insects. As long as they are outside and not really trying to bother me, I won't kill them. Anything that comes inside of my house is dead. My only exception are spiders, which I set free. I don't mind spiders in my house since they take care of killing insects, but my wife tends to get upset and I put the spiders outside to protect them from my wife.

I should mention that none of our indigenous spiders are poisonous.