I was checking out a trail way up off Sunset blvd, in the Topanga area, and while walking back down, I came within about 1 foot of stepping smack dab on top of a 2 foot western diamond back rattle snake! He must’ve been sleeping because there was no waning rattle to alert me to its presence. I quickly stepped back, then using a long branch, I tried tocoax hm back into the brush. He did not react atfirst; he was fully coiled, but not in “strike” position. Finally, he flicked his tongue a couple times, the slithered under a rock. That was cool! I’ve seen and even caught many gopher snakes and king snakes (which eat rattlesnakes and are immune to their venom!) and the kings make great pets. Some people have a fear of snakes in general, but they will not bother you unless you bother them. The exception is that rattlesnakes may strike if you accidentally step on one or get too close. Lots of people even try to kill them on sight; but this is not only cruel, but a bad mistake because if you kill off rattlers, the area will be quickly overrun by rodents! what’s worse?
Cool that you handled that well. Here is a shot of a rattler that would have been on the same rock as the next step my rock climbing partner would have taken. When he sucked in air and backpaddled quickly he did have to say a word - I knew what he saw. Common site in western OK and in fact the hunting season is open on them here until June 3rd or so.
Where is my attachment?? Oh, it was too big anyway I might post it later - gotta go now… PS Good to hear you saw it in time too…
Sweeet…when I was cleaning up Paradise Creek today, we found a bunch of snakes, some pretty big ones too.
Whoa! Do you know what kind they were? Was is a group of rattlers? Sometimes they’re found in clusters, or nests. Another type, garter snakes, can sometimes be found in HUGE numbers together, especially after they’re just born. it is unsual to find a variety of snake species cohabitating or in close proximity to eachother. Same for Black widows; you will NEVER see more than one in the general area. If so, they will soon find eachother and fight to the death! 
They were just common garter snakes…there aren’t really any rattle snakes here in Idaho q-:
out of the worlds most venomious snakes 6 of em are native to australia:D
That’s good, I guess!
Oh yes! You are correct sir! There are about THIRTY varieties of pisonous snakies down under. Here is the short list:
Taipan: It is commonly called the Fierce Snake and [U][B]is the single most venomus snake in the whole world. They have enough venom in one bite to kill over 100 full grown men.
[/B][/U]
Death Adder
It isn’t called a Death Adder for nothing.
Red-Bellied Black Snake
Black on top, red on the bottom.
Eastern Brown Snake
Responsible for more deaths in Australia than any other snake.
Australian Copperhead
The Copperhead snake is another highly venomous snake.
Tiger Snake
One of the most common venomous snakes.
Woah, you know alot about snakes…how was the trail?
Great for hiking, no so good for muni as there is no shuttle option, and it’s a fierce uphill climb. Makes the Ojai deal seem like a cakewalk!
Every now and then a rattle snake will find it’s way onto our porch and lay there in the shade. For these ones we get out the shovel and pull a guillotine maneuver. We don’t want them to bite us or any of the animals (dogs aren’t very clever) and it’s too dangerous to transport a live rattler away from our house, so we just lop off their heads.
It’s best to just avoid snakes though if you see them in the wild. If their not gonna hurt you, then you don’t need to hurt them.
OK,here is the pic of the one that was sharing the only rock we could step on to go out of this area…
But in Texas - everythings bigger…
When I was a kid, we went to Eastern Washington to water ski every year. There ususally was a hike and sometimes came across rattlers. One year we ate it, dont’ remember if it tasted like chicken though.
Last time I stepped on a rattler was in the family room when the kids were younger.
I was close to stepping on a large black snake today and thought of this thread.
Cool! That looks like a king snake, which is totally harmless, and actually makes a great pet! I hope you didn’t kill it. Makes me want to drive out there and catch one!
There’s a hunting season for snakes?
Surely that’s just wandering about poking under rocks and then blasting snakes from point blank range.
Is it?