We only have one venomous snake in Michigan (Massasauga rattlesnake)....fully protected by law; shoot one and you go to jail. We had a guy walking the trail at a nature center and he was bit by one and ended up in the hospital....didn't die, but was quite ill. Was walking with his younger children and was on a clear foot path when he was nailed.....he was walking close to the edge of the path and the snake was there.
I guess it kind of reasons that "natural selection" would now favor snakes that DIDN'T rattle....rattle, and you get your head blown off, eaten, picked up with snake tongs, ect. Don't rattle, and you go unnoticed.
I've noticed that other snakes (cotton mouths and copperheads) will vibrate their tails when nervous or excited....if there is dry leaves undernieth, it can sound like a rattlesnake. I've seen common banded water snakes (nonvenomous) do the same thing while trout fishing.
Rapier, I curious....do you have any problem with all the pythons that have supposedly been released in Florida? Some folks are pooh-poohing the problem and others relate it to Armageddon.....What is the Dept of Game & Fish stance on these critters? Are they "takeable" or are they to be left alone? Sure would like a pair of "python skin boots"
