| Pages:
1
2 |
Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
|
|
The picture
Those competing rattlers don't seem to be very agressive towards one another. You'd think that with all that venom they could do better than to nuzzle
up against each other like that.
|
|
|
Cardon Man
Super Nomad
Posts: 1319
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Thetis Bank
Member Is Offline
Mood: !Al Chingaso!
|
|
Snake photo
That photo is exactly what we observed. No overtly aggresive behavior. Very interesting. If only I had my camera!
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
That picture of the intertwined rattlers....
That's what I thought too at first, Skipjack Joe and Cardon Man. Couldn't they bite each other and die? Then I researched these snake
dances and found that the facts are indeed stranger than the folklore surrounding this rarely seen behavior.
It was first believed that the snakes, twisting about and seemingly linked together, were mating. Now it's known that only males
perform this symbolic dance.
Now here is where it gets very strange....It has also been observed between males of different species and at different times of
year, sometimes without a female nearby. What exactly stimulates the males to "dance" is not clear, but the goal seems obvious to establish sexual
dominance.
With almost half of their bodies poised upright, the opponents rock back and forth until one senses an advantage and throws the other off balance.
As their excitement builds, the momentum of the dance quickens. Lacking arms and legs, the snakes wrestle by literally "throwing their weight
around."
The wrestling match seems to be a test of coordination as well as of strength.
This exhausting dance can go on for several hours. But snakes are very strong for their size. Pound for pound, they have more muscle tissue than any
other animal.
These contests are settled without any intent to kill their opponent. Hey, maybe we could take a page from these guys...and bring this up at the next
UN meeting.
In any case, their death-dealing fangs are useless against each other since rattlesnakes are immune to their own venom. This explains how they can
bite and then swallow their poisoned prey.
All in all, a very interesting world we are sharing.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
|
|
Rattlesnake dinner
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
In any case, their death-dealing fangs are useless against each other since rattlesnakes are immune to their own venom. This explains how they can
bite and then swallow their poisoned prey.
|
I once ate a road killed rattler with a buddy of mine near Santa Fe. A car had driven over it's head but the body was untouched. It was my friend's
idea and I had reservations but went along with it (I waited for him to swallow first, heh, heh).
Anyway, my fear was that we would be digesting snake venom that has been squished from it's sacs into the meat. Were my fears unfounded? I'm guessing
that those who've eaten rattlers will carefully remove the head and hope none of the venom is in the meat. Heck, maybe the frying broke down the
toxins.
Either way, our little experiment was pretty foolhardy.
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
i heard you are supposed to cut of 6+" off behind the head to make sure you don't get the poison ducts.
quien sabe?
|
|
|
Halboo
Nomad
Posts: 193
Registered: 2-19-2006
Location: 33°26\'00.15\"N 117°37\'09.84W
Member Is Offline
Mood: Bohemian
|
|
Never heard that one; everybody I know that eat's 'em just cuts off the head......
I have heard of people getting sick from eating a snake that had bitten itself; not sure if that's an old wives tale or not......
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Around here (Baja Sur) the roadrunners eat a lot of rattlers and other snakes. Overseas and in Jamaica, a mongoose is the bane of snakes. Then there
are raccoons, secretary birds, and a whole host of snake predators around the globe that feast on whole snakes. Since they don't suffer any harm from
eating the whole critter..venom and all...we will not either. Bon appetite!
p.s. but just in case...I am cutting the head off my next rattler lunch!
[Edited on 4-11-2007 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
In some areas folks believe the head of a dead rattler should be removed and buried. Something about yellow jackets ingesting the poison and being able to pass the rattlesnake venom on when they sting someone.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
A decapitated rattler should be treated as a "very short snake".
REVENGE OF THE UNDEAD!
Rattlesnakes can strike you from beyond the grave--and this bizarre form of posthumous revenge is surprisingly common.
Say you killed a rattler for lunch and you cut off the head. Watch out!
Studies have shown that an isolated rattlesnake head will try to attack objects waved in front of it for up to an hour after death. This is believed
to be a reflex action, triggered by infrared sensors in the "pit organ", a structure between the nostril and eye that detects body heat.
A rattlesnake's body has touch sensors that can also trigger a reaction after death. There was an instance where a headless body jumped, smacking an
unsuspecting observer with its bloody stump. Get that sucker skinned and in the pot quick!
Given that rattlesnakes rarely attack people unless they are provoked, the problems could usually be avoided if people didn't feel the need to kill
them in the first place. Break out the Spam and spare that campsite rattler. 
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Prior to killing and eating a Rattler, the long time method is to hold the live Rattler at the back of the Head. Force the Mouth open,place the Fangs
over a Cup/Can and Milk the Venom, then with a sharp knife or Needlenose pliers remove the Venom Sacks that feed the Fangs.
There are many RattleSnake Heads cured and Sold after they are cleaned in this Manner. Do not remove the head until the Fangs have been Milked and
Sacs removed.
Skeet
|
|
|
SoCalAl
Nomad
Posts: 156
Registered: 6-8-2004
Location: Punta Banda, Ca
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hungry
|
|
 I don't know why my stomack muscles are contracting and my mouth is watering?
In one instance I feel like having a Rattler BBQ and the next I feel like, what the heck am I thinking. Truth is I have never run into a rattler but I have always been curious about catching or hunting one. I don't know
if it is the danger of the whole thing or what but I know that traveling to the Desert lands of Baja enough is going to put me in front of one of
these ccritters sooner or later. I just hope I have enough sense to
stay away from it, I have a tendency to approach dangerous situations. 
What do they taste like? And please don't say chicken... Not everything exotic tastes like chicken, does it?
Ahh Baja.... Where you can hear yourself think & commingling with the locals will humble you.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Your are right..not everything 'tastes just like chicken'..
Not much meat on a small one...so the larger the snake the better for eating. It has a very unique taste and full of bones. Kinda of rubbery and a
sweet meat.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
SoCalAl
Nomad
Posts: 156
Registered: 6-8-2004
Location: Punta Banda, Ca
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hungry
|
|
Hmmm, sound pretty good. It kind of sounds like a abolne type of flavor rubbery and a little sweet??? Pampano or maybe like a shrimp or deer jerky?? What do you think?? Just wondering...
Ahh Baja.... Where you can hear yourself think & commingling with the locals will humble you.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
SoCal...
On the subject of eating rattlesnakes, I must say that they are pretty low on my choice of dinnerfare...right before spotted owl. Like Crocodile
Dundee said in his movie when asked about eating a dungbeetle or something equally nasty.."Tastes like crap, but you can eat them."
I will let others pursue the culinary aspects of snakes.
This bunch would make a good-sized stew, I expect.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Some will say that it taste between a Chicken Breast ad Shrimp.
To me it is very much like a young Possum.
Skeet
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
If Rattlesnake meat was a tastey treat there'd be a franchise serving it up.
Snakes have way more rib bones than most critters. There isn't much meat between
the bones.
|
|
|
Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Skeet/Loreto
While living in San Nicolas I had the Stomach Flu. Enrique Murrillo's Wife mixed up a Potion of Dried Crushed Rattlesnake Bone, Goat Poop, and a small
amount of Marijuna(DOPE} Worked Great--Stomach problem went away in about an Hour.
Skeet |
Alice B Toklas has gotta be rolling - I know I am................ maybe the most ironic post I've seen in a while.
|
|
|
bajapablo
Nomad
Posts: 226
Registered: 1-27-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
rattlesnake sausage
The rodizio grill (brazillian buffet) in Salt Lake serves a white sausage made from the meat of the rattlesnake. Tastes like shiz
\"changes it lattitudes, changes in attitudes\"
J.Buffet
|
|
|
Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Canned Rattlesnake can be bought from some Upscale Delis.
Also "The Big Texan" in Amarillo has it on their Menu along with Armadillo.
Skeet
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
