couple of questions on snakes eating other snakes

[creepiecrawlie]

question #1 is about ringneck snakes. I see ringnecks being sold as feeders and stuff but who on here likes them and would keep them as a pet. I would. to me they are a pretty little snake. I just don't see anyone on here that likes them. (I just got back on a couple of weeks ago)

question #2 I have always wondered about snakes eating snakes. I once had a video and it showed a mangrove snake (one of my favorite snakes) fighting and getting eaten by a king cobra. I felt sorry for the snake for a while. Well here in the U.S there are a lot of snake eating snakes. Like indigos, well do they prey on certain snakes or any that come along, like if a bull snake and indigo snake met up what would happen if they were almost the same size? I am not like a animal face-off love to see animals kill each other person but have wondered about it for a long time. like if a snake eater met another snake eater. Almost same sized coachwhip and indigo etc. you know? I once wanted a job on different species intereaction. like an american alligator met an american crocodile, would they fight or get along? kingsnakes and other snakes, I have heard of kingsnakes, cornsnakes,bullsnakes,copperheads,and rattlesnakes that would den together. Do their brains register that that is a different species of snake? Like hybridization do the snakes know they are different or do they not. Copperheads are my by far favorite snake, would they get a long with a cottonmouth,etc. I saw a special on animal planet were a guy (forgot who) was looking for an eastern diamondback and found one but then found a coral snake and the coral snake was attacking the camera because he was smelling the rattlesnake. I know some snakes are more "fit" to eat other snakes for instance coral snakes have the good body shape and mouth to eat other snakes while a copperhead has a mouth more fit for rodent consumption.


I have to go to school now and might add on to this.

[JimmyDavid]

Unless they are really looking for food, snakes won't fight each other even if they are ophiophagous (snake eaters). mammals are more socially complex and fight for other reasons, but reptiles are mainly feed/breed motivated. They come from an Era when there wasn't much else to do...

When species fight, victory is mostly about the size of the snakes. Venom is not that important, so it seems, because species usually involved in those combats are venom-tolerant (product of many years evolving familiar with those encounters). Unless you are putting snakes from different Continents fighting each other.

King Cobras prey on juvenile Retics. They bite hard and resist constriction. But we all know that if they try that on a bigger retic, they will be crushed to death. Bye, bye, King Cobra...

So, size matters...