mohave green rattle snake

[possum]

Wascully wabbit!!! LOL

[jarich]

Snakes can dig burrows just fine. My kingsnake and garter snakes both have pretty extensive networks of burrows all through their enclosures. While Im not sure it extends to rattlesnakes, Im not sure why it wouldnt necessarily.

[possum]

Originally Posted by jarich

Snakes can dig burrows just fine. My kingsnake and garter snakes both have pretty extensive networks of burrows all through their enclosures. While Im not sure it extends to rattlesnakes, Im not sure why it wouldnt necessarily.

I know what you mean, my rosy boas dig tunnels too, but
in a cage the substrate isn't much of a challenge...not like the 'hard pan'/caliche found in the Mojave's natural habitat, which by the way, is where I lived for many years. The snakes there pretty much rely on rodents to do their digging for them...not saying some minor "re-arranging" isn't done by gopher snakes, they are quite 'pushy'. But the 'sand' in the desert is not like at the beach & most snakes are no match for it...they wouldn't have a nose left. There's a little loose sand on top, or in pockets, but mostly it's like rock.

[raven2]

All I know is another hole appeared about 3 feet from the two holes that were plug with pea gravel about a week later.
There was no dirt around the new hole opening.
Any dirt required to make the hole went into the cavern.
The mohave green rattle snake did not leave through the gravel because there was no tail tale signs.
Maybe the snake contracted with a mole to dig him out.
Agree there could have been a third hole that was part of the underground network that the snake found. These snakes spend most of their time underground, even in the summer and probably have developed earth moving techniques.

[raven2]

Also have a "rosy boa" in the area, in the wild, not in a cage

Saw this snake run down a field mouse about three weeks ago.
I saw this little mouse running at about 10-12 MPH across the bare dirt
and to the left, the rosy boa was in hot persuite. Boa caught up with the snake in an almond tree watering mote when the mouse had to slow up. The boa broke the mouses neck , farely violently, took the mouse over next to the wood picket fence in the shade and swallowed it in about ten minutes. Was watering some trees about five feet away, the snake did not seem to mind.

Question. Will the mohave green rattle snake eat the rosy boa?

[possum]

Originally Posted by raven2

...
Question. Will the mohave green rattle snake eat the rosy boa?

Not likely, other snakes are not their intended diet...they might even share a burrow in the winter hibernation. But bites by mistake do happen...I've seen many snakes appear to wipe their face after eating & I believe it may be to remove as much rodent scent as possible, so as not to be thought of as prey by another snake who catches the scent of rodent on them? (I'd imagine natural selection would tend to eliminate those snakes that forget to "tidy up"?)