Weird black racer observation today...

[kathylove]

I went out to the metal building today with some friends to check on the snakes. As we approached, it sounded like a kitten was loudly crying from inside the building. Then we noticed a black racer above the door, halfway up inside the pipe from the satellite TV dish. The back half was sticking out below the pipe. Just above the pipe, a Cuban treefrog was screaming loudly (like a kitten!) as the racer had one of its legs in its mouth!

We watched for a few minutes as the snake tried to pull the frog into the pipe, but the frog eventually got away - or was let go. Then the snake came back out the bottom of the pipe. I have no idea how it got up there as the walls are fairly smooth - and hot! Maybe it came from an adjoining tree on the other side of the building in the early morning before the metal became hot. Anyway, I prodded the snake down from above my head, and caught it in mid-air. I was quite surprised that it didn't bite, but I think the poor thing had enough toxic "frog juice" in its mouth that it didn't want to bite anything else. But it didn't stop the snake from "racing" away quickly once released on the ground.

The frog jumped down on his own and seems none the worse for wear.

In all of the years I have lived here (since 1990), I have never seen a snake on the metal building, so it was quite a surprise.

 

[mbdorfer]

Interesting observation. I always suspected that racers were a little weird. After finding this on my sidewalk last year, I'm convinced! :grin01:

 

[breedingcolors]

Interesting observation. I always suspected that racers were a little weird. After finding this on my sidewalk last year, I'm convinced! :grin01:

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

 

[Hurley]

Kitten-sounding frog on a hot tin roof?

(OK, it's a stretch.)

And that knotted snake is priceless.

 

[loise]

Interesting observation. I always suspected that racers were a little weird. After finding this on my sidewalk last year, I'm convinced! :grin01:

I have to agree with "BC" :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

 

[mbdorfer]

And that knotted snake is priceless.

Hehe, I posted this before but, that picture was taken the day Hurricane Wilma hit Florida. Around noon it cleared up and I went out to the store, when I got home I found this guy all knotted up on the sidewalk leading to my front door. As soon as I touched him he un-knotted himself and latched on to me in true racer fashion. I kept him overnight and released him the next day. Here's a close up of the knot. :crazy02:

 

[ghosthousecorns]

Is that a figure 8 knot? Looks like more than just a square knot. You've got to wonder what these snakes are thinking sometimes!
:-offtopic I saw a TV show once where one of those cuban frogs was trapped in a chimney or wall, the homeowner called the fire dept. and they cut a big hole in the wall, they all thought it was a stranded kitten that needed to be rescued but it turned out to be just a frog!

 

[cka]

I hope snakes like the racers and coachwhips are the next "it" snake to be worked with amongst the community. At the NARBC show last year there was an older gentleman walking around holding a large, very calm racer that was beautiful. We have black racers around here, but you usually only have time to say "Wow, a racer..." before it has "raced" off :*)...

So many snakes...So little time :grin01:

 

[kimbyra]

Hey I saw that t.v. show too! That frog really did sound like a kitten!

 

[PJ FF]

Im trying to get 2 coach whips and then possibly start breeding...... probably wont happen though :-offtopic