Rock Garden Drama

JohnP · September 20, 2009, 07:00:29 PM

Decided to expand the Rock Garden to encompass some of the prickly pear cactus that's growing wild near the rock garden. While walking around coffee in one hand and camera hanging around my neck I spot a cottontail trying to hide from me. Snap this picture and thought I could get closer but he bolted into another area.

As I was trying to get closer this gopher snake came out of no where and wrapped him up pretty good.

Still has a good hold on him.

He is probably dead by this time as I see no sign of a struggle.

Although you can't see it from this angle he starts to swallow the bunny.

Deed completed he gives me a look and heads out looking for a place to digest his breakfast.

As I walk out I hear bzzzzzzzzz, look under a rock and see this guy.

Decide I better go in and get ready for today's football games. My poor heart can't take all this excitement.

pitw · September 20, 2009, 07:08:20 PM

Thanks for the warning

. Pretty cool though and that snake was lucky it was you and not me

SCcoyotehunter · September 20, 2009, 07:27:43 PM

Note to self: Stay away from the rock garden!!!!!

FinsnFur · September 20, 2009, 08:10:55 PM

Rock Garden Drama :roflmao:
That was actually pretty cool...to see in pictures anyway.

alscalls · September 20, 2009, 08:51:09 PM

Great...now Barry wont sleep and when Bopeye sees this........

Fantastic shots though......

Hawks Feather · September 20, 2009, 09:05:16 PM

Nothing like a little snake story to keep me awake tonight. Really good pictures. Could you get a close up of the rattle snake?

Jerry

KySongDog · September 20, 2009, 09:13:22 PM

Illegals, cougars, and now bunny eatin' snakes and rattlers.

They were right when they said "No Country For Old Men".

I'd be in the ER by now.

vvarmitr · September 21, 2009, 07:29:30 AM

Wow! That was way cool!

That's one thing I've never seen in the wild, a snake catching & swallowing it's prey.
Thanks for sharing John.

Carolina Coyote · September 21, 2009, 12:55:27 PM

Them Rabbit eating snakes would have a very short life around me. Nothing better than young fried Rabbit.

cc

JohnP · September 21, 2009, 01:38:27 PM

Quote from: Carolina Coyote on September 21, 2009, 12:55:27 PM
Them Rabbit eating snakes would have a very short life around me. Nothing better than young fried Rabbit. cc

I been trying to teach them to only eat the pack rats and ground squirrels, they are just to darn hard headed. We have tons of rabbits, open all year, 10 per day. Probably have close to 20 in the freezer right now.

vvarmitr · September 22, 2009, 07:20:04 AM

One thing that would have made it better is if you got a stick & got ol' Buzzer out where you could take a better pix of him for us.

Okanagan · September 22, 2009, 09:11:20 AM

Great series of photos to tell the story. I saw a big bull snake catch and start to eat a little cottontail like that in California years ago, but intervened and the rabbit ran off with a tear in his skin and some hair rubbed off by the snake's teeth. Thanks for the post.