9 foot long, 97 pound rattlesnake

[Jerry Peck]

We've had our HUGE gators ..

Then we've had our HUGE boa constrictors swallow big gators, killing both of them ...

Then we've had our HUGE wild boars ...

Now it is a HUGE rattlesnake - 9 feet 1 inch weighing in at 97 pounds.

Here is the text, the photo is below.


THEY GROW 'EM BIG IN FLORIDA

97 lb rattlesnake found in Dixie County, Florida.
This snake was recently found near an old chicken house just north of Cross City, Florida.

9 feet, 1 inch - 97 lbs. - Biggest rattler found in Florida since Ross Allen captured one in 1969. That one measured 9 feet, 1 inch but only weighted 78 lbs.
This old guy was found inside a open water tank near an abandoned chicken house.

[Michael Thomas]

A long, full life.

[wayne soper]

What office does she work for Jerry?:D

[John Kogel]

In Canada, a Texas 10 gallon hat only amounts to about 8.9 gallons and that rattler would only weigh about 43 kilos. :) So where's it really from?

[Jerry Peck]

Wayne,

I thought it was Prudential, but according to Fritz ... Snopes has her working for Coldwell Banker. :D

[Jerry Peck]

Never trust the internet, not even the same "source":

wiki.answers.com


Q. What is the largest rattle snake ever found?

A. The longest rattler we've ever heard of was over 11 ft. and was found in the Ocala National Forest. There were others nearly as long also found in that park.

Q. What is the largest rattle snake on record?

It is said that the largest rattlesnake on the planet is the Eastern diamondback. The record length for this venomous snake is 96 inches. It can strike 2/3 it's body length. A six footer can bite you when you are four feet away. The average strike is at 1/3 the body length unless they are backed up to a wall and shove off. the strike is 1/50th of a second making it impossible for a person to avoid since human reactions are longer. The problem is that the rattler knows his body length better than the average person who may become a victim.

Huh?

[John Kogel]

Easier math with a 9 foot snake, he'll strike 3 feet in the open, can strike 6 feet if backed up to a wall.

If you're a Tampa Bay Ray in Texas this PM, it's 3 strikes, yer out!

[mathew stouffer]

Is that a photo shop. That guy does not look strong enough to hold 100lbs up that easy.

[Bryan Hughes]

This photo and description are pure BS.

The snake is a male Western Diamondback, not an Eastern, and looks like one found in Texas. It's also on the end of a pole, which look like Whitney brand tongs from the color of the tip. The tongs are probably the standard 40" size with a roughly 1" wide tip, which would make that snake just under 4' long, by rough estimation. It probably weighs 6 or 7 lbs, if really healthy.

The largest rattlesnakes ever found are Eastern Diamondbacks, and none have been documented at over 9' in length. Even at that size, it would not come anywhere close to 97 lbs ... maybe 20, tops.

There was a report of a much larger rattlesnake of 11 feet found in Texas, but when I received photos of it, it was clear it was actually an African rock python ... most likely an escaped or released pet. You'd think the lack of a rattle would have meant something.

Anyway, hope that puts it to rest.

[Jack Feldmann]

While it may not be 9' long, and it might not be from Florida, or Texas, it IS one big a$$ snake, and one that would scare the crap out of me.

[Vern Heiler]

I was talking to a Florida State Trooper about 20 years ago. He was over 6' and well over 220 pounds by my guess, and built like a rock. He had been struck by an eastern diamondback while wearing heavy leather snake boots. The fangs didn't penetrate but it did break his leg!

From what he said, most of the snake fatalities the find in the wild have multiple broken bones.

[Bryan Hughes]

I was talking to a Florida State Trooper about 20 years ago. He was over 6' and well over 220 pounds by my guess, and built like a rock. He had been struck by an eastern diamondback while wearing heavy leather snake boots. The fangs didn't penetrate but it did break his leg!

From what he said, most of the snake fatalities the find in the wild have multiple broken bones.

Hate to say it, but he's full of it. There is nowhere near that much force in a bite. In fact, it doesn't even propel a mouse backwards an inch.

One of mine has struck at the glass a few times when I walk into the room, and he's a big one. It glances off the glass with a soft "bonk" and nothing more.

[Vern Heiler]

Hate to say it, but he's full of it. There is nowhere near that much force in a bite. In fact, it doesn't even propel a mouse backwards an inch.

One of mine has struck at the glass a few times when I walk into the room, and he's a big one. It glances off the glass with a soft "bonk" and nothing more.


:confused: :confused: :confused: The stuffed ones I have seen that are as big around as your leg, do look like they could hit pretty hard... but I don't know. (Maybe he had a little HI in him:D )

[Jim Luttrall]

Maybe all those broken bones are from people like me tripping over themselves to get away!

[Elliot Franson]

Mr.Peck: Respectfully, this appears to be just more bluster and BS from Florida:

snopes.com: 15-Foot Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/15ftrattler.asp)

Even if the snake were as long and as heavy as reported, the old gentleman in the photo couldn't support 98lbs. at the end of a stick long enough to snap the picture.

Nice story, though.:D

[Dom D'Agostino]

snopes.com: 15-Foot Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/15ftrattler.asp)

Even if the snake were as long and as heavy as reported, the old gentleman in the photo couldn't support 98lbs. at the end of a stick long enough to snap the picture.




Now we have physics professors here on IN.

CSI is alive and well here in cyberspace.

EF:
Do tell us all about the limitations of the man in the photo, and how much weight he can support on the end of the depicted wand, and at what angle the wand is held.... maybe if you extrapolate the length of the hair on his beard we can learn which Country his ancestry hails from. :rolleyes:

Oh, wait... Ben-Gee has a certified and proctored class for that, I'm sure ;)...and he will describe the very exacting process by which he has earned his certified "snake-on-a-stick" class, all the while the site Admin will do absolutely nothing to stop this page-ranking insanity.


Carry on...


Dom.

[Bryan Hughes]

Now we have physics professors here on IN.

CSI is alive and well here in cyberspace.

EF:
Do tell us all about the limitations of the man in the photo, and how much weight he can support on the end of the depicted wand, and at what angle the wand is held.... maybe if you extrapolate the length of the hair on his beard we can learn which Country his ancestry hails from. :rolleyes:

Oh, wait... Ben-Gee has a certified and proctored class for that, I'm sure ;)...and he will describe the very exacting process by which he has earned his certified "snake-on-a-stick" class, all the while the site Admin will do absolutely nothing to stop this page-ranking insanity.


Carry on...


Dom.

The snake is actually 6' 10" long and probably weighs about 15 lbs., if the snake in the photo is the St. Augustine animal caught last October. Every time I get it in my inbox it's bigger, comes from somewhere else, and killed a greater number of dogs than the last time.

[Dom D'Agostino]

The snake is actually 6' 10" long and probably weighs about 15 lbs., if the snake in the photo is the St. Augustine animal caught last October. Every time I get it in my inbox it's bigger, comes from somewhere else, and killed a greater number of dogs than the last time.


Well, I know you don't "do" too many crawl spaces in your town, but for the most part, we "simple HI's" don't want mutant-monster- 9 foot-snakes "barking up our flag pole" while we slither around someone's crawlspace....:p Your mileage may vary...

Dom.

[Elliot Franson]

Mr. D'Agostino:

My, but aren't you the excitable one! If you doubt this, simply try it for yourself. No large expenditure is required. Get yourself a 4'-5' pole, 2 five gallon buckets and one gallon milk jug. Fill the containers with water - 11 gallons = approximately 92lbs. plus the weight of the buckets - close enough. Now suspend the buckets in the manner shown in the photo. Unless you are built like a gorilla, this will not happen.

No physics degree required. Just a tad of common sense, not so common in Floridians, it seems.:D

[Dom D'Agostino]

No physics degree required. Just a tad of common sense,

Well, let's see.

While I'm crawling around looking for construction defects, you want me to measure the length of the snake that has quietly crawled up my backside....and decide what "his" intentions are.

Oh, oh, Alex I'll take "Things that make no sense..." for $500.


Yea, that 'll happen ...

[Elliot Franson]

you want me to measure the length of the snake that has quietly crawled up my backside....and decide what "his" intentions are.

Mr. D'Agostino: I'd like to respectfully suggest that you contact Mr. Watson and discuss the possibility of joining him in his caffeine-free program.

[Vern Heiler]

Well, let's see.

While I'm crawling around looking for construction defects, you want me to measure the length of the snake that has quietly crawled up my backside....and decide what "his" intentions are.

Oh, oh, Alex I'll take "Things that make no sense..." for $500.


Yea, that 'll happen ...

A couple of years ago I was cleaning the bottom of my sailboat using a mask and snorkel. I felt something on my back and thought it was one of the dock lines holding the boat. When I picked my head out of the water there was a 3-4' long water snake staring at me! Who said mortal man can't walk on water!! The snake was not poisonous but at that time I didn't care. He left in as much of a hurry as I did.

[Dom D'Agostino]

Mr. D'Agostino: I'd like to respectfully suggest that you contact Mr. Watson and discuss the possibility of joining him in his caffeine-free program.


I don't consume any caffeine, so what else 'ya got?....

[Elliot Franson]

I don't consume any caffeine, so what else 'ya got?....

Mr. D'Agostino: You name it. It's an open bar.