This is an important fact as unlike most non-venomous snakes in North America, the Blue Indigo snake is NOT a constrictor. It is one of the largest snakes in North America, smaller only than the rarer and protected Eastern Blue Indigo found mainly in Florida and Georgia. The Texas Blue Indigo (Drymarchon melanurus erebennus) is a Protected non-venomous snake native to Texas and portions of Mexico. So for those of you who asked and I was unable to get back to in a timely manner… this brief article is for you. It didn’t take long to realize that few people had ever seen one in person, yet alone know anything about them. After posting a few photos and a short video, my message box was inundate with questions about the stunning specimen. Recently I came across a Texas Blue Indigo snake on my ranch. Watch the entire video from Herp.MX, an independent research group dedicated to the study and conservation of Mexico’s herpetofauna with an emphasis on neglected and at-risk species, by clicking here.Lets talk snakes! Specifically, the Texas Blue Indigo! Video still at top of page of a Texas indigo snake with its rattlesnake kill. Along with the coral snake rhyme most of us know, “red touches yellow, kills a fellow red touches black, friend of Jack,” keep this old rancher saying in mind… While this can feel a like an issue beyond your personal control, individual conservation efforts to help protect this nonvenomous rattlesnake killer matter and it can start with a simple reminder. Texas indigo snake populations are threatened primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “threatened species are plants and animals that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” As noted previously, and as indicated on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s “ Threatened, Endangered and Protected Animals” page, the Texas indigo snake is classified as threatened. While out in the field, one of Landmark Wildlife’s biologists captured this photo of indigo snake scat with a rattlesnake rattle in it: Threatened indigo snakes For those interested in seeing an indigo in action, you can check out a video, with the cheeky title “Indigo snake gets a rattlesnake lunch to-go,” by clicking here. Without relying on constriction or venom to conquer its prey, the indigo dominates with its strong jaws, taking the rattlesnake headfirst. How Texas indigo snakes kill rattlesnakesĭespite being venomous and up to three to four times heavier than a Texas indigo snake, the rattlesnake’s size and poison can be no match for the indigo’s sheer power and tolerance for rattlesnake venom. As a diurnal predator, the snake hunts during the day and will eat anything it catches including lizards, frogs, bird, mice, and other snakes, including rattlesnakes. Nonvenomous and fairly docile (if you’re not a rattlesnake), the Texas indigo is named for varying shades of blue-black on the rear half of its body. The resourceful snake uses abandoned burrows created by other animals for its den. A member of the Colubridae snake family, the Texas indigo is found in the Lone Star state and Mexico and, along with its kin the eastern indigo snake found in southeastern states, is classified as a threatened species and cannot be hunted or killed.įor its habitat, the Texas indigo snake prefers a semi-arid environment with light vegetation, making South Texas favored slithering grounds, but “ it can also be found as far north and west as the southern edge of the Edwards Plateau in western Central Texas.” About a month after mating, typically in late winter and early spring, the female snake lays her eggs in an underground den to incubate until hatching. Typically measuring between 5.5 and 6.5 feet in length (with a record at nearly 8.5 feet long) and weighing 4 to 5 pounds, these reptiles rank among the largest snakes native to the United States. “The Texas indigo snake is revered in South Texas, where many ranchers are aware of its propensity for eating predatory rattlesnakes.” – Wild Thing: Indigo Snake is a Black BeautyĮverything is bigger in Texas and the Texas indigo snake is no exception. When it comes to snakes, if you’re inclined to lump them all into a singular venomous, rattling twist in your mind, consider the ancient proverb, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and meet the Texas indigo snake. As the days warm, rattlesnakes begin to stir from their cold weather hibernation, emerging hungry and ready to breed. While many, on an intellectual level, may be able to understand the crucial role snakes play in a healthy ecosystem, it can still be a challenge to fully appreciate the rattlesnake.
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