Sometimes, things just happen...
Today, the @little-peppers, @mama-pepper and I were about to leave the house of @grandpa-pepper to go visit @provider, @truconspiracy, @msgreenthumb, and others. Just as we were about to leave, this happened.
WHAT WAS THAT?
The snake that we found was a healthy little Eastern Hognose Snake. Within just moments of our two year old daughter Sweet Pepper grabbing it, it looked like this instead.
HAD OUR PRECIOUS LITTLE DAUGHTER BECOME A SNAKE-KILLER?
Actually, no. Hognose Snakes are created with many different defense mechanisms and "playing possum" AKA pretending to be dead is just one of them. Once a snake goes into this mode, it is difficult to prevent it from acting this away until you go away and leave it alone.
Before we moved to Arkansas, @provider once captured one for me. When I came over and picked it up, it went limp and played dead too. I asked him what he had done to it, just to mess with him a little. Then, I tried to lay it down on its belly... right side up. It quickly rolled onto its back... upside down. Every time that I would flip it the right way to make it look alive, it would flip itself back upside down to pretend to be dead. It was very persistent.
Since we found this one at the same house I grew up in, I thought that it would be good to shoot a quick video, because people always ask me about finding so many wild creatures. I had no idea that the young snake would respond this way. It went through a lot more in the video, so check it out if you have not already done so. I'll try to record an episode of the Wild-man's Wild Friends with this snake too.
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-baby-hognose-snake-pretending-to-be-dead
Until next time…
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Just another adventure in the wild with @papa-pepper. I can always count on coming to your page and finding good context
Thanks man! I appreciate that, have an upvote!
Awwwww.... So cute you guys!!!! Did she know what the snake was doing or was she worried?
She figured it out pretty quick, though she was concerned when it first opened its mouth.
Thats awesome! My kids would have been so sad if they thought they killed a snake!!! How is yalls trip? Looks like you are having a lot of fun.
So far so good, we just have to fix the power steering pump tomorrow and head back home.
Oh good! Yall stay safe on your trip home!
How 'bout 'yall down there? Are you safe and doing well?
We are good man.. Our neighborhood is dry, our street isnt flooding.. Our backyard is a lake but not coming in the door. We are chillin. A little cabin feeverish but feeling EXTREMELY lucky!!! It's really sad what's happening in our city, I am so super sad that so many people are losing their homes. Hopefully it lets up soon but as of right now it's still raining, 2 days straight. Thanks for asking!!! We appreciate it!
hahaa does that snake play soccer? does water bring it back to life? Hmmm
Wao
keep posting picture, i like your all pictures....
"Who wants to mess with a snake like that?"
"Me!"
Haha, that was adorable.
Is it real snake?
Yes, its a real snake, and they really do that.
Well, not rattlesnakes, they will leave or fight. Not much in between.
Check the video if you can.
Wow ,what's kind of snake my friend?please visit my page
If you read the article, or just the last picture, you would know it was a baby hognose snake, pretending to be dead.
@papa-pepper have a nice day. fantastic thanks for share. if you never share i can't see the greatest place awesome thing
Did it respond to being petted? (sorry, cannot watch the video)
She picked it up, it wiggled around like crazy for a few moments with its mouth open and then played dead.
I haven't been lucky enough to see that in person yet. Lots of snakes on my property. I was careful to learn how to identify the venomous ones (there are three) and once I learned that, I knew all the others were of no danger. Thanks for the video, that was some neat-o stuff right there.
thats pretty crazy for a snake lol )) fascinating this phenomen of evolution !! upvoted @papa-pepper )
THAT IS SO COOL!!! I've never seen that before but its so fascinating.. natures defense mechanisms lol.. thats what I do when I get under my covers and ready for bed every night lmao 😂
LOL!
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so cute papa 🌞😊 have a great night
This is awesome. I have a friend who loves snaked and hes showes me many awesome things such as spitting cobras, milking poisonous snakes, and snakes pooping, but never a snake playing possum. Another incredible snake thing Ive witnessed.
Good, now you have seen something else that some snakes can do!
OMGSH, So your children are fearless. I would probably play dead too if i came across this snake. Then I would show my dad and he would be beyond impressed that i killed it or fake killed it. Thanks for sharing with us this fun fact, now i know not every snake will try to kill me at first sight.
If this is a healthy little Hognose snake, how big is its mamma? :)
I'm sure you would go mad in our amazone forrest :) Ever thought of swimming in a river alongside a few piranhas?
I would love to check out some piranhas in the wild!
My first encounter was when I was a little boy, I think around 8 or 9 years old.
Some local daredevil wanted to show us how fast these little fish completely clean of a piece of meat from the bone in less then 30 sec. It looked like the water was boiling.
Did I say that he was standing in the water knee deep?
Im not daring you Papa Pepper, but I'm sure the adrenalin rush is there even thinking about it...LoL...
ps: If we had smart phones in that period of my life, I think I would be NATGEO's biggest competitor.... Do bookmark this if you like https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g5549729-d1745918-r294667260-Jungle_Lodge_Palumeu-Palumeu_Sipaliwini_District.html
wow Is it real snake?
Check the video.
@papa-pepper did the snake musk as well? One of my classmates picked on up and as soon as it musked, the illusion of death was quite convincing!
Happy to see this wasn't a tragedy. 🙂 Unfortunately, that's often the case when small kids and small animals mix. My niece accidentally crushed a baby chick (the adult's fault for not watching closely enough). My sister was upset that I told my niece the chick had died, and wasn't just "sleeping" or hurt. But I think learning the cycle of life and cause and effect is an important lesson, even at a young age.
Thankfully, though, that wasn't the case for your family today.
nice man !Resteemed
I was recently bitten by a snake and I was little scared when your daughter picked the snake and was putting her finger near the tongue of it. Brave girl she is!
Wow! I've never even heard of a snake doing that before. Pretty cool stuff ;-)
Your daughter is fearless !!
Congrats..
I found the great quality and high skill always in all your posts
Your blog is a brand
Thanks for sharing with us from your real life and for the sweet pics..
Thanks for good work
I ask you so kindly, If you have sometime , to let me know your point of view reagrding HF20.
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Beautiful nature, but snakes give me things
Thankyou for sharing @papa-papper
I know its not dangerous, but that snake looks really creepy when it plays dead. Also:
"Every time that I would flip it the right way to make it look alive, it would flip itself back upside down to pretend to be dead. It was very persistent."
Kind of counter-productive for the snake to flip itself up to look dead, no?
Hold on kids, daddy has to lay down and get a picture again!! I love how involved those @little-peppers are with nature and animals!! Your family inspires me to get out more with my kids and learn about the animals in our neck of the woods. I think we will leave the snakes for you guys!!
like
Wow, a daughter who is very brave, I not dare holding a snake, the snake was poisonous or not,every day I see a snake has always been in my garden and the scariest I have ever seen black cobra, if I were you, maybe I've caught, I was amazed with the courage You.thanks.
Your daughter. so cute! Just one question isn't she afraid of snakes? In the photos she looks quiet happy.
killer-family-pepper :P
ahahahaha... so cute little girl with snake... why did she cry @papa-pepper?
Oh wow my friend, this is really amazing to learn abt this fact from this type of snake! Pretending to be dead, never knew of this before! So we'll never know when they are really dead!Lol!
@rizwankhan
I hope you and your little daughter will be save. But.... ..its look snake will not remain save. h.h..h...
Man ,She is pretty and her braveness is one of a kind
I personally am not a great fan of Snakes
but she seems lot tougher than me ;) in this situation
Ohh whooaaaaa!!! sweet pepper was so brave!!!! grab the snake just like that snake!@#$ i thought i was tough hahaha, no, not snake for me, snakes in the Phillipines are poisonous. I runnn when I see snakes, big or small!!
Nice info there, the snake is a great actor lol.
Btw, Sweet pepper is sooo cute!!!!
Hats off for involving them with all your adventures!
It's fun and you collect memories with your children!
Have a happy Monday, Peppers family!
Wow!
Cute. I didn't know snakes played dead. I guess I haven't come across this kind of snake before. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
wow that's amazing i can't even look at it for 30 seconds she is not just a snake killer lol but she's brave nice one and kudos to that lovely baby
Since I have taken up photography I have noticed all kind of small creatures I use to never notice. It is amazing what you will see if you open your eyes and look for it.
I love the different looks on @sweet-pepper's face. She is adorable and looks to be very gentle with animals, which is really lucky for the snake. :D
I didn't know that snakes of any kind every played possum so I've learned something new today. :D Thanks. :D
Hey, @papa-pepper That was an amazing video. I have never seen a snake do that before! Thak you for sharing this amazing video. I can't imagine anything as sweet as Sweet Pepper doing harm to any creature.
Let's not overlook your kids dressed in fashionable camouflage. Salute.
That is really fascinating, I've never seen a snake do that before. Interesting and educational video as always. @ironshield
Great seeing seeing you and the family yesterday! I remember catching that hognose. It was like old times yesterday and we miss you already. Will see you at Christmas time. We will have to do an ice fishing video with the @little-peppers and @mini-provider. If the Lord freezes the lakes up by then! God Bless brother!
"Who wants to mess with a snake like that?"
"I do".
Of course.
LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
Yeah, those one's don't get rhetorical questions... too excited I guess. Thanks!