Watch as two twitchy diamondback rattlesnakes battle for dominance in Arizona yard
A strange call for help involving two large snakes slamming against each proved to be a rarely witnessed example of how western diamondback rattlesnakes engage in combat, experts say.
It took place outside a home near Tucson, Arizona, and was recorded by Dave Holland, a professional snake catcher sent by Rattlesnake Solutions.
The two venomous snakes were fighting over a winter den — and the stakes were raised by “a female waiting in the wings to see who won,” the company wrote in a Dec. 28 Facebook post.
“This behavior is rarely seen, and even dedicated rattlesnake enthusiasts may never see this in the wild,” Rattlesnake Solutions reported.
The video depicts something akin to a WWE main event, with the snakes repeatedly slamming their belly against each other, along with dramatic twists and flips.
Surprisingly, bites are not incorporated, and the loser is never actually hurt, experts say.
“It is a battle of dominance and endurance. Basically a wrestling contest,” Holland wrote on Facebook.
“Receptive females lay down pheromone trails as they move about and males come across these trails and follow them to the source. When multiple males find a female, combat ensues. Two evenly matched individuals can go for hours and these two were going at it long before I arrived.”
The snakes fought for about 30 minutes, then one got tired and backed off, Holland said.
The female patiently sat under a tarp, waiting for the beau to be revealed.
However, nobody got what they came for, due to Holland unceremoniously plucking all three snakes up and putting them in the same bucket.
“They simply and quietly coiled side by side in the bucket after capture. I added the female on both occasions and received no response,” he said.
“When I found a suitable pack rat nest for the relocation, I released the female first. Both males quickly followed her and I hope resumed their previous activities.”
His video had been viewed more than 61,000 times as of Jan. 3 and gotten 1,400 reactions and comments. Some were fascinated, others were terrified, and many had jokes.
“Creepy is the best description!” Mark Mitchell posted on Facebook.
“It looks like thumb wrestling ... without thumbs,” George Tackles wrote.
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