Snakes ‘fighting’ before NC family’s cookout proves to be mating session, video shows
If there’s anything more awkward than finding snakes fighting at a family cookout, it’s realizing those two snakes are mating in front of your kids.
That happened Friday night to the Rinehart family of Gaston County and, of course, it was one of their children who came into the house to report the sight, Brent Rinehart told McClatchy News in an email.
His quick investigation resulted in a 40-second Facebook video that is equal parts icky and strangely fascinating.
“My daughter came running in the house and said: ‘Daddy, you have to come outside and see this, there are two rat snakes fighting’,” Rinehart told McClatchy News.
“I’m no wildlife expert, but they didn’t look like they were fighting to me! Of course, I also have young kids, so we didn’t say much about what we were seeing. The kids assumed they were fighting and I just let it go.”
Coincidentally, he says his wife, Emily, was the first adult on scene, after she heard “rustling in the leaves.” She thought it was a squirrel at first, he says.
Rat snakes, which grow to 7 feet, are nonvenomous rodent eaters, so the pair posed no threat in the yard, about 25 miles west of Charlotte, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
May to late June is mating season for rat snakes, which “emit a foul smelling odor when they feel threatened,” the National Wildlife Federation says.
That means the Rineharts dodged a bullet by declining to interrupt the snakes, who separated not long after being discovered.
The video of the “fight” has inspired countless jokes since being shared Friday on Facebook.
“So tacky. Some snakes have no shame,” Lori Gregory Leeke posted on Rinehart’s Facebook page.
“We’re all uncomfortable now,” Rachel Lovelace wrote.
“Brent, cover your eyes,” Teresa Brown said.
Rinehart says he’s okay with being the butt of jokes in this case, given the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. People need a little humor now, he says.
“Some think it’s funny and have posted comments. Others are grossed out by snakes,” Rinehart says. “But, for all of us, watching videos online is a good escape from reality. It’s a bit of normalcy in the middle of a world far from normal.”
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 12:19 PM.