Cannibal snake regurgitates 3 snakes, including live rattlesnake, Georgia study says

One of Georgia’s revered indigo snakes astonished researchers when it suddenly regurgitated three other snakes, including a rattlesnake that eventually sprang back to life.

The indigo snake was only 4 feet long, according to an Aug. 29 release from the the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

“To top off this remarkable event, the revived rattlesnake had a noticeable bulge, indicating it had recently eaten a large mouse,” state officials wrote.

“This unusual episode not only reveals the indigo’s impressive hunting abilities but also the rattlesnake’s unexpected resilience. Nature truly has its surprises!”

The disgusting bit of indigestion was observed during an ongoing state survey of indigo snakes, a federally protected species that is “North America’s longest native snake.” They reach over 7 feet in length and are notorious for eating venomous snakes, the state reports.

State wildlife technician Matt Moore reports it happened over the winter, when he put the snake in a bag to be weighed.

When he opened the bag, three more snakes appeared.

“Things kinda got weird,” Moore said in a news release. “It was filled to the brim with snakes.”.

He identified the three snakes as “a slimmer indigo, a young rat snake, and a juvenile eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake” that was about 16 inches long.

The indigo was weighed a second time, proving it lost half a pound in just seconds.

“The rattlesnake, initially thought to be lifeless, showed surprising signs of life an hour later. It was later seen basking in the sun instead of taking shelter in a burrow,” the state reported.

The rattlesnake was even documented weeks later, “still alive and crawling,” officials said.

This story was originally published August 30, 2024 at 6:26 AM with the headline "Cannibal snake regurgitates 3 snakes, including live rattlesnake, Georgia study says."