Though they are both snakes black snakes and rattlesnakes couldn’t be more different. For starters black snakes are nonvenomous while rattlesnakes are some of the most venomous snakes in the world. So if you’re ever faced with a snake and you’re not sure which kind it is it’s always best to err on the side of caution and assume it’s a rattlesnake.
But what if you’re positive you’re dealing with a black snake? Can black snakes kill rattlesnakes?
It’s possible but it’s not likely. Black snakes are much smaller than rattlesnakes and don’t have the same kind of venom. Instead of injecting their prey with venom they constrict it until it suffocates. This method of killing is not as quick or as effective as venom so a black snake would have to be very lucky to take down a rattlesnake.
That being said there are reports of black snakes killing rattlesnakes. In one incident a witness saw a black snake constrict and kill a rattlesnake in just a few minutes. Another person reported seeing a black snake kill a rattlesnake by biting it in half.
So while it’s not common it is possible for a black snake to kill a rattlesnake.
Do Black Snakes kill Rattlesnakes?
Black Snakes will kill and eat Rattlesnakes if they can.
