Can a Bull Snake Be a Show Snake?

A week ago, Marco the Chessie and I were walking up a pedestrian-bike trail that goes trough "open space" by the Walking Stock golf course in northeast Pueblo.

Suddenly he jumped sideways. I looked down and back — this bull snake was artistically coiled next to the wall that separates one of the adjacent upscale houses from the public path.

Not a bad homestead for a snake—a secure den under the masonry wall, just a short slither away from rodent-hunting grounds. 

The snake tired of being photographed and false-struck at me. No danger; it was just annoyed. "OK, buddy," I said, "I'll leave you be."

What was interesting that this particular bull snake did not vibrate its tail to mimic a rattlesnake. A lot of them do that, and then humans start grabbing guns and shovels: "It's a rattlesnake! Kill it!" 

Is the gene pool changing? Marco started out to be a show dog, but washed out. He still strikes poses. So did this snake. Very artistic fellow.