A Reddit video now making the rounds captures a wild kingsnake in the middle of eating a venomous copperhead just outside a cabin. For anyone who gets nervous spotting snakes near the house, the clip is both unnerving and oddly reassuring.
What happened?
Shared on Reddit and racking up over 1,900 upvotes, the post shows a kingsnake with a copperhead about 20 feet from the original poster's door.
When the footage starts, the nonvenomous kingsnake is wrapped tightly around the more dangerous snake, turning a spot near the cabin into an unexpected backyard wildlife scene. The copperhead struggles to get away, but the kingsnake has a tight grip.
(Click here if the embedded video does not appear.)
The original poster described it by writing that the snake "ate a spicy noodle... this is second time I've seen him eat a copperhead. He loves them."
Why does it matter?
Kingsnakes are known for eating rodents, lizards, and even other snakes, including venomous species such as copperheads. Seeing one around a property can signal that a native predator is doing exactly what it evolved to do.
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As cabins, homes, and roads push deeper into wild habitat, people and animals inevitably cross paths more often. Human development can create ideal edge habitat, shelter spots, and food sources — especially if rodents are lingering around buildings, which can draw in both prey and predators.
A copperhead near a doorway, and a kingsnake following it, may be tied at least in part to the way people have reshaped the landscape. Reducing attractants, keeping a respectful distance, and leaving wild animals alone can help limit conflicts.
Thoughtful property management and native habitat planning can also reduce conflict while still supporting beneficial species.
What are people saying?
The comment section quickly became part reaction thread and part snake explainer. Several users pointed to kingsnakes being "immune/tolerant to pit-viper venom," offering that as one reason they can handle dangerous prey.
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Others chimed in with their own memorable encounters.
One user mentioned seeing a king that "regurgitated a copperhead," while the poster's "spicy noodle" line kept making the rounds.
A community moderator chimed in after some users seemed to want the post taken down because the video is a bit graphic. "I understand that this may be sad for some viewers, but I want to clarify for everyone that we allow videos and images of natural predation," they wrote.
"This is what kingsnakes evolved to do, and it's a fascinating aspect of their natural history. If we had removed this post, many people wouldn't have learned that they are ophiophagous."
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