Desperate James Denton Ate Rattlesnake  2/28/06

Desperate Housewives star James Denton had an unconventional way of dealing with an unwanted rattlesnake that tortured his dog - he ate it.

The actor, who plays hunky plumber Mike Delfino on the hit TV show, was walking his pet near Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles when he encountered the predator.

Denton grabbed the snake then proceeded to skin it, gut it, smear it with barbecue sauce and cook it up on his barbecue.

He explains, "I just couldn't resist. I know it's part of the ecosystem and all that... but I did eat it!"

The star jokes, " It was before I had a TV show, so I needed it!"