When you know all about the black rat snake, you’ll see it as a country classic that shouldn’t get the same treatment as a venomous snake.
If you’ve ever lived on a farm in the eastern or central United States, then you’ve probably spied a shiny black rat snake slithering through the grass. If so, what was your reaction? Curiosity? Fear? Revulsion?
Actually, appreciation might be the most appropriate response. The nonvenomous western rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus), or Texas black rat snake as it is sometimes called, is an asset to farmers. Often confused in the East with the black racer snake (Coluber constrictor), black rat snakes are capable hunters and highly efficient at catching rodents. The black rat snake helps to control the population of mice and rats – which eats grain, fouls your toolbox and spreads disease.
All About Black Rat Snakes
How do you know if you’ve spotted a black rat snake? As its name implies, this snake is black, sometimes with gray blotches. Young snakes of the species can be confused with small copperheads or other species, since in their youth – typically the first two years of life – their appearance can feature dark brown or black blotches (blotches are typically longer than they are wide) on a light gray ground color. A splash of white accents the reptile’s chin and may be visible on its underbelly.
One of the largest snakes in North America, the black rat snake can grow up to 6 feet in length. It has a wedge-shaped head and round, lidless eyes.
Survival Skills
The black rat snake is well equipped for survival. Though it has many predators – from raccoons, coyotes and foxes to dogs, cats, pigs and other snakes – this snake has a variety of defense mechanisms. First it freezes in place. If the threat persists, the black rat snake may coil up and rap its tail against a hard surface (or leaves), imitating the sound of a rattlesnake. If further provoked, it may also strike or wrap its body around the predator. If seized, the black rat snake releases a foul-smelling musk. The disgusted predator may drop its prey, though not likely, leaving the snake to slither off. Black rat snakes typically live for 15 years, although they’ve lived up to nearly 30 years in captivity.
The black rat snake is a stealthy hunter. It hunts by sight or smell, swimming and climbing trees with ease. These skills allow the snake to consume frogs, lizards, insects, birds, bird eggs, squirrels, moles, cottontails and shrews – as well as mice and rats. This creature maximizes camouflage by staying still and laying out flat in a lazy “S” shape, thus emulating a stick – used mainly as a protection mechanism against predators.
A member of the constrictor family, the black rat snake seizes its prey in its mouth, slowly suffocating it by squeezing with its powerful muscles. Thanks to its detachable jaw, it can swallow a meal much larger than its head. The snake consumes whole hard objects like eggs; later, the shells will be broken in the snake’s esophagus. If food is scarce, a healthy snake can go a couple of weeks without eating.
Life Cycle
Did you know that male black rat snakes sometimes pin each other to the ground, probably in competition for mates? The mating period typically lasts from mid-April to early June. In the late spring or early summer, the female snake lays a clutch of eggs. For her nest site, she may choose a deserted burrow, a pile of leaves, a hollow log, or a hole in a tree. She may also lay her clutch on a farm, perhaps beneath a pile of manure, compost, sawdust or debris. The black rat snake usually lays between 12 and 20 oblong, leathery eggs.
The baby snakes hatch 65 to 70 days later. These thin, delicate creatures have pale gray scales with black patches. Unfortunately, they are sometimes confused with copperheads and killed. The hatchlings’ shiny skin grows darker over time. The young snakes have large appetites and soon double in size. Like their adult counterparts, they are mostly active during the daytime, though they occasionally forage during the evening or night.
Habitat
The black rat snake is an adaptable creature, comfortably surviving on a variety of terrains. It can be found in fields and forests, along the edge of swamps and marshes, and in partially demolished buildings. An excellent climber, the black rat snake may often be spotted basking on a tree limb or protruding from a tree hole. This snake may reside at sea level, high in the mountains, or anywhere in between. It mainly inhabits the Eastern states, but may live as far west as Wisconsin or Oklahoma.
If black rat snakes live near you, they will likely leave behind a token of their presence: snakeskins. Adult snakes may shed a few times a year, whereas young, growing snakes shed every few weeks.
The skin is fragile and papery, with a shimmery diamond pattern. You might find it tucked in a tree or in the rafters of an abandoned building.
Hibernation
The black rat snake hibernates for several months during the winter. The length of dormancy varies depending upon the climate: the warmer the weather, the sooner the snake emerges. The snake may hibernate in a natural setting like a rock crevice, tree, cave, stump or hollow log. Alternatively, it may choose a man-made location such as a stone wall, the foundation of an old building, a rock quarry or a spring house. Black rat snakes have been known to hibernate partially underwater, such as in a well or cistern.
Hibernation is an important part of the snake’s life cycle. Poor hibernation conditions will weaken the snake and may result in its death soon after its spring emergence.
Although black rat snakes can be a nuisance around chicken coops, they are nonetheless considered an economic asset to farmers. Without these capable hunters, rodents would multiply quickly. It is worth overcoming one’s fear of snakes and learning to view this species with curiosity and appreciation. You may find that the black rat snake makes a better neighbor than you ever imagined.
Krista Noble is a Ph.D. candidate living among the windswept fields of Fairfield, Iowa. She has encountered many black rat snakes in her life, and doesn’t mind their presence as long as she is properly forewarned.
