Elaphe obsolete
Rat Snakes are attractively marked, non-poisonous constrictors which primarily eat rats and mice and some birds and eggs. They are known for their climbing ability and their great length which can be up to 101 inches. In the south they are called Chicken Snakes because they are often found around barn yards and have been known to eat eggs and chicks. Rat snakes do a great service for humans as rodent control agents.
Rat Snakes are Beneficial Animals That Eat Rodents
Elaphe obsolete (Say)
Rat Snakes are very long (up to 101 inches), with uniformly black dorsum or a pattern of large dark blotches on a gray-brown or yellowish brown background, belly mottled or checkered. Rat Snakes show the most regional variation in body pattern and color than any other North American Snake. In Louisiana there are two subspecies: the Black Rat Snake (Elaphe o. obsolete) of the North and Central areas and the Texas Rat Snake (E. O. lindheimeri) of the south. Common names include: Chicken Snake (which is what we used to call this attractive snake), Oak Snake and Goose Snake.
Louisiana Species
Black Rat Snake (Elaphe o. obsolete)
Common in North and Central Louisiana is characterized by a uniformly black dorsum or at least a dark background that contrasts very little with the blotches.
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Texas Rat Snake (E. O. lindheimeri)
Occurs in South Louisiana, and is characterized by dark blotches on a gray-brown or yellowish brown background.
Recent work with Taxonomy by herpetologists places the New World Rat Snakes in the genus Pantherophis rather than Elaphe. Genetic studies also indicate that the current species E. obsolete may be composed of three distinct species: the eastern rat snake (E. alleghaniensis), the Texas rat snake (E. obsolete), and the gray rat snake (E. spiloides), with no recognized subspecies.
Reference: Whit Gibbons and Mike Dorcas: Snakes of the Southeast
A. Corn snake, Elaphe guttata guttata
B. Great Plains rat snake, Elaphe guttata emoryi
C. Adult black rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta
D. Juvenile black rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta
E. Adult Texas rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri
Photo Reference: Harold A. Dundee and Douglas A. Rossman, The Amphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana
Rat Snakes
Rat Snakes
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Rat Snakes According to Wiki
Rat snakes are medium to large constrictors that can be found through a great portion of the northern hemisphere. They feed primarily on rodents and birds and, with some species exceeding 10 feet, they can occupy top levels of some food chains. Many species make attractive and docile pets and one, the corn snake, is one of the most popular reptile pets in the world. Other species can be very skittish and sometimes aggressive but bites are seldom serious and no species of ratsnake is dangerous to humans. They were long thought to be completely nonvenomous, but recent studies have shown that at least some Old World species do possess small amounts of venom (amounts so small as to be negligible to humans).
Previously most ratsnakes were assigned to the genus Elaphe but many have been since renamed following mitochondrial DNA analysis performed in 2002. For the purpose of this article names will be harmonized with the TIGR Database. When searching for information on a particular species of ratsnake it might be useful to query the old name, Elaphe sp., as well as the new.
Category: Image - :Elaphe mandarina.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Mandarin ratsnake (Euprepiophis mandarinus)
Category: Image - :Elaphe oxycephala1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Red-tailed green ratsnake (Gonyosoma oxycephalum)
Category: Image - :Rhynchophis boulengeri head (edited).jpg|thumb|right|300px|Rhinoceros ratsnake(Rhynchophis boulengeri)
Category: Image - :Black Rat Snake.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Black Rat Snake Pantherophis obsoletus obsoletus. The blue eyes indicate that the snake is in a shed cycle.
Category: Image - :Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Yellow rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus quadrivittata
Snakes of the Southeast
Snakes Of The Southeast (Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book)
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/16/2009)
Habits and Habitat
Rat Snake habitat is widely varied. In the northern part of the state they occur on roads and in swamps, wooded areas, pastures, briar patches, cultivated fields, open sandy places, houses and barns. In southern Louisiana specimens were found near barns and houses, in trees and bushes and near swamps and bayous. Rat snakes are constrictors and their prey includes small mammals, birds and bird eggs, which they either swallow whole or break inside the throat by squeezing it with their vertibrae. Young rat snakes feed mostly on tree frogs, small lizards and baby rodents.
Notice the lumps in this Texas Rat Snake. It apparently has just had a nice meal.
Corn and Rat Snakes
Corn Snakes & Other Rat Snakes (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/16/2009)
Reproduction
Rat Snakes are egg layers and will lay a clutch of from 6 to 44 eggs (but usually about 15 eggs) in stump holes, tree holes or other dark, moist situations. Several females may nest together. Rat snakes have been know to return to the same area year after year. The eggs hatch about 2 months after laying.
Amazon Spotlight
Corn & Rat Snakes (Complete Herp Care)
Amazon Price: $8.76 (as of 12/16/2009)
Rat Snakes Flickr Photos
Black Rat Snake
Snake in the Grass
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The fourth snake was...
The Fourth snake
Black Rat Snake
Interactions with Rat Snakes
The pine and hardwood mixed forest in which we live is prime habitat for Texas Rat Snakes so we have many interactions with them. One of the most interesting occurred one weekend, not long after we bought our place. I was working to clear one of the areas in the garden of invasive imported plants and vines, when I noticed a Pileated Woodpecker acting strangely about 40 feet up in a Loblolly Pine tree.
The bird was giving it's jungle call and pecking on the side of the tree. Then it would fly down a few feet and repeat the process. After it moved down about 15 feet, I was able to see the Rat Snake. The Woodpecker was herding the snake down the tree.
As the pair got closer, I found a long stick and waited at the bottom of the tree. When the snake was in reach, I placed the stick near it so that it could crawl onto it. It worked like a charm and in minutes I had the snake in my hands. I placed it in an empty aquarium with a lid (that used to house hamsters), until my husband got home.
It was a beautiful snake, but since we had erected many bluebird nest boxes in the area where it was found, we decided to relocate it to the riparian area down by the Tchefuncte River where there would be plenty of small mammals for it to eat.
Herping with Dylan Rat Snake Video
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More Louisiana Snake Lenses
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Kingsnakes of Louisiana
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Since we were children we have welcomed the gentle, non-poisonous Kingsnakes into our yard. Kingsnakes are constrictors that live in many types of habitat, but seem to prefer ridges and levees that border wet areas. They will kill and eat poisonous...
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Snakes of Louisiana
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Snakes are probably one of the most controversial animals. You either love them or hate them. Snakes are a very important link in the food chain and without them our earth would be overrun with vermin and harmful insects. Here in Louisiana there are...
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Ribbon and Garter Snakes
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Garter and Ribbon snakes are beneficial, non-poisonous snakes. Garter Snakes are welcomed into gardens because they eat small rodents, snails, slugs and harmful insects among other things. There are several different species that inhabit Louisiana. M...
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Diamond-back Water Snake
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The Diamond-back (or backed) Water Snake is a long, heavy-bodied, tan to gray-brown snake with a pattern of dark brown to black chain-like markings. The belly is yellow, but with dusky brown markings. As the name implies it lives in slow moving water...
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Black Racer Snake
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Black Racers are very fast black snakes with a bluish cast to their scales. Other names for this handsome, non-venomous snake are Blue Racer, Blue Runner and Black Runner. The Southern Black Racer occurs in habitats all over Louisiana and through mo...
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Broad-banded Watersnake of Louisiana
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The Broad-banded is the only species of Banded Water snake that lives in Louisiana. They are found in bodies of water all over Louisiana and the Southeastern United States. Unfortunately, these stout non-poisonous water snakes with colorful bellies,...
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Cottonmouth Moccasin Snake
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The Cottonmouth (which used to be called Cottonmouth Moccasin or Water Moccasin) is a venomous semi-aquatic snake. It is one of the five species of pit viper that inhabits Louisiana. It is also the only semi-aquatic viper in the world. The name, Cott...
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Yellow-bellied Water Snakes
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Plain-bellied Water snakes are found in every southeastern state in the U.S. They are stout snakes with dark brown, gray or greenish gray backs and bellies that range in color from yellow to red. In Louisiana, the Yellow-bellied and blotched water s...
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Hognose Snake in Louisiana
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The Eastern Hognose Snake is a most unusual reptile with some very unique defense mechanisms, including puffing up like a cobra and playing dead. Although it is considered non-poisonous, in that it does not have fangs, it's saliva sometimes causes a...
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Ring-necked Snake of Louisiana
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The Ring-necked Snake is a small, harmless snake that lives in forested areas all over the Southeastern United States. It spends most of the daylight hours hiding under logs, but is active at night during the warm months of the year. Ring-necked Sna...
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Rough Green Snake
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The Rough Green Snake is the only type of Green Snake that inhabits Louisiana. It is a slim, medium sized, non-poisonous snake, which is bright green in color. Rough Green snakes are egg layers and are excellent climbers.
Scribble Down a Comment
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Reply
- enslavedbyfaeries enslavedbyfaeries Feb 8, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
- Unfortunately, I inherited my grandmother's fear of snakes. It's a terrible thing because I know what a great service they provide to nature as you've done an excellent job of illustrating here.
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Reply
- enslavedbyfaeries enslavedbyfaeries Feb 8, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
- Unfortunately, I inherited my grandmother's fear of snakes. It's a terrible thing because I know what a great service they provide to nature as you've done an excellent job of illustrating here.
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Reply
- rio1 rio1 Feb 8, 2009 @ 11:29 am
- Great photos and informative. Keep up the good work.
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Reply
- rio1 rio1 Feb 8, 2009 @ 11:29 am
- Great photos and informative. Keep up the good work.
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