Large individuals may be more than 6 ft (180 cm) long. The rat snakes are generally dark brown to black in color, but they vary greatly throughout the geographic range of the species. They have a long, slender body with a short tail. Rat snakes can be distinguished from other snake species by the presence of a dark spot on the back of their head.
The rat snake is found in the southeastern United States, southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. below)
- It is also found as far north as northern canada
- Northern alaska
- British columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec
- New brunswick
- Nova scotia
the Yukon Territory Canada’s Northwest Territories
Prince Edward Island Nunavut and the U.S.
Table of Contents
What is the largest rat snake?
Keeled rat snakes (Ptyas carinata) are the longest rat snake species. They can measure from 4 feet to 9 feet. This species has large eyes and dark colors. They are either dark or light in color. Rat snakes are found throughout the world, but are most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas of South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Can a rat snake hurt you?
Rats are the primary prey of rat snakes, and they pose no threat to humans. Rats are not venomous, but they can be very irritating to the skin and mucous membranes of humans and other animals. Rats are also known to carry diseases such as toxoplasmosis, cholera and typhoid fever.
Are rat snakes aggressive?
In general, rat snakes are mostly docile, though some species will be more aggressive if they feel cornered. Many species have developed a less energy intensive defense.
Rat snakes will try to hide and wait for their prey to come to them, instead of rearing up and trying to fight off a larger predator. Rattlesnakes can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including deserts, grasslands, forests, and swamps.
They are found throughout the world, but are most common in the tropics and subtropics.
What happens if a rat snake bites you?
Most snake bites can cause pain and swelling around the bite. Those that are venomous can cause a number of health problems. Due to fear, these symptoms can also occur. Some people may experience anaphylactic shock from bites.
How can you tell a rat snake from a copperhead?
A copperhead snake has a light tan or brownish body with dark or black figures on it and grows up to 3 feet long. The black rat snakes have scales on their backs, throats and chins. Adult rat snakes grow from 3 1/2 feet to 7 feet in length.
Rattlesnakes are found throughout the United States, but are most common in the eastern half of the country. They are also found in Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Europe and Asia.
Do rat snakes eat copperheads?
I succumbed to the myth that the eastern ratsnake is a natural enemy of copperheads and will kill them if they meet them. This is not the case at all. The eastern ratnakes are not native to Virginia. They were introduced to the state in the mid-1800s, when copperhead populations were low.
Copperheads are a native species that have been introduced into Virginia since the late 1800s. The rat snakes have adapted well to their new environment and have thrived. Eastern rat snake, P. albicollis. Rat snakes can be dangerous to humans, but they don’t pose a significant threat to native snakes.
