Black Rat Snake
The Black Rat Snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) is a large non-venomous colubrid species of snake. They are also called the Eastern Rat Snake, pilot snake, chicken snake, and Alleghany black snake. Juveniles will appear lighter in color, grey with dorsal blotches. As they age, they will darken in color and the blotches will fade. Their bellies are peppered black and white, and they have a white throat and chin.
Origin: -Eastern United States
-found in fields, woodlands, farmlands, and in suburban communities
Size: -Average size is 1 to 2 m (3.5 to 7 ft.)
Diet: -Carnivorous
-Black Rat Snakes feed on rodents, amphibians, birds, and even eggs. They use
constriction to suffocate their prey.
Behavior: -Nocturnal
-Black Rat Snakes are great swimmers and excellent climbers!
-Like many other colubrid species, they will emit a foul-smelling material (called "musk")
when they feel threatened.
-They brumate during the winter months.
Reproduction: -Breeding season is from May to late June.
-Males will go in search of females. They will fight any other males that may be
competition for the female.
-Females lay 5 to 19 eggs per clutch in late July.
-The incubation period lasts 60 to 65 days.
-The young will, typically, stay close to their hatching site for up to two years.
Lifespan: -Their lifespan in the wild is unknown, but in captivity they can live up to 34 years.