The
black rat snake [Elaphe obsoleta (Stejneger and Barbour)] emerges in early spring and feeds primarily on birds and small mammals along edge habitat (Blouin-Demers et al., 2000; Blouin-Demers and Weatherhead, 2001).
As we entered the marsh, we were greeted by a host of bright colors: orange jewelweed, groundnuts blooming in purple, white turtlehead, blue-eyed grass and dozens of shades of green from the trees and vines lining the boardwalk One sharp-eyed member of the group spotted a
black rat snake moving just off the trail.
This is another great teachable moment when someone realizes smaller snakes, like a garter snake, might eat two to three times a week, but larger snakes (such as a
black rat snake) will eat just two to three times a month.
The
black rat snake, however, is on the endangered species list, with only five known populations of the snake statewide.
What we had was a juvenile
black rat snake, Elaphes obsoleta.
Habitat features of
Black Rat Snake hibernacula in Ontario.
* Sounds: Silent, except some snakes may rattle their tails when annoyed, including the rattlesnakes, milk snake, and
black rat snake.
Danitsa Cochran (above left) and Emily Kartub react to a curious albino
black rat snake during a visit by The Reptile Man, also known as Richard Ritchey.
The 36-year-old mother-of-two doted on Sid ( a three-year-old cross between a Corn and
Black Rat snake ( and Corn snake Poppy.
He practiced for months with a harmless but cranky
black rat snake. Still, he says, "the first time [working with a rattlesnake] was the most unnerving experience of my natural-born life"
It was in a cage labeled, "
Black Rat Snake." And above the cage hung the sign: "HARMLESS."
black rat snake - large harmless shiny black North American snake