Talk:Black Rat Snake

Taxonomic issues

While the splitting proposal has not been widely accepted, the change from Elaphe -> Pantherophis has such a wide acceptance it would be improper for an encyclopedia to stick with Elaphe and downplay the acceptance of the name change. 144.132.253.41 18:43, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

Photo description

This is text contributed by the photographer of the image used on this page. It's not really part of the information about the subject of the article, so I moved it here. Thanks Rupps for the contribution.

Here's a picture of one that was found basking in the middle of an asphalt road. (By the time I had my camera ready, it had almost escaped its capture on film. [Rupps])

Glenn6502 00:12, 16 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Removed essay

Someone dropped a school essay into the article. Perhaps parts are useful, so I put it here: -SCEhardT 20:41, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

The black rat snake is a type of non-venomous snake. It lives in woodland areas and it can live for 20 years. They are actually found in deep woodland areas. They mostly live in barns or old abandoned places. Most rat snakes have places to hide. They also can live in these following places Forests, rocky hillsides with large trees, farmlands, and old fields, rocky places, wooded hillsides, wooded areas along rivers, and in or near farm buildings.

The common rat snakes have an average of 42 to 72 inches in length and 1.5 inches by diameter. The black rat snake is completely black except for their white chin. Baby rat snakes have a pale grey background with black blotches along its back. Slowly as the snake grows up the color becomes darker until the snake reaches its adult phase plain, shiny black snake with lighter underside. Most adults have shiny unmarked black heads and necks with bright white labials.

The snake breed in spring and lays around 25-30 eggs in summer. The lay here eggs in rotten wood. The eggs hatch 65 to 70 days later. Black rat snakes can also leave their eggs under wood, and in sawdust piles. The food eaten by black rat snakes are mice, rats, chipmunks, voles, shrews, birds, and eggs. Adults also eat rodents and bird eggs. Rat snakes will eat small lizards, baby mice, and an occasional small frog. The babies eat Young feed on frogs, lizards and small mice.