| 42"-72" long, a large, rodent-eating snake, locally called "Chicken
Snake." We have two subspecies in this area, the Black Rat and the
Gray Rat. The Black Rat snake is typically a plain, shiny black coloration;
the Gray Rat snake retains a strongly blotched juvenile pattern throughout
its life and is typically gray with brown or gray blotches (always darker
than background color). In this area, we more commonly see integrades
between these two subspecies that have heavy spotting throughout the body.
The belly is clouded with gray or brown on white or yellowish color, with
some checkerboarding. Chin and throat are often white or cream-colored.
Juveniles look like the Gray Rast snake and then change color pattern (or
not) as they get older. Live in a variety of habitats throughouth
the eastern U.S., in a variety of subspecies. An exellent climber
that will often live in cavities high up in hollow trees. Constrictors. |
