Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Colubridae Genus: Pantherophis Species: alleghanienis
Historically considered to have multiple subspecies, recent genetic analysis has reclassified rat snakes into one species. In Illinois, there is a black and gray phenotype. The black phenotype is plain black, sometimes showing traces of a white/red pattern when the skin is stretched. The belly possesses a checkerboard pattern, while the throat is white, and the head is wider than the neck. Whereas the gray phenotype has a blotched pattern on a gray or pale brown background.
This snake lives in rocky hillsides, woodlands, old fields, barnyards, and farmland. They are active by day, except in hot weather. The rat snake is arboreal, which means it climbs readily and often lives in trees. It moves slowly and may freeze in place when disturbed.
Its diet in the wild will consist of small mammals, birds, toads, and frogs. In captivity, the main diet is mice.
Help Feed Our Rat SnakesIf annoyed, it will raise its head, vibrate the end of its tail and lunge. This snake kills its prey by constriction.
In the fall it congregates in places like rock outcrops, mammal burrows, cisterns, wells or rotten tree stumps at which time it may den with many other snakes including rattlesnakes and copperheads. In colder months, Central rat snakes enter brumation, a state like hibernation but less deep. They remain mostly inactive but may wake up occasionally to drink water.
This species shows dramatic color variation depending on location. Northern populations are shiny black, while southern and coastal populations can be greenish or yellow with four dark stripes. Juveniles everywhere have a blotched pattern.
Central rat snakes are among the largest nonvenomous snakes in North America. While most adults measure 3.5–6 feet, the longest recorded individual reached 7 feet 6 inches (228 cm).
