Texas rat snakes are relatively timid for such a large snake, but they are extremely variable in temperament. Texas rat snakes begin life out of the egg at just over a foot in length, then grow to be around five feet as adults. Texas has the second most venomous snakes of any state in the United States of America. One way to distinguish them from other rat snakes is they are the only ones with a solid grey head. Texas Rat Snake Lifespan. Texas Rat Snake Behaviour On face value, Texas rat snakes will look timid, however Understanding the Texas rat pet snakes behavior as they age and how they sustain life in their wild habitat is an essential part of any good snake pet selection process. That’s followed by Mojave rattlesnakes, which have the most potent venom of any rattlesnake. The Texas rat snake is the largest species in the whole of North America. They are generalists, found in a wide range of habitats from swamps to forests to grasslands, even in urban areas. The Texas rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri ) is a subspecies of rat snake, a nonvenomous colubrid found in the United States, primarily within the state of Texas, but its range extends into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Black rat snakes stalk their prey by hiding in holes in trees or man-made structures. However, the ICZN has rejected the renaming, thus Elaphe remains the generally accepted generic name. [2] They are often found around farmland, and sometimes consume fledgling chickens and eggs, which leads them to be erroneously called the chicken snake. [2] The epithet lindheimeri is to honor the German-American naturalist Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer, who collected the first specimen in New Braunfels, Texas.[3]. Some specimens have red or orange speckling. Specimens from the southern area of their range tend to have more yellow, while those from the northern range tend to be darker. Texas is also home to the western diamondback rattlesnake and the timber rattlesnake, both of which are deadly. Texas Rat Snake Size. Exceptional individuals may live more than 20 years. Pantherophis obsoletus – also known as the western rat snake, black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake – is a non-venomous species of Colubridae found in central North America. One of their defensive behaviors involves 'rattling' or rapidly whipping the end of their tails back and forth against anything nearby to create a rattling sound. They are also excellent climbers, capable of climbing trees easily to catch their prey. One way to distinguish them from other rat snakes is they are the only ones with a solid grey head. Average Size: 42 to 72 inches. Often called the "black snake," the western ratsnake is one of our state's largest and most familiar snakes. The smell is usually enough to get the problem to go away. [citation needed]. No subspecies are currently recognized. Leucistic Texas rat snake at the Reptile Zoo east of Monroe, Washington. [1] It intergrades with other subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta, so exact range boundaries are impossible to distinguish. The Texas rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri) is a subspecies of rat snake, a nonvenomous colubrid found in the United States, primarily within the state of Texas, but its range extends into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The Texas rat snake is a medium to large snake, capable of attaining lengths of 4-5 ft.[2] They vary greatly in color and patterning throughout their range, but they are typically yellow or tan, with brown to olive-green, irregular blotching from head to tail. The Texas rat snake belongs to a vast family comprising of several other kinds of rat snakes. The upper lip, chin, and lower part of the neck are usually white. Calico Black Rat Snake '20. Non-venomous rat snakes are widespread in Texas, pose no threat, and are good rodent predators. They vary greatly in color and patterning throughout their range, but they are typically yellow or tan, with brown to olive-green, irregular blotching from head to tail. Adults can be mild-tempered – exhibiting mouth gaping and biting when approached. Gopher Your Pet $250. It intergrades with other subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta, so exact range boundaries are impossible to distinguish. Texas is home to four venomous snakes: copperheads, rattlesnakes, water moccasins (aka cottonmouths), and coral snakes. The black rat snake’s diet is made up of small mammals, rodents, small birds, bird eggs and lizards. Wild-caught specimens generally eventually become docile in captivity. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Texas_rat_snake&oldid=905522518, Fauna of the Plains-Midwest (United States), Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 July 2019, at 17:27. The Texas rat snake has a voracious appetite, consuming large numbers of rodents and birds, and sometimes lizards, soft-bodied insects, and frogs, which they subdue with constriction. A Guide to Snakes of Southeast Texas This guide was created for the members of "Southeast Texas Snake ID" which is an educational group on Facebook dedicated to providing quick identifications and a better understanding of snakes and the importance of their role in our ecosystem. The Texas rat snake becomes very black with white spots in some specimens caught in Sabine County, Texas, which reflects the northern intergrade of the black rat snake. The average Texas rat snake will reach between 10 and 15 years of age. A further revision of Pantherophis obsoletus has recommended the elimination of the various subspecies entirely, considering them all to be merely locality variations. Juveniles less than a year old may either be very docile or bite when disturbed. Sarpamitra LLC $300. They also have an awful-smelling musk compared to other snakes.