ANIMAL: Black/Western Rat Snake Pantherophis obsoletus Type of Animal: Colubrid Habitat: Mountainous areas, rocky hillsides, flat farmland, meadows, forests, woodlands, fields, marshes, barns, abandoned buildings, old woodpecker holes, suburbs, river floodplains, swamps, grasslands, urban areas, bayous, stream valleys, savanna, hilly areas, prairies, streamsides, riversides, old rock quarries, mammal burrows, rocky outcrops, old houses, chicken houses, brush Location(s): Found from New England south through Florida & W through E half of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska & NE to S Wisconsin. Isolated population in S Canada & N New York. Appearance: Adults glossy black w/ white lips/chin/throat, grayish/whitish belly, juveniles strongly patterned w/ brown blotches on gray background Food/Diet: Mice, rats, birds, eggs, lizards, frogs, other snakes (including of own species), chipmunks, squirrels, small rabbits, bats, voles, shrews, moles, young opossums, insects Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding from zoos, herpetoculture, & private breeders Lifestyle: Solitary Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young-Snakelet Group-Solitary Weight: Male-4.9 lbs Female-4.85 lbs Gestation: 2 months Life Span: 15 years Body Length: Male-6 ft Female-5 ft Young-1.5 ft Main predators of adults are larger snakes (including larger individuals of own species), alligators, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raptors, bears, snapping turtles, otters, & pigs. Raccoons & skunks prey on young. These snakes are not venomous & kill prey by constriction. Females produce clutch of 12-20 eggs a year. In very good seasons, she can produces 2 clutches. They hibernate in winter, often w/ rattlesnakes & copperheads. They have wide range of temperaments, from docile to very aggressive. They’re excellent climbers. Sexually mature at 4 years. They communicate using pheromones. Adults sometimes mistaken for smaller black racers. Fun Fact(s): They’ll often freeze & stay motionless if provoked. Often, they’ll release foul-smelling musk on predators. Sometimes called Black Pilot Snake due to superstition that it led venomous snakes to hibernation den. Very beneficial since they eat lots of rodents. Juveniles often mistaken for venomous copperheads, & therefore often killed. Adult snakes only eat once or twice a month, while juveniles eat once a week.

Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article.
I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to read
more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely return.
Someone essentially lend a hand to make significantly posts I might state.
This is the first time I frequented your website page and thus far?
I surprised with the research you made to create this particular post amazing.
Excellent process!
Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles?
I mean, what you say is fundamental and all. However think about if you added some great visuals or
videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips,
this site could certainly be one of the most beneficial in its niche.
Awesome blog!
Greate post. Keep posting such kind of information on your page.
Im really impressed by your blog.
Hi there, You have done a fantastic job. I will
definitely digg it and in my view suggest to my friends.
I’m confident they will be benefited from this website.
Hey there! This post could not be written any better!
Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room
mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him.
Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!
As I web-site possessor I believe the content material here is rattling great , appreciate it for your hard work. You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This
is a very well written article. I’ll make sure
to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful
info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
fantastic issues altogether, you just won a emblem new reader.
What would you suggest about your post that you just made
some days in the past? Any certain?
Heya this is kind of of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML.
I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding knowledge so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience.
Any help would be enormously appreciated!
What’s up, yup this piece of writing is really good and I have learned lot of things from it on the topic of blogging.
thanks.