Reptiles · Squamata · Colubridae

Western Rat Snake

Pantherophis obsoletus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The western rat snake is one of the largest snakes in North America and an outstanding climber: it goes up vertical branchless trunks by bracing its belly scales against irregularities in the bark. It hunts rodents, birds and eggs, and is a well-recognised ally of farmers for the pest control it provides in barns.

Size

1 m – 2.5 m

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestGrasslandCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Temperate forest Grassland

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Fun facts

GeneralAn excellent climber; it goes up vertical trunks to raid birds' nests.
It climbs completely smooth vertical trunks: it folds its body concertina-fashion and presses its belly scales against irregularities in the bark, going up several metres with no branch to help.
It mimics a rattlesnake when threatened: it vibrates the tip of its tail against the leaf litter, producing a sound very like a rattle even though it has none.
It is a major predator of birds' nests, to the point that several conservation studies of woodland passerines identify it as the chief cause of breeding failure in some forests.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Deciduous woodland, farmland, barns and rural country of eastern North America
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 65 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 14 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantherophis_obsoletus