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Reptiles & Amphibians

black snake ?

21 years ago

Hello all. I normally read over on Gardenweb but thought this question would be better here. I live just outside the St. Louis, Mo area and this spring we have had more black snakes around than other years. Normally we have tons of garden snakes( is that what they are called). The black snakes we have seen are 3 feet to 5 feet long. While my family are not afraid of them my neighbors are not happy at all with them hanging around. I figure if they are that size they must be around because of the baby bunnies. The first one we seen had three lumps in it.

Anyway I am wondering being as there are woods behind us and a nice size creek why are they coming closer to the houses rather than staying down there? The photo is my snake hunter son, Curtis, enjoying messing with the big snakes.

{{!gwi}}
I am enjoying seeing them. Didn't enjoy helping him getting the one yesterday off his neck. He wears a choker and the snake wound himself into the choker. It was kind of funny. I also enjoy watching these snakes shake their tails trying to be a rattle snake.

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Comments (6)

Sticks_04
21 years ago
br, the snake is probably the black rat snake. I had one for a whole summer in Georgia. We called him Frank. It only took a few minutes to tame Frank. He loved to eat water snakes. Check out your reptile guide for the black rat snake.
DaveOdd
21 years ago
They are Black Rat Snakes, but as mentioned previously Frank was probably a Black Kingsnake. Anyhow explain to the neighbors that these guys are around because they have a plentiful food source which includes rodents (that destroy everything), baby rabbits (that destroy gardens), bats (which carry rabies), and birds (usually feeding on sparrows and wrens and other feral species). So tell them they can either deal with seeing the occasional snake, or deal with seeing a lot more of thier prey. A healthy adult Black Rat Snake can probably down up to 300 baby rodents in a spring and summer.

Dave
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My oldest cat, Rascal, used to catch snakes and bring them home alive and unharmed except for scuffing up their scales. Cats are more then fast and sneeky enough to catch black racers. I remember that there was one particular black snake that Rascal kept catching and bringing home over and over again. Whenever she did we would lock her inside the house and walk into the woods to release the snake. I'm not sure if the snake just kept coming back or if she was just that good at finding it but it would never take her long to relocate that poor snake. We could tell it was the same snake by all the scuff marks all over it's scales and the fact that it wouldn't put up any kind of fight when we picked it up. Eventually we had to drive several miles away to release the snake!
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Looks like an eastern hognose to me, too, V. Their color can be variable, for sure, and that face is pretty distinctive, with the little upturned snout. They are quite heavy bodied for their length, and they can flatten their necks to make their heads look wider and more menacing. Great pictures. Nothing to worry about. Mostly, they eat toads, as you know. I think you have seen the regular ones on your property before, too, so it's good habitat. DEFINITELY NOT a cottonmouth. No wide brown cheek stripe. Totally different head. Even though the body color on some cottonmouths can be almost black like that, the rest isn't right. Enjoy your new buddy! Marcia
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Terrific photos, GP! That skink did not go gently into that goodnight, did it? Loving both skinks and black racers, I couldn't take sides...like you say, it's just nature at work. Thanks for sharing. Marcia (ps...noticed the little gnome was bearing witness to the whole event...bet he sees a LOT of things going on in your yard!)
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Even though Rat Snakes do dine on small mammals I have not heard of one attacking a cat which would be about four times as large as a chipmunk, or more. Also, contrary to some myths, these snakes do not wrap themselves around prey and squeeze as a constrictor would. While they do wrap themselves around tree branches that is to hold on and is not a means of obtaining prey. Here is a link that might be useful: About Rat Snakes
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culebra
21 years ago
According to cdc.gov website, an avarage of one person per year dies of rabies inflicted by the bite of a bat. I would pledge the sacrifice of life of my idiot Uncle Fred on our behalf of the gizillions of mosquitos that will be consumed by bats this year. Fred would be dumb enough to pick up a flopping bat during daylight hours on his lawn and get bit by the rabid creature on his way to disposing of it. I surely would not include bats among creatures of nuisance, personally.
DaveOdd
21 years ago
No of course not, but in this instance you have to justify at least one reason why each thing it eats is a good thing. Bats of course are as beneficial at pest control as snakes are. And to play devils advocate I'm pretty sure there is a significant amount of pets that contract rabies from bats.

Dave
Sticks_04
21 years ago
Frank, in fact, was a king snake. He was found on a sandy beach of a pond in south Georgia. He was an excellent swimmer and loved to eat water snakes.
DaveOdd
21 years ago
Well there you go.

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