Also called the eastern rat snake, the yellow rat snake is known by several names. These include chicken snake, black rat snake, everglades rat snake, pilot black snake and a host of others.
Appearance and Biology
A fully-grown yellow rat snake can be identified with the four dark stripes it has on a background of a brighter color like yellow. For the younger yellow rat snakes, they are covered with dark spots with a silvery background. Overall, they are bright yellow with dark stripes. The color of the yellow rat snake also varies with the location of the snake.
Life Cycle
The yellow rat snake is an egg-laying species and the eggs are laid under leaves, inside decaying wood or in wet soil. There is no incubation from the snake and each set of laid eggs has about four whitish eggs. During hatching, each snake is about 30 centimeters in length and has blotches all over the body.
Habitat
Yellow rat snakes are found predominantly in the southeastern corner of the United States. They are also found all over Florida and those who are located in the southernmost portions of the state are more yellowish in color. In these regions, the yellow rat snakes occupy the swamps and marshes. They also live in fields, farm barns and old, uninhabited buildings.
Diet
The yellow rat snake feeds mainly on tiny animals like rats and birds. They can also consume amphibians like frogs or reptiles like lizards. It grips the prey then suffocates by constriction before eventually swallowing the animal.
Behavior
Yellow rat snakes are known for stopping suddenly and remaining motionless once they sense danger and this explains why they easily get killed by drivers. Unlike some other snakes, the yellow rat snakes are good in climbing and they are generally solitary, coming together only for the sake of mating.
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