Five things everyone should know about Black Snakes (Panterophis alleghaniensis (Black Rat Snake)

In this video I wrangle with a wild four foot long Eastern Ratsnake (Black Rat Snake as I review five things everyone should know about this frequently encountered species. 1. Black snakes are not always black! 2. Black snakes imitate venomous species like rattle snakes. (you will see a black snake making his head triangular shaped and rattling his tail!) 3. Black snakes are Climbers! The black snake will demonstrate for viewers how easily and can climb straight up a large diameter vertical tree. 4. Black snakes eat rodents, birds and bird eggs. 5. Black snakes are most commonly encountered snake
(in state of Virginia.) Biology and live science terms introduced in this video include, scientific naming, genus and species, batesian mimicry and ectotherms. This is a great resource for home-schoolers and meets many local, state and national science teaching standards.

[@samTollefson]

I had a small farm on top of a high ridge in Western WV some years back, I didn't have any neighbors close by and the snakes in the area seemed to congregate at my place. It was true that if there was a large black snake in the barn I wouldn't see any copperheads, if there wasn't a black snake I would always see copperheads. After nearly getting hit a few times, if there wasn't a black snake I would catch a large one on the road to take home to put in the barn. I had a 7+ footer once that stayed for a few years and became quite tolerant of me, even letting me pick her up. She would always be around when I was working on the truck or machinery as the toolboxes were open and she was interested in what was in them, after rodents I suppose. I didn't mind the occasional egg she took from the chicken boxes, she was a good friend.

[@natureatyourdoor]

What a great share!!!😃😃😃

[@olevermontplowboys5574]

awesome story - read it here in ivydale WV. :D

[@petewiltfang]

I'm scared of snakes but I left the 2 five footers alone I found in my back yard. Reason one is because I believe that they were a couple and the other reason is I haven't seen any rodents or copperheads since they arrived

[@samTollefson]

@@petewiltfang Good for you! I have encountered many snakes; without exception, they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. I only fear that I may step on an unseen snake and provoke a strick.

[@nelsonx5326]

What was its name?

[@richekay]

I watched this video two days ago(6/21/22). Today, I was visiting my mother, who lives in Southern New Jersey, and my niece comes running into the house yelling, "snake! snake!" I went outside to investigate and found a black rat snake. I repeated everything I learned from this video, especially the part about it being a good snake. What was really interesting was that I saw and heard him vibrating his tail, which I explained was their response to feeling threatened. They all think I am a snake expert. I'm a subscriber now.

[@natureatyourdoor]

This is the best comment I have ever read! Love being able to EMPOWER my viewers!

[@pattieprophet7987]

I think you have a cool head on your sholders , i am in awe of you ! 😱

[@thomasdaniel6495]

I own a 100 acre farm here in Northeast Georgia,and I have a high population of black snakes and King snakes on my property,and I encourage this.They are great at keeping down rodents,and keeping other snakes out.There are some wetter areas on my property,and I have a pond,but yet for all the time Ive been here,13yrs and not counting the times I spent here growing up,I've only saw two copperheads,and three baby rattlesnakes,but as I said,I have a lot of king snakes on the property as well.I also live in a house that is over 100 yrs old,and I have occasionally had a black snake show up in my house,and always find a shed in my attic,but see very few nice and rats,except for a year that I was invaded by rats.All the being said,I'm not a fan of snakes,but I do everything possible to allow these two snakes to live and thrive on my property,and will damn near fight anybody that kills one.They are a true asset to have around.

[@natureatyourdoor]

So awesome...i just relocated a 5 ft black snake in a friends that came into eat her birds! And just did a soon to,be relwased episode called "5 reasons NOT to fear or kill black snakes. Your comment read like my script. I wish I could have interviewed you!

[@scottowensbyable]

Was doing some remodeling work on a bathroom and had a black snake come in and take a canary with young off the nest. Also had them get in the pigeon loft and kill a about twenty pigeons in one day. I do tolerate them, but still get very annoyed with their bs. I love birds.

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@scottowensbyable of gosh...i love birds too!! Hate that so sorry,

[@redtickhound]

I live in the country too in an old house. Had a baby black snake wiggle across my way as I was making my way to the livingroom with my coffee. 😮 I'm female and live alone . So my question is where might this fella be hiding?

[@anntowle1706]

​@@redtickhoundI would suggest making a couple of small closed boxes with a small hole in one side with a clean jar lid filled with water inside. I would put them on the floor right against walls as snakes are likely to follow along walls. Check them in the morning to see if the cute little thing is curled up inside and if it is, let it go outside away from your house. Good luck!

[@jeffj9055]

We had one in our barn. We called him oscar. He was friendly to us. We treated him like our dog as a big pet.

[@natureatyourdoor]

😊😎!

[@thelakeman5207]

I was in my shed, picked up a box and a four footer scurried out past me. After running in place for a few seconds, startled, I saw it was a black snake and let him stay where he was. No mice in my shed!

[@snail847]

Thank you for that good info about black snakes! I had a few encounters with black snakes in Indiana and Illinois. I never hurt them. In fact I enjoyed the encounter and the one in southern Illinois seemed to be as curious about me as I was of it. I was in a wooded area and it slowly came straight toward me. I crouched down and began speaking to it in a low friendly tone and held my hand out toward it. It slowly came to my hand and felt a finger tip with it's forked tounge and then slowly turned away. An awesome experience.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes. Very cool experience!

[@fadgegoatinc918]

I had to get one of these out of my uncles barn one time and the grip strength they have is unbelievable, such amazing and friendly snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

The grip strength is fascinating!

[@mountainhobbit1]

Copperheads are scarily strong as well, much to my surprise but the last one I relocated because of my tiny Chihuahuas and their fearlessness of anything, no matter what size. I used to kill the Copperheads but have never seen any rattlers although I know they are in the area.

[@shawncosmos5431]

I was never one to cozy up to snakes but after many years of living in the real back woods of South Carolina I learned this snake is your pal. I’ve never see a single mouse in a very large barn and two other farm buildings .. I do see the mother load of black snakes and they are doing a great job keeping mice in check.. I’ve actually picked a couple up that we’re to close to the road or machinery and they are pretty laid back if you handle them like this gentlemen is.. Happy their around!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great to hear about your experiences and how your relationship with the outdoors has grown with your time in "the real back woods!" Ha! Thank you for your nature stewardship!

[@sliglusamelius8578]

Mother lode. Happy they’re around.

[@KenG557]

I'd rather have mice than black snakes any day.

[@mwillblade]

@@KenG557 Your one weird guy Mr.Virginan.

[@KenG557]

@@mwillblade Yeah, people who are afraid of snakes are really weird.

[@TheFunKing33]

LOVE IT! I am a PATC trail maintainer of the Appalachian Trail near Bears Den. I use to be afraid of snakes. Now I enjoy seeing all the snakes. Especially the black snake. I saw a black snake decapitated and laid beside the trail. Broke my heart as black snakes are "good guys." Thanks for educating more people about black snakes. I have shared your video with as many people as possible. Long live the "panther snake."

[@natureatyourdoor]

Panther Snake! 😊 Thanks for share! Ck out my copperhead video I just released!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Btw I did four episodes while hiking through Bear a Den! Co out the stump mushroom and my green snake episode..and box turtle..and black snake route..all filmed on your section of trail. (I just finished section hiking all of VA AT! Thanks for your work on the trail!

[@kimberlynance2711]

Great!! I am 65 yr old woman and have loved snakes my whole life. I would never harm any unless I thought it or they would be dangerous to my grandchildren. Thank you for sharing very valuable information.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi Kimberly! Great to meet you ..you have a great attitude about snakes and obviously all things nature.

[@leecowell8165]

good for you, Kimberly my spouse was deathly afraid of just about everything. We used to have Sand Hill Cranes walk right up to us looking for a handout and she would not even come outside while they were around! Ironically they left the Indigo's alone probably because I fed them instead (Sand Hills are omnivorous). Yeah Sand Hill's go after snakes but they left ours alone. My Great Granddaughter used to pet both the Sand Hill's AND the snakes! She's now 17yo and has a pet Dragon, a dog, & a rabbit that she adores. What do animals teach us? Love...

[@TheCgOrion]

I saw one copperhead in my 41 years living in South Eastern PA. It was laying on a hiking trail, getting sun, and my hiking partner at the time stepped over it, startling it, and it smacked itself into her leg as it was trying to get out of there. It had no interest in messing with us. I tried to warn her ahead, but there wasn't enough time. I've seen tons of Black Snakes, and some have been a good six feet long, but they've always been well tempered. Sometimes they're at eye level in the trees. The garter snakes are far more aggressive generally. I've had one strike at me from the side of our sidewalk. I loved your video Mr. Taylor.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks so much and thanks for your share!

[@leecowell8165]

Garters stink as well. But they are also very pretty. my favorite though is the Eastern Indigo. What a beautiful snake they are AND very docile. They are not at all aggressive and may even approach a stretched out hand especially if they wanna get warmed up a bit. They're quite a bit larger than a black snake though. We had them in our yard (before we moved) and they'd crawl right up on me as I sat on our porch. They weren't figidity like this snake is. At least not once they got to know you. They'd even allow you to pet their head I'd Iike to think they enjoyed the touch. They are also on the threatened list (unlike the black snake) thus its illegal to intentionally harm them in any way. I even taught our dogs to leave them be and they accepted them.

[@TheCgOrion]

@@leecowell8165 Wow, that sounds incredible. I'd like to see one of them sometime. I'm all over the US, so hopefully I'll get lucky one of these days. That reminds me of our Koi we had years ago. They would come when called, and some of the older ones would come by name, but in all fairness they were spoken to many more times. Very intelligent animals, and I believe there are many intelligent animals. We're just not very good at being the judge. It seems like that is changing, slowly.

[@packrat2569]

I love your channel Frank!. I live in the center of southern Indiana in a farming area with woods. We have abundant Black Rat Snakes now but didn't when we started our homestead; we had abundant mice. We live in a log home and have an external garage which have both become a preferred hangout for Rat Snakes. The garage currently has 6 or 7 molted skins hanging from the garage door rails and 1 or 2 from the porch eaves. My wife first spied one in the house when she was doing dishes; it slid across the cabinet and up and around the window frame (the dishes were waiting for me to finish when I got home). I later found a molted skin that covered the length of our piano keyboard. Mice have been getting scarce for some reason... I like these harmless critters!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Black Snake Haven! 😊👍 Glad you enjoy my channel

[@richardcurtis1912]

You were 80% correct about everything you stated. By the way, this was a great video!! I’m very glad you made this, so people can see how docile a wild caught Blacksnake can act. The one and ONLY thing you didn’t get right (in my opinion), is a hungry Blacksnake will devour a Rattlesnake or Copperhead easily and without a second thought!! I’ve walked up on a large female Blacksnake in the wild eating a Copperhead and it had no problem doing it. I also knew a local guy who collected snakes that fed his almost 7.5ft pet Blacksnake Copperheads and Rattlesnakes on a fairly regular basis. He had everything from all the local snakes of the Southern U.S. to several types of Cobras and an extremely wide variety of Pit Vipers, from many different foreign countries. He would feed nuisance male Rattlesnakes and male Copperhead’s from around his property to his giant female Blacksnake, just to give her something different in her diet. He lived around a rock quarry and when they would dynamite the mountainsides, those huge vibrations would send the snakes down from the hills and they’d come down into the neighboring housing areas. He would come home after work to find snakes all over his yard and in many neighbors yards, just coiled up and lying around. That’s why a said ‘nuisance’ males. The females were always taken back to the edge of the woods, in the same direction of the quarry. I’m 100% with you on venomous snakes not being a preferred part of their diet, so to speak, but they will no doubt eat those two varieties without hesitation!! Seeing a 7 foot Blacksnake overpower a 3.5 foot Rattlesnake is something I’ll never forget.lol I thought for sure the Rattlesnake would win….man was I so wrong! She over powered him so quickly he didn’t stand a chance. Not even a slight chance. Blacksnake’s are very cunning and if they smell food like a birds nest, mouse nest, etc they will go to great lengths to get to that food. The only part that can be kinda sad is when they gorge themselves to the point that they fall out of trees, or off of buildings. They get so full they cannot articulate their bodies, from eating an entire nest!! The only thing I would add to your video other than the surprising amount of venomous snakes they will eat, would be to tell those people who are afraid of Blacksnakes -Blacksnakes and Rat snakes do their business and they they generally move on. They will sometimes hang out a season or two, but when food supply runs out, they will quickly move on. So, if you see a Blacksnake on your property, in your barn, in an old car, etc on your property, just leave it be. It’s doing you BIG favors and you don’t even realize it!! From lowering the population of birds to completely annihilating the rat and mouse populations you may have and not even know about. The damage that mouse and rat populations and over even very large populations of birds can cause can get seriously out of hand. A lot of damage can be done to your property, by any one of those animals and very quickly i might add!! Mice and rats love to chew. Especially on wires, cables, your pets food, your food, and in general gnawing on anything to grind down their ever growing teeth!! Snakes are hardly even noticed if at all. Just leave them be, let them do their job and they’ll leave usually before a single season has passed. If one stays around, then that clearly tells you there’s a plentiful food source. Again, by being around, it’s doing you HUGE favors by at minimum, keeping populations of any nuisance rodents down. Again, GREAT VIDEO!! Thank you, for trying to save the lives of a much unappreciated snake!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow! Thanks for sharing your story and experience with me and our viewers!

[@arthurritter954]

Great video.

[@jenpierce2385]

So crazy what you said about the snake vibrating it's tail when you opened the container bc my babe has a corn snake and we were in the reptile room he has and we literally heard her rattle and we were both like WTF.. we looked it up and it said that yes they can in fact do that 😁.. please continue making videos just found you but I am loving ALL the videos.. you make everything so interesting when most are SOOO boring 🤣.. thanks again

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi Jen! Thank you for kind and encouraging words! And welcome to my channel! I am grateful you found me! Yes...this behavior is fascinating! So what came first...tail vibrating or rattles?

[@rickmartin6817]

Very informative. I encountered an adult black snake in Virginia this evening and just wanted to learn more about them. Long live black snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Sooooooo glad you wanted to learn more about it. So someone on Facebook had killed two..laid em out .then asked if they were COPPERHEADS! oh geeze. SMH!

[@willisrcorson7353]

Wow! Very informative. While hiking the Appalachian Trail in June of 2023 in Virginia, I saw a black snake that was different than the other two black snakes I saw. It was up in a tree, maybe 7 feet long, shiny slick black, and had a large segmented head. Its head seemed to track me as I climbed over a fence style. It had a very ominous demeanor. The other black snake was 4 feet long and had a white belly, and the third black snake was jet black and was on the ground and looked similar to the black snake in this video.

[@natureatyourdoor]

You might have seen a black racer!!

[@jilligain3409]

Just found a baby on the front porch. I moved it over to the side of the yard over the fence away from my cats. I love snakes & am always excited to see them. Rat snakes are great to have around!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes they are great to have around! I am waiting to come a cross a juvenile! I want to do a side by side comparison with a copperhead! I get so many messages and photos from people that tell me they killed a copperhead! 100 percent of reports sent to me ...it was always a juvi black snake or milk snake! Thanks for watching and taking time to comment! !

[@jilligain3409]

@@natureatyourdoor that’s really too bad. I wish more ppl would take the time to familiarize themselves w/ snakes so they can identify a non poisonous one vs a poisonous one. I’ve lived out here for over 20 yrs & have only seen a poisonous snake (cotton mouth) maybe 2xs. The rest have always been rat snakes, green garden, red bellied sliders etc. I found another baby today on the back porch! Guess a nest hatched somewhere nearby? There used to be a ton of wildlife out here & lots of space. But it’s been growing fast anymore these days

[@swayback7375]

@@jilligain3409 your cat is probably killing 10 of those snakes for every snake that you see. Maybe not but they’re little monsters…

[@bjdog42]

I had an everglades rat snake as a pet for several years. Kinda ill tempered when I got her because she wasn't handled much by the breeder but she tamed down so well I could let her out in a room full of people & she would visit every person there. She loved going across heads & thru eyeglasses & exploring pockets. She even refused to bite me in full feeding response by then. Now I have a black rat(people call em chicken snakes here) living in my attic & taking advantage of the mice that visit from my field. Best mouse trap around. I've fed captive rattlesnakes & copperheads & the mice seem to suffer much more from the venom than they ever did from a hit & wrap from my rat snake. Needless to say I prefer rat snakes or any constrictor over venomous snakes because of that.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yup! Great snakes!

[@user-go3qk5yf4l]

I understand why people have exotic pets and you have every right in the world to do so!! Personally I feel that snakes and other exotics should be left to the wild to do what they are meant to do! I had a parakeet in high school and it lived past my years in college and my parents took care of him until his death a few years later. When I think of the sweet little bird I think what a shame it was he had to live in a cage for close ten years, without ever feeling really free or having the other birds around to bond with…just saying 😢

[@bjdog42]

@user-go3qk5yf4l that does sound good in theory & I'm fully in favor of leaving wild things wild. It's not uncommon for me to encounter a whitetail fawn that's been "abandoned". Usually if I send it back where mom left it mom shows up in an hour or so. Too many people don't understand how that works & assume a baby alone is motherless. Deer, unlike human babies, can run almost as fast as mom within hours of birth & can be left alone much longer than human babies or wolves, cats etc... so I expect mom to return. Animals born in captivity though are a different matter & my rat snake was captive born. She was acclimated to humans when I got her & became very friendly to visitors, much like my Labrador Retriever. I live in an area where walking horses are very popular. I've been around them & the shows for them most of my life. I don't like the way they're trained & really don't care for most people involved in the walking horse business. But having been so close to them I also know those horses are better cared for than most people. In the same way, most pets get better care than they would ever get in the wild. Being born in captivity typically doesn't allow survival instincts to develop like they would out of necessity if wild born. Debating merits of domestication is another discussion entirely but my point here is wild things are better left wild & captive things are better cared for since they have much less ability to survive in the wild. We did this to them, now it's our responsibility to care for them unless/until we wise up & stop domesticating things that should be wild.

[@user-go3qk5yf4l]

@@bjdog42 , I’m sure you realize in that case and in caring for lame or animals that need care, I would do the same. The word pet is really what I’m talking about and if you read your post, I don’t believe you mentioned the snake was your pet. I’m pretty sure we probably think more alike than differently. Honestly, I still feel we should leave wild and exotics to the wild, unless for some reason they need our help & attention for injuries or misfortune. Wild and exotics more times than not, end up in sewers, small cages or somewhere unbefitting for the beautiful animal they were intended to be…

[@bjdog42]

@user-go3qk5yf4l I didn't say pet specifically but I did say I got her from a breeder. Good breeders(and this one was) only deal with captive born animals. Everglades snakes aren't native to my area(not that I would expect you to know that) but the wild black rat that lives in my attic is so I only handle it on the rare occasions when it visits. There's also a great horned owl that has set up a post near me & I'm happy to see it but I don't bother it. Humans can & do live close to wild things without interfering with them & I do. Yes, we probably agree on many things. I haven't had another pet snake for almost 25 years & don't plan to get any more but she taught me a great deal about snake behavior which I appreciate still. Have a great day!

[@aktrapper6126]

Great video. Thank you for educating people on our helpful friends in our backyard.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi AKTrapper! Yes.. Your words "our helpful friends in our backyard" ...great way to express it! Thanks for commenting..appreciate you! Hope you stay connect with us here at NAYD. I love connecting to my viewers!

[@jennifermcdougal6962]

I absolutely love this video!! Thank you so very much! We live on a farm and have a 6 to 7 foot black snake that happily roams about on the farm. They’re so great to have around. Most recently I found a young black rat snake along the top of a restored outhouse on our property. It was simply hanging out at the top of the wall and under the over hang. “He” just hung out watching me plant some peppermint. Again, thank you so very much for this video

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome to hear from someone with such a great attitude about snakes! And thank you for sharing with our learning community your experiences! I am hoping to do an episode on juvenile blacksnakes and compare them to copperheads which saddly and always surprises me are mistaken for copperhead and killed!

[@matchory]

Wish you were one of my high school biology teachers! Thanks for the knowledge! Just found one on my back porch and now I'm happy to have him!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awe! Thank you! Glad you enjoy my shares!

[@koicaine1230]

I have one that lives in my Attic, I'm terrified of snakes BTW, but since I was gutting and remodeling my house room by room, we ran into each other pretty regularly and I ended up naming it Snoop the Snake.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Snoop the snake works! 😊

[@anj3595]

Living in Tennessee back woods, country, we had a huge Black Snake. He would stand up at least 3 ft. And almost look you in the eyes. We had minimal problems with mice. Amazingly, I, being highly fearful of snakes, found myself feeling protection of a sort.

[@natureatyourdoor]

So cool! 😎

[@susanhawkes2519]

It's quite a stretch to like them.

[@theodoreyoung7946]

Growing up, I learned a whole bunch of wise tales about snakes. It's fun disproving all or most of them. Thanks Frank. Hey! That's a wonderful specimen you were holding, simply beautiful.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for helping with the myth busting!

[@amandakay5484]

These Black snakes are my favorite!! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many. This is a great video!!!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

The best snake ever! Did you see my most recent black snake video?

[@wjohnson100]

I caught a very young one a few days ago in our kitchen. He was aggressive at first but calmed down a lot once I could release his head. One thing I learned from videos like yours is how important it is to support the snake, which I did then. He was still wild but was not trying to bite. I released him outside. A bit strange that he was out and about in the middle of November though.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes...so many snakes will chill out in a few minutes..,whoa..that is very late to see one!

[@Dtag1971]

Perfect! 5 stars. Have one that lives in my attic. Simply the best ratter ever! Call her Midnight. Beautiful snake.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you!

[@Dtag1971]

@@natureatyourdoor No problem. I think what gets to me is ppl ignorance of snakes. All this info at your fingertips.... And still ppl will kill a black snake. I got into it..... Pretty heated argument over this subject. Seems like no matter what i do he still is scared to death of snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@Dtag1971 I hear you man. I hear you.

[@Dtag1971]

@@natureatyourdoor Well.... U aint gonna believe this. Working the flea market this weekend my wife and I rescued a 4 foot black snake. Of course they were gonna kill it. Crowd of ppl...untill I showed up. Boxed her up and brought her home and released her in the attic. If there is a way I would like to send u a short video of my wife handling the snake. She was so gentle with her. No fear at all!

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@Dtag1971 that is incredible! Yes...go to my vnature at your door" Facebook page and you can post under "visitor" tab! Love to see it!

[@theodoreyoung7946]

Thank you for the lesson. I grew up on a farm, and was always told to let the black snakes be because they keep the copperheads away. But, now I realize that we rarely saw mice, and rats, so they were doing their part any way. Thanks!

[@natureatyourdoor]

For sure! Thanks for sharing!

[@fluffyflare578]

I'm very glad to see this. We just had a snake show up from a hole in our house that I identified as this pantherophis alleghaniensis (though told my mother black rat snake to keep it simple) which made me pretty happy because I love snakes very dearly :3

[@natureatyourdoor]

goog luck with your black snake! :-)

[@fluffyflare578]

@@natureatyourdoor Yeah, the big guy is rather shy it seems. Came out twice in the past 5 or so days. We did kinda scare it those two times though. Hopefully he comes out one more time for us to get it and see what's the best choice for it.

[@williamsporing1500]

I’ve got a big rat snake that lives in my shed. She’s my buddy! I have to move her every now and then, and she’s very docile. I get rat snakes off the road all the time, and I’ve only run into one that had an attitude. It thought it was a king cobra lol I’m in Kentucky, and we have coppers all over. I see them in my tree line all the time. I leave them alone, they leave me alone. Juvenile rat snakes don’t look like coppers at all! Copperheads have a ‘Hershey kiss’ on their sides.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome William! Funny story about that ONE black snake. I agree....juvi get snakes don't look ANYTHING like Copperheads but sooooo many people kill them automatically because they see a PATTERN! I am hoping to do a juvi vs copperhead video this fall! I have been in the forest for 60 years and have yet to see a copperhead! Crazy! How reliably can you come across Copperheads in your neck of the woods? I would love to come down and film them...i am on southwest VA!

[@swayback7375]

You’re sure it’s copperheads in the trees? Or do you just mean on the ground in the tree line?

[@jenpierce2385]

@@natureatyourdoor no way you have been in the woods that long.. your knowledge says yes but your looks say no way.. very handsome 😁

[@johnoleary5293]

I’m very pleased you corrected the ‘poisonous’ reference. If you were here in Australia I don’t think you would be handling our black snake, Pseudechis porphyriacus, which is one of our large number of venomous elapids. Mind you, our red-bellied blacks are not inclined to bite unless they feel very threatened, though being picked up would probably be a sufficient threat. Like many elapids they flatten their necks as a warning sign. It’s not quite as impressive as a cobra, but quite impressive all the same.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for cool share from Australia! 🇦🇺 :-)

[@5gsofhorror61]

Nothing Beats your Alls Tiapan!!! Nothing!, quite literally the Most Venomous snake 🐍 of all Time! 😯😬Thank Goodness the Fear snake lives out in the middle of Nowhere!, NOW COULD YOU IMAGINE If The Tiapan had the Attitude & disposition of a Black Mamba??? That's Really what makes it the Dangerous on the planet, because of its Nervousness & Agression! But Yeah have fun in the land Down Under!, considering you guys have 11 of the most Dangerous snakes in the world, I've Watched plenty of Steve Irwins videos!, HE IS MISSED DEARLY!!!!👍💯😔😢

[@susanray8359]

I got some nice pictures of a beautiful copperhead outside of a Denny's last month in western Maryland. It was between displaced blocks of the top, and 2nd row of a retaining wall, perched looking towards honeysuckle spilling over the top of the wall. I was absolutely thrilled!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Oh, how cool...by a Denny's lol! I am actually jealous! Ha!

[@lammilee1]

Just found youand subbed after watching your video. Your students must've loved you so much! I homeschooled my youngest son, and one of our most memorable 'lessons' was the Black Snake. He lived under our country house. As long as he lived there; no mice in the house. One day, we had climbed the big tree in the front yard, looking for specimen to categorize and chart (by drawing it)...and we came face to face with our black snake. That's when we learned they were good cimbers. We called him Big Black. We started to leave him little treats up in the tree, which he always ate. Thanks for such an informative video! 🤗

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome...and thanks for sharing your experience and enriching our channel!

[@studbourbon798]

I'm in Georgia and have them everywhere on my land. Saw one once laying in the road, his tail was across the middle yellow line and his head was going into the ditch. He was long, no doubt

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow! 😲

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

I have a 5 ft, at least 5ft long black snake that shows up every spring in one of the bulkheads in my garage…a couple yrs ago I was walking in the door and right above the door was a massive snake head….he’s in there mousing I’m sure. Really cool looking dude

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hey Mr Smith your snake sounds really awesome! Impressive!

[@maryking7734]

Another terrific video, full of useful information... thank you!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you Mary King!

[@travishonaker7483]

love it man, I work at a summer camp in Floyd and kids usually get nervous around the snakes. I love them and all summer have been encouraging kids to feel safe around them...

[@natureatyourdoor]

Very cool! Neighbor!

[@graysonbere8036]

I live in the mountains of WV ,I don't even kill copperheads,burns me up when a snake is in there natural habitat called the outdoors an people kill them.people are ignorant when it comes to snakes.their beautiful.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Agreed.

[@Oldmaster51]

You’re killing it man👏🏾

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Thanks man! Steep learning curve...i want to improve my visual with more clips! I love sharing doing this Darryl. Do you see me smile in every video...its because when I flip the on button I see you..my students in front of me ...like you are right there! Looking forward to following your new adventure man! You have great attitude one door closes..another opens...lets see what is behind that door that is just opening!

[@darrylburnette6887]

Frank Taylor thanks brother, I think the videos are very great. The editing is smooth, the information of very interesting and is easy to understand. The next science guy right here maybe. Great stuff my friend.

[@richardclintonjonesjones1807]

Great presentation i really enjoyed it. Look foward to other snake stories

[@natureatyourdoor]

I hope you will check out my reptile playlist too! Thanks!

[@ronhaworth5471]

I recall while working on a tobacco farm as a kid in North Carolina. The episode goes like this.A kid was sent to put a tier of tobacco up in top of barn.He puts his hand above his head onto a black snake.It was a good story to share.

[@natureatyourdoor]

A very good story! 😲😃

[@patriciaeddy7629]

West Virginia is full with wonders in this category type reptile,we also have land lizards and land turtles as well water turtles. If you walk on wooded path anywhere in West Virginia you will find these beautiful creatures easily enough. The woods are a wonderland of nature and can teach so much to the human species of why we need woodland and nature for human survival. Birds of amazing colors also abound as do bobcats in trees sleeping a lazy, warm afternoon away. Ferns and wildflowers,with flowering trees in spring are a glorious sight to behold. It's such a pity that the loggers and gas frack drillers have destroyed so much of our beautiful wildlife for the love of greed and profit.😭

[@natureatyourdoor]

😢

[@johnhoffmann2311]

I used to live in a trailer park in Glen Allen,a very large black had been seen by me 2 times.Body of snake the size of my forearm,and seen it support it's head more than a foot off the ground like a cobra,I had named it Clide but other than observe it left alone.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow! What a magnificent snake! thanks for share! Check out my latest episode next saturday with a five footer I rescued.

[@james44mag31]

I have one around that was about 6 ft long. Used to sit around the dog bowl and wait for birds. Named Jake.

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@james44mag31 too cool!!!

[@dianeraper3744]

That was fantastic! I am not afraid of black 'panther' snake anymore! Thank you for the smart snake information!

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome!

[@theemmanuelswife]

We have some very large Black Rat Snakes here on our homestead/mini farm in East TN. I found one in the egg laying box a couple years ago that was quite large; over 6' long. I had David take a picture of me holding it. It was a beauty. I held it for about a 1/2 an hour, then released it in the spiral garden area on the farm. It didn't come back to steal anymore eggs. ;) They also love living under the house in the insulation, which is great, and in the wood shed. They keep the mice and rats away. We often find snake skins hanging in the barn rafters.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you for this interesting share of your experience!

[@richardclintonjonesjones1807]

Black snakes provide a very valuable service as white legged field mice over populate most wood land even ole copper heads are more docile than people think just dont irritate a copperhead when its molting time when a copper heads eyes are pink he will strike at anything i had some really close calls back when i use to search for wild ginseng and i learned also rattle snakes dont always rattle before they strike

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great share! Thanks for your experience!

[@anyascelticcreations]

What an awesome video! I'm so glad you made it! Hopefully you saved some of these guys from being misidentified and killed. 🐍

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you so much! Watch for tomorrow's video "5 reasons not to fear or kill black snakes" !

[@anyascelticcreations]

@@natureatyourdoor Oh, wonderful! I just subscribed, so I'll go back and make sure I've hit the bell! 👍

[@user-go3qk5yf4l]

That is so cool, I’ve seen them do that with their tail. When they hit a leaf it really sounds exactly like a rattlesnake… wonderful!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! ...in dry leaves..exactly! 👌

[@lynpatricia6854]

I'm in central PA. We have black snakes, rattlesnakes and copperheads... my property backs up to the woods and there is stream a little ways back. I had a garden statue of little kissing boy and girl about a foot high in a garden section next to my house, an adorable statue. So you can imagine my reaction to go out one day and find a huge black rat snake wrapped around it sunning itself. Some things you never forget.

[@natureatyourdoor]

laughing! oh nooooooo! I can picture it! LOL!

[@tonysmallwood4701]

I love rat and black snakes! I have a rat snake that lives in my garage,she's beautiful!!!She is so friendly.Havent seen a varmint since!!!💝

[@natureatyourdoor]

That is great!

[@puffyd58]

Several years ago I noticed a couple of snakes wrapped around each other in a little creek near our house. I thought they were mating, then noticed they were different species. The larger one was a black snake and the smaller one appeared to be a brown water snake. After observing for a while, it became obvious that the larger snake was very patiently killing the smaller snake . . . by wearing it out and keeping its head under wanter for long periods of time. I didn't have time to stay and see how it ended, but I got some video of it. Let me know if. you're interested in seeing it. I've got it on my KZbin channel (not currently up for public viewing.) Thanks for the good information.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Pretty cool video Puggyd58. I just saw a video on facebook of a black colored kings snake eating a copperhead. Black rat snakes rarely eat other snakes....but black racers a different genus...will eat other snakes on ocassion. Actually just saw a video of that too!

[@mountainhobbit1]

@@natureatyourdoor I just humanely caught some house mice and this baby Black Rat Snake has gotten in the house and into their cage twice now and don't know what to do. I am in SC and have three sheds outside all at least 10' x 12' with two at 10' x 16' and thought about releasing it in there because there are mice in them as well but thought that they would probably be too hot. Also by the way years ago I was walking my two tiny Chihuahuas and they started barking and wanted to run to see something which I thought was probably a deer I hadn't seen yet, after running over 100 feet we came to the edge of some Christmas Ferns and I looked down and thought I saw a two-headed snake of two different colors!!! I immediately got my Chis back in the house and went back to investigate but they were gone. I think now one must have been a Black Racer or King Snake but the other was definitely a Copperhead which are plentiful in this mountainous part of SC, the snakes were entangled and I think the black snake had the upper hand. If you can respond as to what to do I am @ [e-mail] and my name is Mark and I would really like a suggestion asap if possible but don't check KZbin very often, Thanks Mark

[@danielcarroll5667]

Thank you for the great detailed information on a REALLY cool critter , I hope your in depth explanation of their coloration and ability to mimic venomous snakes when agitated might save some from being killed.............

[@natureatyourdoor]

Exactly! Thanks for share Daniel!

[@jamesa6272]

Love the woodthrush birds you got singing in the back

[@natureatyourdoor]

Lol..yes! I love it when viewers hear or see things in background..that I had not noticed! 😎😎😎

[@TheBaconboy21]

I just moved chickens into an old coop yesterday. I went in today and pulled out a 6 foot black snake. Normally I wouldn’t mind them but it ate 4 eggs so we just moved it to a nearby wildlife area.

[@claydinnc1]

I had a six footer in my coop today

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow! I haven't found a six or 8 footer since I started doing videos! Jelly! Jelly. I hope one crosses my path soon! Sorry for late reply..i,have been on the road in my self made camper van and lost track of way too many comments! Apologies!

[@williamosgood3565]

I have an eight foot one living in my outbuildings near Raleigh NC. I know he is eight foot because it let me measure him with a tape measure. Very docile, it will hang out in the rafters and actually move to where I'm working in the shop. I'm not a big snake fan but it is most welcome to live in my barns. It has its own den in the corner of one.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Another model example of peaceful coexistence! Thanks for share!

[@htoddgriffin4787]

I'm in Raleigh too. I was a manager with one of the area home rental companies. We had an eviction in Garner(suburb) and the departing resident released 24 snakes in the home. While I was in the home taking pictures of the damage and trash left behind, things started moving. I realized what was causing the movement and decided to go outside for awhile. That was a real surprise! Finally went to a neighbor and asked if they knew about the snakes and the neighbor said her son visited the house often and all the snakes were non-venomous. We left the doors open for a couple of days and most (I'm guessing) left of their own accord, but one afternoon I got a call from a lady screaming at me in Spanish. Turns out a couple of the snakes had taken up residence under the dishwasher and she "found" them while cleaning the home. I don't speak a word of Spanish but I understood exactly what she was telling me to do to myself if I thought she was going back into the house. Good times.

[@leecowell8165]

that's awesome...

[@chadmcswain5389]

I've noticed a lot of talk on the internet lately about how black rat snakes do not kill copperheads, only black racers and king snakes do. I've been around regular black rat snakes all 50 years of my life here in the mountains of Carolina and I'm here to tell you.... Yes regular black rat snakes will kill and eat copperheads! I've witnessed it personally numerous times. We have a large 7 foot 3 incher ( we have several rat snakes, but this one has been on our farm for a little over 9 years now) we've named Mammoth, who actually prefers other snakes, frogs and especially small fish over rats and mice. It basically lives on the railing and the rafters of our hunting cabin porch down in our bottom land. When it's not resting around the cabin, it's hunting the banks of the pond in front of it for a meal. Over the years it has lived here we have personally witnessed it eating dozens of Northern banded water snakes, half a dozen copperheads, several garter snakes, 1 green snake and one young timber rattler (it did attempt to catch and constrict a hognose snake once on the road that goes down to the cabin, but for some reason it let it go pretty quickly and lost interest). It's favorite thing to eat is young bluegill, which it catches by laying across the dock and snatches them off the edge as they surface to eat bugs. If it can't catch a fish, it will work it's way up and down the banks looking for a frog or water snake, but fish is what it prefers. As far as describing the colorization of a black rat snakes life/growth cycle, you are spot on. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who have called me to come get a copperhead out of their house/building/garage, etc and it ends up being a juvenile black rat snake. It makes me sick to see them killed because we absolutely love our black snakes and know how valuable they are to the ecosystem. My son enjoys interacting with them so much, he's thinking about applying for the herpetology program at Clemson after he finishes highschool......

[@Mountain.Man.1978]

I live in northern Georgia. Growing up I found a nest of 40 eggs and 30 hatched. They were all black snakes. They hatched in an aquarium in my dads science room at school.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wooooow! That is FANTASTIC! What a great experience for all to see.

[@johnfleming7879]

We had Indigoes where I lived my early life, in South Dade County, Florida..They keep the rats away, or eaten, plus, rarely would see rattlers in our Avocado grove.I have seen them 7 feet long- great climbers, and fast on the ground

[@natureatyourdoor]

Very cool!

[@leecowell8165]

Yep.. an absolutely gorgeous snake. We had them in our front yard here in WPB. They get a LOT bigger than a black snake like you mentioned. We had one that was at least 9 feet long and probably 2 and half inch diameter at his thickest point. VERY friendly too. It would crawl uo on me to get warm and tell you what it had some weight too. My 2yo Great Granddaughter at the time used to pet it (right on its head it did not care). She asked if we could "keep" "him". Nope we didn't go there. They fed mostly on frogs we had plenty of food around for them! I assumed it was male due to its size but perhaps it was female. We had probably a dozen of them but this one was the largest. It definitely "knew" us too.

[@heronimousbrapson863]

Growing up on the west coast of British Columbia, I used to occasionally see all black snakes which we called "racers" as they could move very quickly. I'm not sure if they were related to these black snakes though.

[@natureatyourdoor]

There is a black racer species! 😃

[@decaturoglesby3215]

First time watchin this channel. This is a amazing channel.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks so much! Welcome! 😊

[@wat3rdog25]

Thank you for this excellent information. This is our 3rd yr living in Va and we have a 48”-50” black snake that occupies our basement in the winters. I let him be to keep the rodents away. He’s gone when the weathers nice.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Very cool you have a welcome winter guest! Great to hear when people and wildlife can peacefully coexist!

[@frankenz66]

Oh yeah they get very large in Arkansas too. I have seen several of these 7' long in my time. Not as long as the Coachwhip snakes I have seen, but pretty long.

[@natureatyourdoor]

😎😎😎

[@donaldmartin4980]

We have Texas black rat snakes here, frequently well over six feet. Sometimes they have a rather bad attitude. I do know they love to climb screen doors. It is always a big disarming when you open the front door and there is ten pounds of snake in your face. It wasn’t hard to figure out they were trying to get into the swallows nests under the porch.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Lol...on your description of door encounter! Did you see my what can black snakes climb? Btw..is it me or is EVERYTHING bigger in Texas?

[@donaldmartin4980]

@@natureatyourdoor That encounter actually happened to my daughter at her house. Good thing her husband didn’t open the door he would have soiled himself. My daughter and her brother are simply not afraid of snakes in the least.

[@CarsandCats]

Great video! I am here because I just saw Black Snake shaking his tail like a Rattlesnake, and even coiling up to strike. I thought it was pretty funny and he sure didn't fool me!

[@natureatyourdoor]

It is so cool when they do that? So what came first,..snakes vibrating tails or rattlesnake? Who is imitating who?

[@fortheearth]

Thanks for posting this great video!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awe thanks! And you are welcome!

[@ronshriner1960]

Have you introduced your viewers to the Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus)? I happened to find one on the sidewalk in near my home here in Yorktown, VA. Very interesting snake and tottaly harmless with one exception, it may try to stab you with its tail. If you can and have an opportunity, please talk about this little guy. Thanks and love your channel.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I just got a worm snake yesterday! How crazy is that? ...will be filming this week then releasing! They ARE so cool! So glad to have you as a subscriber to my channel! Thanks for topic suggestion.

[@leecowell8165]

these are quite a bit smaller than their Eastern Indigo counterparts. We used to have Indigo's in our front yard (they're probably still there but we moved). Indigo's are absolutely gorgeous especially after they first moat. Now this snake never stopped moving but Indigo's are not like that. They're perfectly content to lie perfectly still when you hold them (at least at times). this black snake is a LOT skinnier than an Indigo as well. yeah Indigo's can have some weight to them because they're the longest native snake of North America. Indigo's are super friendly and curious as well thus if you remain still and non threatening while holding your hand out they'll probably approach and take a sniff or even climb aboard. yeah, friendly & especially if they wanna get warmed up a bit (they like your bare skin). Finally they're absolutely no threat to bite you. the black snake probably has a similar disposition which is pretty obvious here.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for share! Indigo snakes sound awesome! Road trip!

[@whalesong999]

I lived in Texas county, Mo in the '90s and came upon a very large black rat snake, laying across a dirt road in the sun and adapting it's body to every part of the gravel texture. I got off the motorcycle and reached down to him and he pulled himself into a coil in an instant. I went on to scoop him up and took to my home where I let him loose in the house to stay for a couple days. Found him once coiled up in the sun under a window and on top of a basket of laundry. He crawled into our large kitchen and climbed up the back of our microwave caddy and up to the curtain rod, stretched out full length there. When I took him out to turn loose, he motioned that he wanted to climb trees we passed under. This experience is indelible for me, never thought I'd find a snake to be so accommodating and only tried to strike once, at the first spot on the road. He scanned my face with his tongue and by eye; I never had seen a snake able to move his eye orbit in order to see - really a gentle soul and interested in his captor. I'd handled many snakes before but this character won my appreciation like no other.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great moment of human wildlife connections. You are absolutely first person I know to release a snake indoors! Hmmmmm. Sounds kinda fun. Don't think my wife would find that acceptable!

[@whalesong999]

@@natureatyourdoor My wife looked on with cautious eyes. She'd become used to some adventures with wildlife, declared an interest some years before and we worked at an exotic animal park for a season. I don't recall her ever touching the snake but she was hands on with opossums which we had on occasion, raising young ones whose mothers had been killed on the road. The experience with the snake has more impact from memory now, I think, that it did at the time - it was just so cool and friendly. The animal was comfortable with handling though I didn't take it up often. He/she was an incredible guest, did not hide out of fear, just parked it's ~6' length in cozy spots.

[@joybrown8644]

I can tell you are one of those rare people to have a career in which it seems you were born for. Thanks for the info. I’ll share it with my son for he and his hiking buddies.

[@natureatyourdoor]

What a great compliment...thank you.

[@mellissadalby1402]

I found out by accident that Black Snakes are climbers. I was out in Ohio at Guitar camp (Fur Peace Ranch) and I was out in the back field practicing when I saw a Black snake in a tree just about shoulder height. I was about 10 feet away from him (or her) and since the snake did not seem threatened, I just kept on playing for him. The snake stayed there for the entire time (30-40 minutes) I was out back there playing. I don't know if he enjoyed the music or not.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes. Great climbers! Did you see my what can a black snake climb video?

[@stevek1018]

Here in Georgia we have the Eastern Indigo snake. I've heard they get up to 8.5 feet long. They make your black snake look like a worm. I remember once back in 2010 when I was living on my parents property. Their dogs alerted me to something by barking up a storm. When I went out to their pin. I was expecting to see a raccoon, opossum or an armadillo. There was the biggest snakes I ever seen. I estimated it to be at least 10 ft long. When the snake saw me or felt my vibration from my footsteps. Its tail was whipping and moving like greased lightning down a hole. When we moved the house there were numerous holes from rats. One was as wide as a softball. I guess I must have scared the snake as much as it scared me because we never saw it again.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow fascinating!! Thanks for sharing your experience with me and viewers

[@justinpennington7682]

You also have corrupt elections in Georgia . Bigger snakes in your politicians .

[@leecowell8165]

Yep.. the Eastern Indigo can get BIG. its the longest native snake in North America AND have some weight on them as well. They are absolutely the most beautiful snake on the planet and completely harmless. We had the grace of having a number of them for years on our property. A few of them would come right up to me if I was sitting and crawl up on my lap for warmth. a VERY humbling experience I wanna tell you.

[@justinpennington7682]

@@leecowell8165 your politicians will do the same . How's that gas going for you?

[@dalewall3726]

No, don't like snakes, not any kind . Won't be friends with a snake. Had to close a call with a Copperhead, didn't see no non venomous snake around to get rid. Don't buy that they are more scared of me, than me of it.

[@74dartman13]

Last summer, I caught a six footer climbing my stucco garage wall, trying to get to some baby birds in a nest at the eave of my roof. It's amazing how well they climb!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! You might like my what can black snakes climb episode where I put them to the test!

[@74dartman13]

@@natureatyourdoor 👍😎

[@donaldshimkus539]

We had a 4-5 foot black snake living in the crawlspace under our house for several years and never had mice in the house during that time. But, when the snake left, we had mice again. And I never saw that snake the entire time it was in the crawlspace. Only the skin it left behind. I miss that snake. I got a photo of one on a branch in a pine tree after his "date" with a lady friend. What a huge smile he had.

[@natureatyourdoor]

😃

[@Levi-he6nj]

It's just baffling that these people bring a dead snake they killed. Thinking it's a copperhead. It upsets me really much

[@natureatyourdoor]

I know. Me too. Crazy. And they think they are hero's with an epic tale to tell!

[@Levi-he6nj]

@@natureatyourdoor Yes, Goodness that's so annoying 😬

[@davemoyer505]

Awesome snakes. Racers are cool too!👍🇺🇸❤️

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes they are!

[@robertsr.249]

Except racers bite like a leg hold trap ​@@natureatyourdoor

[@jennifermcclain4478]

So glad I came across this video. Just this AM, while taking my German Shepherd on her daily walk through a forested trail, there was a black snake spread full length across the trail. Stopping to assess the situation, I poked & prodded at it. It has the same dappled pattern on its side in an almost diamond shaped pattern. It flicked its tail in the same manner shown here. That concerned me. I messed with the snake until it coiled up & I could pick it up with a fallen branch. I placed the branch with snake off to the side & continued on my way. The fellow was big, a good 5 feet plus.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great snake story! Thanks for sharing your experience and nature stewardship.

[@oldandintheway9805]

A friend of mine had a black snake for a pet. It got sick one day and he took it to a vet. The vet diagnosed it with a reptile disfunction. Gave it a shot, and straitened it right up!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Aaaagh. Ouch. 😁😆😁😆🤣😅

[@kellyleibfried9821]

I love this video! I myself have a weird love and interest in snakes and I don’t do it around my children but I used to love handling snakes and it horrified and embarrassed my now husband. Anyways we have a couple large black rat snakes living in our yard and love seeing them but yesterday we came home to the younger one who lives in a hole in our mulch wrapped around our go kart and must have got stuck in our garage before we left for the store and It scared my 4 year old so bad because he was not expecting it and I could not calm him down so this video really helped him understand more about the rat snake and also helped him develop a respect and love for snakes like I have. My neighbors kill them and it makes me so sad and all think I am crazy for being okay with them being on our property but we live next to the woods so I am happy they keep rodents away and enjoy running into this harmless predator. Strangely they are very calm around me but show a more aggressive side with my husband and even rattle the tail like a rattle snake and coil up when they feel threatened

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for share. Glad to hear you can coexist with these fascinating animals.

[@cricket1043]

We have a summer camp that is used 5 months out of the year. A few years ago we opened up in the spring to an absolute mouse mess. It took several days of cleaning and scrubbing before we could move in. The following year a black rat snake found it's way inside several times, there must have been some residual mouse scent. We'd put it outside, and a few days later it would be back. It liked to sun on the back steps. Very docile and easy to handle.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes..those black snakes seem pretty comfortable living in our proximity to human out buildings and activity. Fortunately copperheads and rattle snakes do not like being in our around human habitation.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! They seem very comfortable sharing habitat and coexisting with humans. You have a great education snake there!

[@user-tj8wv7ri7d]

Back in '83 I was asked to deliver a sailboat from Oxford, MD to Miami, FL. I chose to head south on the Intercostal Waterway, and since time was not important chose to go via the Great Dismal Swamp. The 45' sloop had a very tall mast and once south of Norfolk, VA I found that there were sections of the Dismal that the trees had almost overgrown the canal. Moving aside one early evening for opposite moving traffic, my mast brushed the tree tops. In a moment my eye caught something falling from the trees and it fell onto the foredeck with a thump. The black form lay still and then slowly came to life to slither over the side of the boat into the water. Twice more that afternoon in the same area I knocked a snake, usually black, out off a tree limb. One I glimpsed before the mast hit the tree, That snake was hanging head down by about 40 percent of its body apparently watching the water below. Could those have been black rat snakes?. It was an interesting journey to Florida.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow! Fantastic share! Yes...surely a black rat snake! Wild!

[@morrisdennis]

Black snakes are benevolent snakes, please nvr kill one...

[@natureatyourdoor]

They are the best! One of best snake personalities i think! They are so calm!

[@briardan9226]

I live in a dilapidated cottage I have been slowly fixing up when finances allow. It was infested with mice when I bought it. I've managed to reduce their numbers way down but I still have a bad problem with mice and nothing seemed to eliminate them. They've ruin 2 stoves, 1 refrigerator and made a couple couches a metropolis. An exterminator said there are hundreds of ways they are getting in. I'm slowly fixing the old place up and closing off entrances. A couple years ago a few black snakes got into my place. It freaked me out at first because I have dogs. Within two weeks I did not have anymore mice! The mice still get in when the weather get cold and become problematic over the winter but come late spring I notice mice dropping disappear and I stop hearing the noisy mice at night. (Whoever said quiet as a mouse, never had them.) I never see the black snakes anymore but I certainly know they are on the job! Just wish they would hang around all year!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great story! Thanks for sharing with me and viewers...enriches the channel experience! Good luck with those mice!

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

Super interesting. Didn't know about Monarch Butterflies. Love that little guy you begin with (p.s. greetings from Opheodrys aestivas).

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for watching! 😃😃😃 👍!

[@bertrandlechat4330]

I lived in an old farmhouse near Dover, DE and one day I watched a 6-7 ft. black snake climbing vertically up the side of the house!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Did you see my "what can a black snake climb" video?

[@Blues40]

Great video ! Thanks for sharing!

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome Kevin!

[@laurabentzinger200]

Thank u Frank i like these snakes we have a couple very long panther snakes on our farm, in the ozarks . We watched 1 climb a giant oak tree it was so cool!

[@natureatyourdoor]

I love it when people call them PANTHER snakes! I much more deserving name then rat snake! Lol!

[@nancywebb6549]

Snakes eat slugs! I was living in Western WA where the only snakes were garter snakes. They would startle me when I was working in the garden when they scurried away. I learned to appreciate them when I spotted one with a huge slug in it’s mouth. Believe me when I say ‘huge’! We had Banana slugs that were six inches long!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Another benefit of snakes for gardeners! Keep the ecology balanced.

[@BillyJ244]

I have always loved blacksnakes. They are one of the coolest snakes. When I was a kid there was an old building out in the woods where are black snake lived. He was always there when I would go in that building. He would let me pick him up and put him back. It was like he was my buddy.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Black snakes are the coolest and so many...not all..but many are so "chill"!

[@carlgomm9699]

Awesome show, here where I live in Florida these are very common, no one that I know will ever hurt one of these

[@natureatyourdoor]

That is great to hear!

[@paulschwoboda3955]

Awesome video! Thank you

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome!

[@nancycrayton2738]

I met a woman who has Catawba heritage who does pottery as her tribe has done for generations. She has some pieces in the Smithsonian. One she had with her was a pitcher with a black snake as the handle. She told me that black snakes are appreciated by her tribe. She had created a beautiful rendition. It looked so realistic. Thanks to her, I have a new appreciation for them. I wish they did not eat birds and birds' eggs and nestlings. But they do not look like any poisonous snake. Some of my relatives kill every snake they can. Kill first and maybe try to identify later.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Very cool about the pottery. Yes sad about people who feel they must kill snakes.

[@wingusa2]

Excellent information thanks so much, tooke care of a 3000 acre farm in Tn. For years had lots of them, we lived on the Blue ridge parkway, for a few years in VA. Saw them there also, I thought a black snake and king snake were same Saw lots of kings in Florida

[@cogentdynamics]

I taught my son and family to not fear and to respect black snakes (all snakes) by rescuing a young one who a neighbor asked me to kill because it was “a rattlesnake”. We intended to keep it in an aquarium for a few weeks. Long story short, it leaved in our home for years even though we put it outside several time. The dog was friendly with it. A cool creature which scared me more than once! 😅

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome! (Every snake is a copperhead, lol!) 😉

[@makmak151515]

Never seen one before. Beautiful little squirt.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! I think a very beautiful snake too.

[@CarsandCats]

I used to have a black snake that lived in a hole under the street next to my mailbox. When I came home from work, he'd cross the street and hide in the hole. When I would mow the lawn, he'd chase the mower and zig zag back and forth in front of it and I would have to keep stopping so I didn't chop him! He had NO FEAR AT ALL! It was really funny.

[@natureatyourdoor]

That is a very extroverted snake!

[@vickijohnson1060]

When I was young, over 50 years ago, my grandpa told us that rattlesnakes and black snakes were interbreeding. I guess this proves to me that he experienced this mimicry!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Exactly! That must be where the legend is from!

[@davedennis6042]

Thank you. I love Pantherophis Alleghaniensis snakes. Some things I was a little wrong about but now I know. Thanks I had to keep repeating the name until I could say it without stuttering LOL

[@natureatyourdoor]

Lol...you should see me practicing scientific names before I press record! 😖😜

[@fettieteam2333]

I’m here in Harrisburg Pennsylvania and I move folks for a living. I’m always in the State Collage and surrounding areas. I was doing a move up that way and it was on a farm area. I remember arriving at the property and seeing something on the roof of the house. Long story short I was scared to death as I told the owner I seen what. Thought was a snake. He said yes there all over the roof of the house and there pretty harmless, and he explained to me that they keep the rodents at bay. I remember it was at lease 5-6 of them I seen crawling all over the roof of the house. We had to move them in. I’ll never forget how sacred I was to go upstairs.

[@natureatyourdoor]

That is so crazy! Just WOW! Thanks for sharing!

[@shk2564]

I have loved snakes since I was a young boy in the 70’s and I have always taught my children and grandchildren about them. My 3 year old grandson and I encountered an adult black snake hanging on the side of a tree while walking around the fence line of my farm a few months back. But a couple months ago he and his sister were staying with me for the weekend and my granddaughter was taking a bath early in the morning and one was curled up on the corner of the bathtub behind a loofah sponge a few inches from her head! 😱 She was startled but not terrified and she told me that it was because she had been shown about them by me growing up in her 12 year life. I just took it outside and released it but I was sure that it was there because I had been seeing signs of mice under the stove and I had been hearing them scurrying around underneath the bathtub. I had put out a few traps and not had any success but it motivated me to get serious and eliminate the problem. The house is from 1956 and it is difficult to find all the places that they are getting in but I typically keep the population down so that they don’t cause me any problems. But I do check behind the loofah each time I take a bath now and I am sure that my granddaughter does as well! 😂😂😂

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for sharing your story and your respect, regard and coexistence with all things nature!

[@Chet_Brinkley]

We had the same Black Snake around our house for years and I was always happy to see it because I knew it was doing it's job and protecting us from other vermon . When ever working away from home and would find a black snake I would take it home and release it there .

[@natureatyourdoor]

So cool to have a "resident" snake and respect your willingness to coexist with it peacefully!!

[@rachelfrees1268]

Oh my. My encounters with Black Snakes. In 2002, I lived on one of my sisters/brother in laws farm for 15 mons. In Va. The old farm house was beautiful and built upon rocks. Under those rocks the snakes lived. They got in the house, gardens, barns etc. One lived in a brush pile and it was so large. It became aggressive and my nephew came and shot it. Never seen such a huge snake. I still have dreams about those snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

You nephew shot it???