How to ID a Black Racer vs Black Rat Snake. What is the difference?

I resuced a Black Racer and took it to the Chattanooga Zoo reptile rescue center after taking the opportunity to show its features and explain how to distinguish Black Racer Snakes( Coluber constrictor) from Black snakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis). Black Racer vs Black Rat Snake. Comparing snakes! Learn how to tell these snakes a part. Black Racers and Black Rat Snakes are different snakes, are different species. Know and learn how to tell them apart in this video.

[@audreysenghas4138]

My son's favorite memory is of me picking up a garter snake again after it bit me and made me bleed. He was in kindergarten and thought I was the coolest Mom for picking up the snake and explaining to the kids how great snakes are, and how the kids should not harass them.

[@natureatyourdoor]

That's awesome! You really are super mom!

[@willswalkingwest7267]

I loved this video. I loved that this poor black racer was found by you and not someone else. I loved the message about plastics. We don't have the black rat snakes here in central Florida, we have their cousins, the yellow rat snake. Before the new taxonomists messed with the scientific names our yellow rat snake and black rat snake were both Elaphe obsoleta, our yellow rat snake had the third name of quadrivittatus. Now they say our yellow rat snake is Patherophis alleghaniensis, which I find funny since our yellow rat snake isn't anywhere close to the Alleghany mountains. All that aside, your video is awesome. I used to tell people that if you were able to pick it up, it was likely a black rat snake as healthy uninjured black racers seldom give you an opportunity to grab them. LOL. And also, thank you for mentioning the rat snake body shape. Very few people do that. I tell people the rat snakes are shaped like a loaf of bread. Thanks for another great video.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you! Lol..funny how many people are upset up the reclassification and naming! And yes so true about the biting thing! Thanks for sharing here and enriching the channel with your comments!

[@brianquilty687]

Fascinating video Mr. Taylor. Sure hope his health improves and he can be returned to nature.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks Brian!

[@babystepsgarden6162]

When I was around 5, I was walking on a gated tar and gravel road. It was a very warm summer day. 🙂 A snake crawled out of the grass by the side of the road and began following me. 😱😭 If I walked it crawled slowly, but if I ran it crawled faster. It was about 6 feet from me. It never came closer, but it didn't stop following! It was black. It followed me for almost a quarter of a mile. I was in a whirlwind of terror, screaming as I ran, running faster and farther than I ever thought I could. Grandaddy came to my rescue. He said, "If you faced it and stomped your feet at it, it would have run away. It wasn't anything but a little old black racer. Nothing to be afraid of." But nobody made fun of me for being afraid. 😊❤️ ❤️ ❤️

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awe! Thanks for sharing your story! Aren't grandaddy's great?

[@lorid1348]

Here in Michigan we have blue racers...the first snake I ever held....and I remember how smooth and supple the skin was. I had one as a pet for a short time but my mom convinced me it belonged out in nature not in my bedroom.

[@natureatyourdoor]

They are smooth! A very wise mom!

[@carolynnkaster9457]

Well I learned I need to remove the netting on my old fence. I disturbed a 5 foot " black " snake last week doing weed removal around my front shrubs. It came out when I went inside for a few minutes. I did find a skin shed in the bushes, but it was no way near long enough to be the snake I saw. When Hubby and I came back outside, it was next to the rock walkway and took off really fast to get under cover again. Learning from you about the plastic, I will remove it today.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you! It is so hazardous to wildlife!

[@benmoffitt7524]

I can say that black rat snakes are very effective with regard to pest control - particularly with keeping the mouse population down. Hope you enjoy your time in Chattanooga. I used to live at the foot of Lookout Mountain. It’s a beautiful place and I miss it!

[@1new-man]

Yup we just don't have snakes much any more around our place But then we just don't have mice and frogs like we once did either the two go hand in hand

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Did lots of great hiking!

[@martimoore740]

I love your channel! Please keep it up!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you! Will do!

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

He is DIVINE ❤

[@natureatyourdoor]

🤩

[@ClintsHobbiesDIY]

Nice vid. I've never found a Racer here in my part of Virginia. Easter Rat Snakes are plentiful. I have three here on my property. Eddie, Gary and Hoss.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Very cool!

[@robinmcclellan1870]

Thanks for another great video!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad you like them!

[@chrisbaron4563]

Thanks for the video, very useful!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

You are sooooooooo lucky to have such wonderfully diverse fauna. I have O aestivus, love them dearly, could not have seen them in their natural environment but try constantly to ensure they live in comfortable conditions similar to their origins

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes...Appalachian mountains have some of the highest biological diversity in the world. Where do you live?

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

@@natureatyourdoor near Paris

[@natureatyourdoor]

@kimberleymarkova3641 cool! My brother's wife is Parisian! Have you seen my Switzerland playlist. My mother born in Italian speaking Ticino canton!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Please go watch and cheer for riders at end of Tour de France! 🇫🇷 I watch the tour every year religiously!

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

@@natureatyourdoor ah mais que ce monde est petit!!! So you know my "patch" then?! This is also yours! I rarely go into Paris except for medical things as I did in June when I had lots of time to kill before the appointment so I spent two very happy hours at musée André Jacquemart, it was perfection.

[@prestonbuffington954]

Hope all turns out well for your racer friend.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I am sure it will be fine. CHATTANOOGA zoo ...best care possible.

[@prestonbuffington954]

@@natureatyourdoor Great

[@beckysteward-mi7km]

Very interesting Frank!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-wo2iw3kt8o]

Awsome video. Im watching from our cabin in Maine.

[@natureatyourdoor]

A cabin in Maine! Serene and peace plus ➕️ ➕️! Enjoy!

[@kathylong8345]

We had a king snake that use to follow us like a puppy.

[@natureatyourdoor]

So cool!

[@robertsr.249]

Quite simple , the Black Rat does not like to bite , but will coil up and strike if prokoked The black racer will bite with little or no provacation ,i caught a 4 footer and he bit me 4 times in sbout 2 minutes and they bite hard .,And they will go at your face ,Caution advised.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Very true!

[@amandastakeonit7402]

For being injured and being a racer that is a sweet snake. I have seen them bite so many times, IF someone catched them.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I know...I thought wow...not biting me...I need to take him to vet right away!

[@michaelcrouch7607]

The only snake here in the foothills of NC that I've seen chase a tractor..

[@natureatyourdoor]

Whoa!

[@johnpulwers680]

Which one is friendlier?

[@natureatyourdoor]

By far the Black Rat Snake...see how docile on my Black Snake episodes on playlist!

[@johnpulwers680]

The Racer bites a lot...the Rat doesn't.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Very much so. This one was ill and take to Chattanooga zoo for rehab!

[@janmyers2715]

I hope the snake was OK. Did you ever find out if he survived?

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes. I tried to get back with them but I never got a call back.

[@Sushi2735]

The black rat bit you! 😅😅😅😅

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Lol...I didn't think til later that it was a bad look for this video topic!

[@kathylong8345]

Those Black Racers can chace birds like nothing I have ever seen!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes!

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

I was going to ask what was going on with his skin 😢 tell me you took him to the vet

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes...I took him to the Chattanooga Zoo rescue center that afternoon.

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

@@natureatyourdoor thank goodness, would you be able to let us know how he's doing? Hoping for healing and release back into (à safer place) nature

[@natureatyourdoor]

@kimberleymarkova3641 I tried several times after a week to get back with the rescue center but was not able to follow up as I hoped. A lot of volunteer staff... but best reptile vet care one could have. I am optimistic he recovered!

[@kimberleymarkova3641]

@@natureatyourdoor poor little guy or pauvre petite mademoiselle 🐍 I really hope he/she makes it.

[@1new-man]

Great fyi all over again!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you 1 new man!

[@nicksykes463]

poor fella hope its ok. definitely the most lethargic racer ive seen normally they dont sit still

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes..very lethargic!

[@yzettasmith4194]

I will never use that netting stuff around my garden again. I put some around plants in my back yard to keep the deer away. I went out one day and found a juvenile black rat snake tangled in it and dying. Poor snake, it was cut up. Awful way to die. I am sorry.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yeah..it is pretty harsh on un intended wildlife.

[@amandastakeonit7402]

Thank you for changing your ways after realizing the damage that's done to wildlife. People, often, don't realize how important it is to have snakes around. They harm them on purpose, others, like you didn't realize they were doing something potentially harmful.

[@drewbaisden3475]

Well done. Handle and mess with an injured Black Racer for 30 or 40 minutes so you can get more clicks instead of going ahead and taking him to the rescue center. I'm sure the snake enjoyed lt. Why don't you get a healthy black racer and mess with him like that him for 30 minutes. They love being handled haha. Smh.

[@natureatyourdoor]

How many snake lives have I saved by demonstrating and educating? It is a trade off. I think I did minimal to no damage here. Snakes don't feel or think like humans so you maybe projecting human feelings on to this snake. Similarly, I get trolled by some for picking up salamanders for a video. However, the big picture is trying to connect people hands on with nature and have an emotional connection to nature and living things. Without that real emotional connection one can't expect voters to push for change to benefit the environment as a whole! I do however appreciate you writing this in and giving people more to think about and create a dialog about this specifically and education about the environment. Sincere thanks for bringing this to the for front for viewers...and encourage people to think and consider what you said!

[@drewbaisden3475]

@@natureatyourdoor Haha yeah I was projecting "human feelings" onto the snake. Pretty sure pain is not exclusive to humans there sportcoat. My point is why use an injured snake that was not acting at all like a normal uninjured racer, if you know anything about them you'd agree. They are incredibly beautiful snakes but do not have the greatest temperament and are well known biters. Get a healthy adult racer and let your grand daughter get her face as close to it's face as you had her do in this video. Racers love that. Do that video and post it haha. I think it's great when anyone wants to raise awareness that snakes are here for a purpose and should not be killed just because "eek it's a snake". Still no reason to use an injured snake for that purpose and your clicks. None. Sorry.

[@natureatyourdoor]

@drewbaisden3475 just want you to know I read what you said and thought about it. I had to make an appointment with the Chattanooga Zoo rescue center and kept the snake overnight, Indoor warmth, undisturbed, with access to water. The snake while lethargic was not necessarily in pain??? The snake was given a course of antibiotics, recovered and was released back where I originally found it. Again, thanks for bringing what I did to the attention of viewers and expressing your thoughts. Highly, unlikely a similar situation will ever occur again but I will certainly keep what you said in mind.