Don't fear Black Snakes: Here are 5 reasons why not!

So many snakes are needlessly killed by people that fear them. Here I explain five reasons why one should not fear or kill a black snake. Reason #1 Black snakes (pantherophis alleghaniensis) can be very docile. The snake in the video has never had contact with humans. Black snake will not try to bite you. #2. Black Snakes eat disease carrying mice and rats. Mice and rats are a health risk. If you have black snakes you likely have many mice or rats in your area. #3. If you have black snakes you may not have other snakes. The biological principle: The Competitive Exclusion Principal says that no two species can occupy the same niche at the same time. If you have a black snake in that niche you are unlikely to have another snake. If you eliminate that snake, the niche becomes open for another snake species to occupy it. The next snake might be less desirable. #4 Black Snakes will not come in your house (unless you have mice in your house! Mice enter throught opening in your house, the same opening a black snake could enter in search of those mice. Eliminate the mice and close the opeing. #5 If you leave a black snake alone, it will leave you alone. My biology and nature education channel covers all things nature. I cover many topics across the spectrum. If you are intersted in learning about nature: the plants and animals outside your door, this is the channel for you.

[@leenakalita6050]

I have seen this in my yard as well. My fear has gone down now after seeing your video. Thanks.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome!That is the goal! Thanks for encouraging me!

[@lorid1348]

What a beauty! When you said "if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone" I could hear my moms voice saying the same thing!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Your mom was very wise! 👋👍😊

[@gregj831]

Fantastic video and also, the Black Rat you have captured is one of the most beautiful specimens I have ever seen.

[@natureatyourdoor]

It was a pretty nice one. Scales a bit beat up here and there but nothing a good shed can't cure!

[@jasonstorie8740]

Yes a rat snake

[@lalaland962]

Thanks for this. I love snakes. I used to live 1/2 mile from my nearest neighbor, 1/2 mile off the road with a hill in the drive between the road and my house. One year, we saw a black snake warming up on the driveway hill several times. He was huge! I loved it!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Those big sleek ones are awesome.

[@bradleydanek3958]

What an awesome video and fantastic information about the black rat snake

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you so much! I hope you will check out my reptile and amphibian playlists!

[@rodelinsgardentourscritter7432]

Great video, sir! I am so glad to have found your channel. I live in Roanoke.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome glad to have you in our learning community.

[@Dpradenas5622]

Thank you for such a great video regarding wonderful black snakes Young Man ! Really appreciate that /

[@natureatyourdoor]

Appreciate you! Thanks for the encouragement!

[@triadmad]

I grew up on my grandfather's farm. Any time he came across a black snake, he'd catch it and put it in the corn crib to catch mice. If my sister and I were close by, he'd bring the snake to us to show us it wasn't scary or dangerous. He taught my dad well too. Dad was driving home one day, and spotted a black snake sunning itself in the road. He stopped, picked it up, got in the car with it, then drove home and released it in the woods behind the house.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Love your grand dad!

[@kd8199]

Same in my family. Granddaddy carried a burlap sack on his tractor for just this purpose.

[@Damonpeters1950]

Thanks- I have on camper on the property- chickens use it lay eggs there as I put nesting straw in cabinets from which I removed the cabinet doors-also what not there- tools etc- there are so rats- I don’t use poison there for fear of harming the chickens that come in and out- I live in rural north Florida-/ yesterday I saw a long white oak snake 5 and half to feet long going into the camper through a hole in its wall- this snake- is commonly called rat snakes -I did not kill or remove it when I saw it- allowed to go about it’s way - hopefully it will assist in rat removal.

[@johnhiggs325]

@@Damonpeters1950 They will eat chicken eggs and hatchlings.

[@Damonpeters1950]

@@johnhiggs325 ok - thanks on the tip- I put out rat poison where chickens can’t get to it - got hens with chicks out and about- snake has to go “when again we meet”

[@benmoffitt7524]

Great video! I remember when my grandparents would find a black snake, often they would put it in their barn or shed both to keep mice and copperheads out. Seeing them do this helped me realize how helpful they were.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Love your grandparents Ben!

[@gaymichaelis7581]

Yeah, Ben, I think this is great also! You were lucky to have grandparents like that!!

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

Exactly...people in NC kill blacksnakes 🤦‍♀️ I've been around them all my life and they've never bothered me or scared me. I respect them !

[@kd8199]

I was taught the same thing by my grandfather.

[@judyfinnegan6225]

Dear frank, thanks sooo much! Enjoyed hearing your knowledge about the black snake! Great job! Take care now. Be safe. See u soon. 🙂

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are so welcome my number 1 fan!

[@anyascelticcreations]

Awesome video! I'm going to try to share this video with another youtuber who was concerned about seeing one of these. I think it will help her to feel better about having one around.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Thanks for sharing!

[@anyascelticcreations]

@@natureatyourdoor You're welcome! Thanks for the awesome video! I hope they watch it.

[@natureatyourdoor]

By the way...check out your jewelry on etsy..you make some really beautiful things! Kudo's!

[@anyascelticcreations]

@@natureatyourdoor Oh, thank you very much! 🤗 I've been working with metal for a lot of years. I just finished 3 new pearl rings last night, actually. They'll be up in the next day or so. 😊

[@sandrawellmeyer2990]

That was awesome, thank you so much

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad you liked it! I hope you will enjoy my channel...check out my playlists!

[@TFerrazzo72]

Amazing video, Frank! What a beautiful Male Rat Snake you found! My buddies and I refer to them as the "pythons of the Eastern Forest." While they are Colubrids, it's interesting that they are very slow moving and arboreal like other larger tropical snakes. This was one of my favorite videos of yours!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks! Definitely arboreal! So cool.

[@Coopdog1911]

I thought rat snakes are a whole different thing. The Black snakes I have found (Eastern Blue Racers) are amazingly fast. Been a snake catcher my whole life and only caught a couple EVER.

[@walterbates1654]

Feeding the KZbin algorithm. Great video. I appreciate it.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Working on it. Going for value and rich content in every video I share.

[@FairyFrequency]

Great information on black snakes. A beautiful specimen you have there. Greetings from Missouri... let's go for a walk through the woods ♡🌱🍄🌳

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hi Fairy from,Missouri! My brother lives in St Louis. Lets go hike on next visit!

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Awesome great info🙌

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you So much!

[@WildMeatLetsEat]

Great video!! I really enjoyed this one... straight forward and to the point.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Lol! Yes...cutting to the chase...aiming for more succient shorter videos.

[@WisdombyExperience]

We have rat snakes and boy I’m glad we do. Our plastic shed had lots and lots of field mice, but no more. Thank you! And we had little food predators eating our strawberries and no more. Thank you! And lots of holes in our farmhouse basement and no mice in our house. Thank you! (And I wrote all this BEFORE I listened to your video.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Really great share. I hope all viewers read this one!

[@juliannahealy5476]

Thank you for making them seem much less scary 💗

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! You are welcome, Julianna!

[@randomsnek]

What a beautiful specimen. WELL DONE FRANK

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you..and shout out to my most cooperative model!

[@randomsnek]

@@natureatyourdoor they are so calm that's probably why corn snake ( pantherophis guttatus) are great pets

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@randomsnek true!

[@randomsnek]

@@natureatyourdoor maybe next year we could do a video at our frog pond

[@raquebridges]

This is great- I saw one in the middle of a park in Arlington, VA- my co-worker and I took off running. I knew nothing bout them!

[@natureatyourdoor]

😉

[@pambrown6260]

Thank you for supporting the snake properly.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I hope I did...i was a bit more theatric then I ever would be with a snake to demonstrate both it size and good humor!

[@704406bbl]

Great video. I enjoy seeing big black snakes in my pastures and knowing they are doing me a favor by catching rats and mice.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Love those bigguns!

[@user-vf3yf6yc9x]

Nice work man keep it up 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks! Will do! Appreciate your encouragement!

[@markszyszkiewicz]

I'm afraid of them because of the musk only. Hate that stuff. Garters especially. Beautiful snake once you get up close. My wife was traumatized by a BIG black snake at the entrance of John Pennekamp Park. Never seen her run so fast. Caught up to her a half hour later...lol!

[@natureatyourdoor]

The musk is chemical warfare!!

[@mikerosenzweig]

Excellent and timely video. I’ll share it with our nature center community!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome! Thank you Mike!

[@miker4430]

They are awesome and majestic creatures. Friends of man. Almost all I’ve picked up have been very calm and even if it wasn’t that’s my bad. Great video

[@natureatyourdoor]

Couldn't agree more! Thanks for kind words! Have you seen my Black snake playlist? I think you will like it!

[@Videogamelover58]

Great video!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you Videogamelover! 😊

[@w204mikull]

Really good videos. Thanks for bringing this to more peoples attention.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you so much and you are welcome.

[@jrpeet]

Your videos are great

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you James! Appreciate you!

[@smetlogik]

Great video! Looks like your snake was cooperating very well for this video. Your point #5 is on point. The snake you had was an eastern ratsnake, you also have a northern black racer where you are on the east coast. Harder to find but another "black" snake is the eastern mudsnake out your way. Cool snake. Another informative video, well done.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for clarification...i was amazed with number of racers I saw on Kent island maryland a few weeks ago...right on coastline in rocks...brackish water,

[@robertmoore5176]

The black racer will bite when handled. Not near as docile as the rat snake.

[@smetlogik]

@@robertmoore5176 racers tend to be a bit more bitey when feeling threatened for sure.

[@dmariewalker6880]

I was going to ask what the difference was between the black snake and a blue racer/black racer. When I was a young teen, I went to step on a stick lying in the front yard off the driveway & yes I stepped on the stick to hear it pop, BUT it didn’t snap but moved and I took off running & that thing was a snake and chased me, I quickly hopped onto the hood of dads car. Dad later said it was a Blue Racer (Indiana). I believe that’s what made me afraid of snakes.

[@laurieelliott3791]

Thank You 🕊️

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome!

[@casemate7504]

Good information to know

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for watching!

[@nancyrauch9492]

Fantastic video ! Thank you for explaining how they are so helpful to our ecosystem ! I really enjoy all the good things they do for us....😊😊

[@billdavid903]

Great video....I don't see as many black snakes as I did when I was a kid...1960s

[@natureatyourdoor]

Saddly ..i am hearing this from many viewers!

[@carlgomm9699]

I'm almost certain that these are what I have living under my trailer where I live in Florida, they're always welcome by me and like you said they have a valuable role in the scheme of things,, such a nice show, please keep up the good work !!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you so much Carl! Appreciate the encouragement.

[@pacmonkruz9846]

Good to know , thanks

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome!

[@rattlesnakehaven]

I love this!! And thanks for being clear about the fact that you didn't just pick him up for fun, but only because he needed to be removed from a house. A lot of people post videos of themselves messing with snakes just to mess with them, which I hate. It costs the snake a lot of metabolic energy because as far as the snake knows, he's about to be eaten by a predator. So I especially appreciated you letting people know that you had to pick him up because he had to be moved to a safer location.

[@natureatyourdoor]

You bet. I should have explained more clearly that I normally don't handle a snake that much...or extend him so as I did. Trade off for education...hope this snakes sacrifice and cooperation with me helped save snake lives! Did you my recent how to move a snapper episode? Again I reinforced when we're the only times to,move one..

[@rattlesnakehaven]

@@natureatyourdoor OOH!! I missed that one!! We're scrambling to set up a summer "data camp" so I haven't had a lot of time to play online recently. Off to look for that one now!

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@rattlesnakehaven thanks for keeping up with me! Love having you a part of this community and I always look for you comments, thoughts and most important constructive critism. Again..i am script writer, producer, host etc..easy to miss something...mis speak..with no outside editing! I can easily err

[@rattlesnakehaven]

@@natureatyourdoor Entirely my pleasure!!

[@jeanettebaker3906]

Great job

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you!

[@d4ddyK]

I love them! They are amazing. I was walking my two dogs last week and we ran into one. Dogs just stared and he stared back. Then he crawled over my bare foot as he left. Awesome!!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wonderful coexistence interaction!

[@LouT1501]

Beautiful snake - and he's quite a bit larger than the garter snakes that are dominant in our area

[@natureatyourdoor]

And I had a number of viewers say how small it was!

[@LouT1501]

@@natureatyourdoor A long garter snake might reach 18' and most are a foot long and a lot more aggressive. Gotta love them!

[@huletnadof313]

The snake was just hungry! Absolutely agree with you on the mice. I need some black snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Yes he was. 😊

[@theresaakin2284]

About 10years ago my husband put up a container garden on a platform made from a dog house floor. Had a resident black snake under the platform. We had peppers and strawberries and tomatoes. Never had any trouble with birds as long as the snake was there. It often would sun itself on the platform. An assistant for our yard guy killed it. i was so mad especially since I told him it wouldn't hurt him . My yard guy never bothered the snake whne he mowed. He would actually encourage the snake to go under the platform or at least move out of his way. Wasn't long after the birds descended on our platform garden. just the other day, I went to use the hose and a black snake was resting on it. It was the cooler part of the hose since it was in the shade. I believe we may have a couple under our shed, maybe just the one. Our little dog isn't crazy about them he goes in the opposite direction and often retreats to the back door to come inside. I grew up in Indiana and had 2 boys always with snakes and toads, etc. in their pockets. Living in Texas, rattlesnakes are whole different story.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for share! Sad about the snake and the assistant.

[@jimsweeney]

Just a heads-up for the benefit of tourists - Australian Black Snakes (Pseudechis spp.) are dangerously venomous. They are valuable in the environment, very laid back and non-aggressive, but also not to be trifled with.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Sometimes I forgot that my channel started as an out reach to local students is no viewed worldwide!

[@lzemo]

I couldn't catch one if I had to. Around my area they are extremely quick and can see you from a long distance. I luv em.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wonder if you got black racers there too?

[@robertmoran4841]

Hey Frank, Hope all is well. I'm glad I came across your video today. I couldn't believe you were holding the same snake that was on my steps 2 days ago. I didn't see it until my little dog ran down the stairs do do his business. It was just a little smaller than your snake. I spotted him a year ago if it's the same snake, and couldn't get up the stairs quick enough, and I'm not a small guy. I couldn't tell one snake from another. I live in Florida now but grew up in NEW YORK CITY. The only grass I saw was in Central Park. Thanks very much for the video, I learned a lot, and now I wont kill myself trying to get away from a harmless snake. I still won't go near it, but at least I learned something. Thank you.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thanks for sharing your personal experience Robert!

[@ClintsHobbiesDIY]

I have three here at home. 4, 5 and 6+ feet. Eddie Gary and Hoss.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome ! Lol..love the names!

[@dookoonu2741]

Thanks a lot very informative. I have one about the place but I am scared of it and it is scared of me. We both ran from each other.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Don't worry!

[@Justme77400]

This is a great video. I've always liked the black snakes. They keep the cottonmouths away. I have a black racer who lives in my garage and under my front porch. I can't tell if they are the same one. LOL! They are nice to have around.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad you enjoyed the video and always great to hear respect and peaceful coexistence between humans and snakes!

[@jasonwolfe9892]

Very beautiful snake. Usually when I hear black snake I think of a black rat snake or a black racer. Wish I had snakes like that in my area. I’m not too far from Allegheny state park and Letchworth state park which I know have Rat snakes. However I have never seen any.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hope you get to see one soon

[@retiredcitizen9776]

I have a camp in upstate ny an have a 8-10 ft black snake on my property he lives 15 ft from my cabin in a pile of cover timber . He’s big an he’s been seen just 2 or 3 times a year for the last 3 years but very cool snake I have video of him one time he came out I been wondering for a few years why the chipmunks were reducing now I know .Every time we do see him it’s just eye dropping to see what a cool creature.I would never hurt this snake he’s no threat but huge to watch.

[@jons6368]

Another great video, thanks, I love snakes. One thing I think needs clarification. Snakes don't have ears, so how could the snake have heard the birds? Or do they feel the vibration of sound, or sense them in some other way?

[@natureatyourdoor]

I got excited in intro and lost focus telling the story of the snake entering house...aaggghhh. My apologies,..yes nonsense. See my snake tongue ..snake senses episode. Bad bad mis speak on my part.

[@jons6368]

@@natureatyourdoor Not my intention to make you look bad, please don't beat yourself up over it. You do a wonderful service educating people about nature, and I love your videos. Keep up the great work. Jon

[@hoofarmorhoofcare]

Lovely!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you!

[@anthonylester2624]

Awesome video. I'm terribly afraid of Snakes and in Georgia we have Copperheads and I know one is living in my neighbors wood pile next to us. Any advise as to how I can keep it over there and not allow it to come to my yard. Also what do you recommend for killing Japanese Beetles. They are killing my Lillys and Cannas.

[@amandastakeonit7402]

As for the snakes, they might pass through your yard but if you have a debris free yard that is also free of bird and rodent food, the snake will not stay in your yard, so if you see one passing through, just let it keep on going. If your yard has clutter or food for birds and rodents then the prey food will be there more often and that will invite the snakes to hang around. Please don't kill them. They can be relocated and they are very important parts of every ecosystem they are found in. When you remove the predator, you get an abundance of the prey. Say you have a bird feeder, that feeds, birds and whether you like it or not, rodents. Snakes keep those numbers down which also lowers the risk of diseases being spread.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you for kind words. Japanese beetle video in the works. Did you see my video on,pesticide free stink bug detterents. Many should work on J B too

[@anthonylester2624]

@@natureatyourdoor watched it but my mindframe was on the stink bugs only. I will rewatch it

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@anthonylester2624 let me know what you think and what you might try!

[@oldmanjimh3165]

ty.

[@natureatyourdoor]

😊👍

[@susanivester5607]

Saw a large one in our yard today. Thank you for the information!

[@natureatyourdoor]

You bet!

[@PaulSmith-pz9eq]

Thanks

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are most welcome! I hope you will check out my reptile and amphibian playlist!

[@anitaprashar8657]

Recently had a black snake show up in the rental property, definitely has mice! It’s a scary thought when you see a snake!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Nobody likes to be surprised by a snake! 🙂

[@norag.5690]

So that’s what I’m smelling! I had one blocking my sliding glass door- 11 years and never seen one, so i thought the door was jammed, i think bruised it, it moved well though… thank you!

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome!

[@ginafriend1690]

Speaking of snakes, while scrolling thru KZbin yesterday, I saw a pic of a young girl with a Burmese Python. I didn't watch the video, but is her pet. Hey, whatever floats your boat! My brother brought home a snake when we were young. He put it down in the window well. My parents had a fit when they found out, it had babies in there by then.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Great story!

[@Chrishelmuth1978]

Great video... but that snake didn't "hear" the birds, right?

[@natureatyourdoor]

Uh...yeah...busted...that just slipped out.

[@gyatitado1591]

Is all the black snake is non poiseneus? I have had see many times in my Bamboo garden it's so scary.

[@FlatOutBankAngling]

I have just seen a beauty in a tree when I was walking my pup. He was huge. Real long and awesome looking.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Great experience!

[@amandarubio595]

I have seen 2 black snakes in my yard in 1 week! They have been climbing the big gum ball tree in my front yard! I'm scared to death what should I do to stop snakes from coming around?

[@feyHiker]

Years ago I saw a long black snake lounging on a horizontal tree branch about eight feet up. I knew it was harmless and regretted not having a camera. Another time while out hiking, I sat down on the ground to have a snack. Hearing a slight rustling off to my left two garter snakes, maybe a foot long each were approaching. I held completely still hoping they would slither over me, but they stopped about eighteen inches away and rose up like little periscopes just watching trying to figure what that large obstruction was. I waited a good twenty minutes, but they did not move, and I wanted to get on with my hike. I moved away carefully as possible to not terrify them.

[@natureatyourdoor]

What a great experience. I had a similar experience in Appalachian trail...check out my videos and closeups...he just shied from my lap

[@KennyHinz]

I'm guessing they were able to sense your body heat.. or realized you were a potential predator and thought being completely still was the best way to go about the situation.

[@Reaper1008]

Also sometimes called a Black Rat Snake.. Also like the Corn Snake, can just pick them up

[@natureatyourdoor]

So many common names! Agree with the corn snake...great pet snake!

[@Reaper1008]

@@natureatyourdoor I love snakes of all kinds.. just some are not to me messed with.

[@natureatyourdoor]

@@Reaper1008 copperhead video Saturday...a friend found one in his garage shop!

[@kellytinsley272]

We found a very young black snake (juvenile) in the shop that I work. This juvenile was just losing it's juvenile pattern. It bit a coworker.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂!

[@MemphisMike901]

Do black snakes hang out around ponds also? thought i saw one the other day while fishing.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Could be...more likely a black racer? They seem to be around water more often

[@andrespuiggros]

Hello Frank, I love seeing your concern for the environment and that you are transmitting it to your community. Very good points with which you inform about this snake, educating is the best way to spread and generate care for our wild places. I have a doubt when I see your video, is it necessary to manipulate the snake to be able to transmit what you want? You clearly mention that it is the first time that the snake has been taken out of its habitat, I believe handling wild animals should be done under certain conditions and exceptionally, since we can affect them without intending to (causing unnecessary stress, transmitting diseases of those that we do not know or generating behaviors that change their relationship with the environment for example). If you are interested in delving into this topic, let me know and I will contact you. Many greetings and please continue spreading your love and concern for the nature that surrounds us.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes. I can't argue with you on that. I would never spend this much time handling a snake for no reason. Trade off on,educating folks and focus of this video. On the other hand,,.Though..if really stresses would have musk.

[@natureatyourdoor]

So basically ..yes I agree with you.thanks for sharing with me and viewers. Enriches my channel and good for me...working alone ...to get such constructive feed back ! Constructive criticism is very good. I hope you will keep me on my toes and I look forward to future comments from you!

[@gaymichaelis7581]

Love your comments, Andres!! And I love how positive and loving you were… also love your responses back to him, Frank!!! You are so very nice and loving and positive!!! I love your channel, and all the videos you’ve put out that I have seen!! Very educational and informative and interesting, to be sure!! I like snakes, and have been around some… I saw and met a big black indigo snake in Florida in an orange grove, when my ex-husband and I and son were migrant farm workers, picking oranges in south central Florida at the time… Ourcrew boss at the time had a daughter that found this large black indigo or maybe the father had founded or someone else in the Grove… But she was walking between the trees down the row with this very large snake wrapped around her!! That snake had to have been 6 inches in diameter at least, if not larger! And that indigo may have been around 8 feet long, I’m not sure!! Then I asked if I could hold the shake! So she gave it to me and that snake wrapped right around my body!!! I loved it!!! Also had experience with a rattlesnake in another orange grove!! Grove owner was letting us live within the orange grove, where there was a large clearing… with some friends. My husband walked into the orange grove a bit, then he came running out of the grove, his eyes as big as saucers and maybe hollering out a bit! He said there was a rattlesnake!! Our friend had a pistol!! So my husband got it from this fellow, & shot the snake(I think I was pregnant at the time with our son)! My husband and I skinned the snake, & tanned the hide, using formaldehyde… we learned that the snake, when he was shot, turned and bit himself with his fangs & poison, so he would die quickly and not suffer! We used to have the hide, and it had two holes in it, right where the fangs would’ve gone in! Very interesting!!! There are rattlesnakes and copperheads and water moccasins in Florida. Besides the indigo and the chicken snakes. Yes, and maybe I shouldn’t have picked up that indigo snake and let it wrap around me, etc., years ago!

[@JNC1973]

Ok now this was interesting because we have Black Snakes on our property in Northern North Carolina and sometimes i come across them just lying in thick tall grass and weeds while i'm either weed whacking or mowing. I have no desire to kill them but at the same time i gotta maintain the property and if i'm on my Craftsman Ride On Mower cruising along with the Blades spinning and a Black Snake happens to be taking a nap in my path if it doesn't wake up and slither out of the way it's gonna get sliced and diced and turned into chop suey. Last Summer my Brother was weedwhacking some tall grass and didn't realize there was a black snake taking a nap in it and the snake got hit by the weedwhacker string. It didn't even try to slither away from the sound of the engine as it got closer and closer to it. Wonder why they don't have enough brains to move out of the path of danger ? Also what can we do to avoid accidentally killing them while cutting the grass and weeds ? I always assumed they would have enough common sense to go in the opposite direction of the loud engines. 🐍🚜

[@natureatyourdoor]

Check out my 5 defenses video of black snakes. Their first defense is to freeze as if not to be seen or wrinkle and kink up to look like a stick. Tractors and mowers are evolotionarily to recent. Yes not much brains mostly instinct . not able to reason.

[@joshuamumpower6756]

Sorry Mr. Taylor for me it is the corn snake the one you had In biology class still remember being able to hand feed him pinkes thanks again

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! That one is at RU now...still teaching Josh!

[@joshuamumpower6756]

Really that is so cool I love that snake my parents are still afraid of snakes so the first time I ever got to encounter and hold one was in your class which truly changed my perspective

[@VTPSTTU]

That's a beautiful little guy.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Very! Love the gloss!

[@chastinjackson5366]

The one I picked up off my porch yesterday bit me. This is the first time this has happened. I catch them in my basement all the time without being bit I'm not sure what happened

[@natureatyourdoor]

Caught em in a bad mood! Just like people!

[@bullirish]

Thank you SO much! My daughter has black snakes on her property and she is afraid of them. I sent her your video and I know she will listen to you!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome...and she can send me questions or concerns anytime!

[@bullirish]

Thank you !!!!!@@natureatyourdoor

[@paulsmith5398]

I had an experience with one of these on 6/29/2022, everything you say about them is true! I did pick it up to see how long it was, and its about 2 inches shorter than me, im 5'2".

[@natureatyourdoor]

Wow!

[@paulsmith5398]

@@natureatyourdoor in my neck of the woods, (in my case, farm fields 🤣), and its also in a residential area, ive never seen a black rat snake, only garters and corn snakes. So this was a first for me in more ways than i could imagine.

[@paulsmith5398]

@@natureatyourdoor i have a video from several years ago, of my cat confronting a garter snake, its kind of hilarious in a way. Will post it on KZbin when i get the opportunity.

[@MrWayneploof]

I wish i could get over my fear of snakes. my fear is so bad i will even black out sometimes if someone comes up to me with a snake.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Oh no! That is really extreme. Have you been able to watch my snake videos?

[@michaelmanningly8984]

The U.S. is so rich in diversity , youve got HARMLESS snakes ! In Australia EVERY snake is venomous !

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! Too funny...Australia sounds like a pretty scary place with all your snakes, spiders, deadly jellyfish and great white sharks, Lol! Always love hearing from my auntie friends! Btw ...my dad was a kiwi! True story!

[@robertpetersen9450]

Did I understand you to say " the snake HEARD the birds"? A rare snake indeed!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Gulp. Did I say that. Aggggghhhh. Oh no. Major bad on my part..excited to do intro and lost focus holding snake...yada yada...see my snake senses...snake tongue video for retention. My bad.

[@johnoleary5293]

@@natureatyourdoor Snakes are probably not deaf, at least in the way we think of deafness. They have no external ears or eardrums, but there are structures in the jaw that may pick up low frequency sounds. In addition to that, they are very sensitive to vibrations in the ground, and this could be seen as a form of hearing. It’s not likely that Mr Black Snake heard those birds, but I suspect he has a form of hearing that is different from ours but perfectly useful to him.

[@outandaboutwithdon656]

During the summer black rat snakes hunt at night , and some small birds like to roost at the same location every night and the black rat snake can find them the same way by the droppings on the ground.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I was guessing that they smell the droppings.

[@charlie6629]

I dig King snakes. Wonderful creatures

[@natureatyourdoor]

😎😎😎😎👍

[@chrismcpherson1586]

We have had a black snake for 7 yrs. He is dossil and visits our water feature in our flowerbed frequently. He has definitely killed and eaten garter Sakes we have seen him eating a garter snake. I belive he is over 5 feet. We call him Norman. We really don't know if he is male. We have never seen another black snake. He often sun's on our deck wooden railing. So he is a conversation peice with company. Next we give him a chicken egg 2 times a week. We put it in the flowerbed in the same place each time he finds it every time. So Norman has actually become a friend of ours. As I said we have never touched him.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Are you sure it's not a black racer? Far more likely to eat other snakes. Black Rat snakes are pretty much exclusively mammal bird feeders!

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

I have a 6 ft black snake that lives somewhere in the foundation of the house and the garage…there’s a bulkhead in the garage and occasionally I’ll see his head hanging out…I see him maybe 4-5 times a year…I have a pretty big property with woods and a big stream, all kinds of wildlife….and mice are definitely a problem, until I took in a feral cat a few months ago…within a week Cash(the cat, named after Johnny) had killed 6 and since Cash has been here the mice are gone. Cash also killed a big water snake, ripped the head off and left both the snake and it’s head on the front mat for me, lol

[@natureatyourdoor]

Those big snakes are so cool!

[@asanosokato]

Expression at 0:36 says this snake is ready to get on with its day. It's got stuff to do!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Lol! 😄😁😆

[@outandaboutwithdon656]

I though snakes could only hear vibrations and not high pitched sounds like birds chirping because of how their ears are constructed ?

[@natureatyourdoor]

My bad...i didn't mean to say that but I do want to learn more about why black snakes are so good at finding nests!

[@slimjimjerry]

Snakes sense vibration through the ground. They are deaf and "hear" nothing, so the snake didn't hear the birds. I would say it smelled them and went to investigate.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Oh geeze! Of course good point! My total bad.,ouch I know better! Thanks for pointing this slip up to,me and viewers.

[@slimjimjerry]

@@natureatyourdoor No problem. I am 70 and have always loved snakes. I am just across the state line in north central NC and have charts from the NC wildlife of all snakes in NC so yeah I love em. Thank you for trying to make people less inclined to kill them.

[@Og-Judy]

Not in Eastern Wisconsin. Most I ever seen is a garter snake.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Do you have other rat snake species?

[@noluck33]

I would rather have the snake in my house than the mice! Thanks

[@natureatyourdoor]

Exactly! 💯!

[@garylester8621]

Our rat snakes eat a lot of our chicken eggs. I take them away, but more take their place, or return. It’s a hassle.

[@natureatyourdoor]

You must have a big population there!

[@garylester8621]

Yes, it appears so. Next is Rattlesnakes, then Garder, little brown snakes, and those cool friendly green tree snakes. And a couple of others I don't know the names of.

[@guysolis5843]

Are these snakes the same as what you find in Missouri? I seen two large ones when I went out there last week..

[@natureatyourdoor]

I would have to look up,Missouri species range maps..,could be different species ..lilely yellow rat snake

[@guysolis5843]

@@natureatyourdoor thanks don't bother I can do my own research have a good day and thanks for the great video

[@monsieurchaumiere]

As kids growing up in the KC area we often found and captured Black Rat Snakes in the vicinity of grain elevators (rodents !). The snakes were usually around 4 to 5 feet in length. Later in life, on a visit to Swope Park Zoo in KC, I saw a Black Rat Snake climbing up to the rafters in an outdoor animal pen. And sure enough, there were bird's nests up there. Called my companions over for a look, too. After all, it IS the Show Me state 🙂 Fond memories for sure !

[@RobinByron]

A large Eastern Black Racer visits the shed out back, occasionally. About a 6 footer, I'm hoping it's a female and has lots of babies. I also have a youngster out front that's very shy and rarely seen. We have a variety of poisonous reptiles here in Swamp Fox country and I've always been told that Black snakes may keep other snakes away. Interesting and informative video. I subscribed!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you Robin and thanks for sharing your local experiences

[@beckery2]

My dad taught me these basics and I'm glad you're educating people. I'm not as brave as you to pick one up tho lol

[@natureatyourdoor]

Glad your dad taught you well!

[@sonofjay817]

It would be good to mention not trying to handle one unless you're sure it's not a black racer which looks very similar but much more aggressive although, also, nonvenomous.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Lol! Very true! Black racers will bite the fire out of you...that is ...if you are fast enough to catch them!

[@kentallen4473]

he 'Heard' the birds and went in???? Snakes don't hear!!!!`

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ack...sorry in my excitement and with distraction. .a grevious mis speak.

[@jerrymadonna2106]

I had one of these snaked in my kitchen it came out the mouse hole took a while to get him to go back into the hole, didn't kill it because it was keeping mice from coming through the hole

[@natureatyourdoor]

Ha! I'll bet!

[@txelmore]

Where do I get one of those, I’ve got lots of rats in my barn.

[@natureatyourdoor]

They will come hopefully!

[@sarahd419]

He was a beauty

[@natureatyourdoor]

😊

[@ziwer1]

I picked up a spitting cobra thinking it was a black snake. Hello from the other side.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Agggggghhhh! Oh geeze. I apologize for my self geographic centric post..forgetting that I am viewed internationally as well! Better to clearly use scientific names as well! Thanks for bringing attention to this!

[@willy565]

AMEN!!!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

😊🙏

[@billdavid903]

My dad used to catch them and turn them loose under the corn cribs...

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome!

[@GorillaCrewWarGaming]

Here's another reason: Because they are cool and just plain FUN. I had a 6 footer named Vincent when I was a kid back in the 70s. I found him by accidentally running over him with my go cart on some back road. Had him a couple of years until he just left and rejoined the wild.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@keithhamilton3399]

What about a red bellied black?

[@natureatyourdoor]

Need to do an episode!