Six facts about the Black Rat Snake you may not know!

IThis is a harmless Black Rat Snake. Its scientific name is Pantherophis alleghaniensis. It is also known as a rat snake, eastern rat snake, black snake pilot snake, pilot black snake, chicken snake and many other common names. It is a non-venomous constrictor. Check out my other Black Snake videos, see my reptile or black rat snake playlist for more on these snakes and ways they defend themself including striking, head butts, foul order and vibrating their tail like a rattle snake, how they can climb and everything you need to know about these snakes!

[@williamsporing1500]

I’ve got one that stays in my shed all summer. She’s over 6 feet. She’s my buddy because she keeps all the vermin out of my shed. If she’s in my way, I gently pick her up and move her. A lot of the time, she’ll crawl up my arm a little bit and look me in the face like “hey, how’s it going?” Very gentle, beautiful snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

That's awesome.. great hearing from people that can relax and coexist with wildlife!

[@williamsporing1500]

@@natureatyourdoor I’m half Wyandot….I get along great with nature lol

[@user-wo2iw3kt8o]

Hi Frank. As always awsome. Im rewatching again,because I like blacksnakes. I've been very busy at work. We just got done completing a controlled burn on SGL099. It was 91 acres. The forest here is just now starting to leaf out. The burn went as planned ,but a wildfire this time of year is very bad. And NOW in the eastern mountains is wildfire 🔥 season. SO please tell all the people to be careful with fires. I have 32 hours of time the last two. Days. Something bad happened. A eastern box turtle got burnt. I had to end his misery.. It almost made me sick. This is the only time sometimes my job sucks. I love turtles. I hope you have a speedy recovery. YOU are always welcome here. God bless.😊😊

[@natureatyourdoor]

Oh no. So sad re box turtle.

[@wtliftr1]

black rats are AWESOME! live on a farm in NC; we have several around.

[@natureatyourdoor]

They are the best of all snakes!

[@brianquilty687]

That is a nice dark black shade. Very interesting Mr. Taylor.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes...beautiful snake!

[@chasafulkerson]

I love when the non-venomous snakes rattle their tail!!

[@natureatyourdoor]

It is very cool!

[@Wondering_About_Nature]

Love this video!! Although my favorite snake in Delaware is the Ring-necked Snake, the Black Snake is the one I see most often and enjoy all the cool things you mention in this video. The juveniles are so cute especially when climbing a tree. They really blend in! I've seen one looking all kinky before. Someone mentioned perhaps it can also be helpful for it to get more skin surface warmed.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Well...ring-neckeds ARE pretty cool too!

[@bobstranzenbach4700]

Very nice!

[@natureatyourdoor]

👍! Thanks for the visit!

[@RayoAtra]

Such a great channel. These are such a nice sat morning diversions.

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are so kind!

[@susantrapp3769]

So cool.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you Susan!

[@robertledford8237]

If I find one in my chickens nesting area I will carefully relocate it but not too far knowing it will be back at some point, if it eats an egg or two here and there it’s just collecting the “rat tax” owed to it for getting rid of rodents and pests, it’s a pretty good deal

[@natureatyourdoor]

Awesome! That is exactly what I tell be...an egg or two for all the non-toxic rodent control you get is totally worth it!

[@Theadventurehiker]

Hello Frank! I'm in indiana and love the black snakes, so interesting and a valuable asset to the farm. Your gentle way of speaking always keeps me interested! Thank you!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Hello Indiana! Glad you found my channel and thanks for kind and encouraging words!

[@DHall87]

I am afraid of being bitten by a snake 😅 I don’t want to be afraid.. I do like snakes, and I believe that they have an important place in nature. I just don’t want one to bite me. I had a lot of these black snakes around my house last year. I kept stumbling upon them on accident, and the snakes were very defensive, and one even struck at me many times… that did not help my fear of being bitten. How do you keep a snake a large black rat snake calm when you find one in your house so that you can remove it more easily? Thank you! I am really enjoying learning more about snakes from your videos. I hope the power of knowledge can help me overcome my fear.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I hang out with them a bit...make sure they do not feel cornered or surprised. Then I reach out and put my hand on a body part...then .kind of a zen. Be sure your black snake is not a black racer..they can be very nippy.

[@litrealred6840]

Hi! My favorite rat snake! My father would keep them in hay barn and pole barn which we call them chicken snake! Thanks! Enjoy your weekend! 🤗🥰

[@natureatyourdoor]

Mine too! Great your father had and shared his value in them!

[@Peter-ic7vj]

You and me are on the same page.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Good to know! Glad to meet you!

[@jefferymerriner]

Love my rat snakes Had one let one live in my backyard she took care of the rat problem from The Neighbors woodpile had a little wooded area right in the middle of the city where I lived it was a city park by measuring tapes 1 that was crawling across the road in a crack in the road that measured 12 ft 4 in it was a big old boy I regret every day not at least having that snake registered but I turned it back loose

[@natureatyourdoor]

Magnificent snake!

[@dougsmith6929]

When you said about the black snakes piloting dens for rattle snakes it reminded me that the older generations told tales of them inter breeding. Can they interbreed with rattlers and or copper heads and would the offspring be venonmus or is that just an old wives tale.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Old wives tale for sure!

[@MrDominickpal]

Love your channel! I live outside of Charlottesville on 30 mostly wooded acres. Seen lots of black snakes but can't tell if they're rat snakes or racers. I've seen that kinking behavior many times. Is it only the rat snakes that do that? Also, while taking a couple of dead mice out from under my oven, I found a dead, very small painted turtle (?) by my pond. Upside down on flat grass. How'd he get upside down?? Looked up and saw a LARGE copperhead about 5 feet away. Looked like he was interested but I'd heard you had to train captive snakes to eat dead things, so I concluded that it was just a really strange coincidence. (Only the 3rd time I've seen a copperhead on the property in the 24 years I've been here so it seemed likely he was there for the turtle...) He retreated to the pond, so I moved the turtle off the grass and put the mice at the end of the dyke. Looked it up back at the house and found that copperheads DO eat dead things! Even occasionally carrion. They bite the prey, leave it alone until it dies, and then track it and eat it (as I'm sure you already know.) I feel so bad that I moved his meal!! I picked it up while moving it, so how would he be able to track it? Also, apparently I could've even given him the mice!! Shoot. I don't like to disturb snakes of any kind, except the time I impulsively pulled a rat snake who'd gotten around the guard out of the bluebird box (which I shouldn't have done since he'd already eaten the babies and would've come back anyway before I'd been able to get a better guard.) But for those who are terrified of snakes, I want to point out that this large copperhead made no move to attack me even though I was only 5 feet away leaning down and examining his well earned prey. Thanks again for your great videos! I appreciate that you appreciate all the natural world!

[@natureatyourdoor]

You are welcome! Thanks for sharing all your observations and experiences with me and viewers...it enriches the channel experience for all of us!

[@curiouscalculator]

I’ve caught 7 rat snakes over the past 7 years in our basement that is finished…not sure how they are getting in…they’ve ranged in size from 2 ft to 5 ft…we live in northern Kentucky….colors varied but patterns were similar….we have woods behind our house I just put them out there…

[@natureatyourdoor]

Be fascinating to know how they get in! Probably impossible for then to find way back out again...they rely on you to get back out!

[@logan979]

Off topic ? Do you know what insects are making the pleasant sounds at night in the county ? TY

[@natureatyourdoor]

Many types of insects...cicadas, crickets, kaytdids and more!

[@bonniebabird]

Looks like the most obvious difference between a juvenile Black snake and a Copperhead is there is no black in the Copperhead pattern. Easy to confuse one from another in the surprise encounter, I'd think. Thanks for this video!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Check out my copperhead video on the channel...it will explain how you can quickly and decisively id a copperhead in a second! 100 percent certainty. It's all in the "Hershey kisses"!

[@larryvaughn2567]

These folks around here ( East Texas ) call this a Chicken Snake.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Yes! Even here, too in VA!

[@aspennie]

I adore snakes but there’s not too many up where I live. I want to travel and see lots of cool snakes, though! Maybe hold a black rat snake myself!

[@natureatyourdoor]

Where do you live?

[@aspennie]

@@natureatyourdoor Washington! What we have is mostly garters and rubber boas. Never seen a rubber boa, but a few garters here and there.

[@Snapshott1]

When I first moved to my current neighborhood I was told there were a lot of copperheads. After seven years I have yet to see a copperhead. I've seen garter snakes, a worm snake, water snakes and blacksnakes. I did find a garter snake that someone cut its head of. I suspect because it was mis-identified. Just wish people would learn the difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes.

[@natureatyourdoor]

I hear you. Every snake is a copperhead!

[@litrealred6840]

I forgot we all getting rattled snakes in the areas never had them before! How any idea why they are here? Thanks! 🥰

[@natureatyourdoor]

What areas are you referring to?

[@curiousguy-jo4sh]

What can I feed a black rat snake?

[@natureatyourdoor]

Mice! Or maybe even an egg. Many pet shops sell live or frozen mice for snake owners.

[@uberlino7824]

Do they bite ?

[@natureatyourdoor]

They can bite...but rarely do unless they feel both Threatened and cornered...or step on.

[@Peter-ic7vj]

I pity fools who destroy wildlife. You must be turned in.

[@natureatyourdoor]

Agreed.

[@crazymom1880]

Only poisonous snakes would not be welcome on our 17 acre property. Fortunately, we've never seen any poisonous ones so far. We welcome the rodent extermination from our snake friends!

[@natureatyourdoor]

😃👌

[@Norseman311]

Awesome 👍

[@natureatyourdoor]

Thank you! Cheers!