Why this Black RAT SNAKE is Special 🐍

Not all Black Snakes are bad. The other day we spotted the resident black snake. Our Black Rat snake is seen at least twice per year mainly in the summertime, this time we grabbed the camera. I believe the snake was more concerned about us with the camera but seemed to pose for the shot all the same. Keep in mind that these are non-venomous. Did you notice the ants catching a ride on the Black Rat Snake?
For more information: www.nwf.org/Educational-Resou...
We appreciate your time today and hope that you will return. 🙂
Sincerely,
Bertha

[@sharonrigs7999]

Rat snakes and King snakes are welcome on my property any day!

[@BackyardBertha]

Well said Sharon! Thank you for the visit today.

[@katiem9644]

Beautiful black rat snake. Lucky you!

[@BackyardBertha]

We agree Katie!

[@samporter4818]

Once you catch them and hold them for a while, they become very docile and make good pets!

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for that Sam, we are just happy he is in our territory.

[@FloridaMan672]

I love your little buddy.... I have one in my backyard and he has been there for many years..about 5ft now..... He is so tame he barely even moves when I walk by.... In the afternoon I can always find him sunning himself in the sunniest part of the property depending upon the season.... One day I decided I would go to the pet store one afternoon to get him a dozen crickets..... Came home, sat down in the backyard and right there he was.!!.... As soon as I dumped the crickets out of the bag he went crazy darting and sliding everywhere trying to catch every one of them at once.... He only managed to grab one, 😃😃🤟👍💥 but he sure was happy.....

[@varanid9]

He probably would have preferred a mouse.

[@BackyardBertha]

We will be sure and keep an eye out for any photo observations. Thank you for the visit today.

[@user-ex9gs1cy6x]

But what if he couldn’t catch the mouse? @@varanid9

[@ernestwhite2989]

Our yard was overun with voles till a 5ft black snake moved in,no more voles.😂😂

[@BackyardBertha]

Glad to hear that you found a helpful fiend there.

[@chrismcpherson1586]

We have a black snake that lives in our shrubs along the house. He frequently visits our water feature in our flower garden. He has been here 7yrs and seems dossil. But we never intervene with him. We welcome him every spring. And we call him Norman.

[@BackyardBertha]

That's a great story, hello to your Norman!

[@kevinrichardson8859]

Please keep Norman around

[@parkercorprew2010]

Its a Black Ratsnake they can reach a length of 8 ft.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for the comment Parker!

[@parkercorprew2010]

@@BackyardBertha , I've had a few as pets. One that I had, in Texas we ended up giving him to an Institute that takes them around to schools for children to see. Grew to little over 7 feet. .. his name was Claude. I caught him when he was four foot long.

[@BackyardBertha]

Your story is wonderful Parker. Really enjoyed learning about your pet Claude!

[@walkingwolf8072]

They get big for a rat snake, and they will eat kittens. We had a feral kitten in our yard then it disappeared, I suspect that one of the rat snakes got it.

[@GorillaCrewWarGaming]

Back in the 70s when I was a kid, I had a 6 footer named Vincent.... Miss that snake....

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for sharing.

[@snakenook]

Oh Wow! Beautiful Garden Friend 🐍

[@BackyardBertha]

We agree. Thank you! Cheers!

[@elgranjero2284]

It looks so much like what we call in Miami the Black Racer or the Everglades Racer.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for the observation on Racers today.

[@ljprep6250]

That's a large and beautiful snake, Bertha. I wish he was here on my property, as I have attic rats. He'd take care of them quickly, I'm sure.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for the comment and visit today.

[@walkingwolf8072]

I have picked up black rat snakes 8ft back when I had chickens they were well fed on chicks, and eggs. They are a docile snake not prone to biting.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for the comment, wow 8'.

[@user-wu2eg2xx7t]

I had one in my house one time. I just let it live inside. He surprised me a few times. After telling about him nobody would come over. So I had to let him go.

[@BackyardBertha]

I think that you did the right thing. Thank you for the comment today.

[@jerryjones7293]

It is a real shock to put your hand under a hen for eggs and feel a snake. Lesson learned, don't gather eggs in the dark. No snake is welcome around chickens.

[@BackyardBertha]

Wow, that's a story to remember Jerry! Agree.

[@JimwombatLand]

they can climb brick walls , electric poles , get in your car , in your boots , caught two mating in my back yard ....

[@BackyardBertha]

Wow, never have seen that. Thank you for the visit and comment Jim!

[@richardk6196]

Beautiful animal

[@rowansutherland1853]

My grandmother was an absolute snake assassin with a garden hoe. I’ve had success with a bush axe.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[@billbrownster]

Thank you for not freaking out when you see this guy. I have lived in the Ozarks for a half a century and have seen many snakes. My motto is leave the wildlife alone. It has worked. I have only seen one Black Racer and, although similar to the Black Snake, it is not the same. I could not keep up with it in the woods and I could cover a lot of ground back then. Very fast indeed. Recently have not seen many snakes and several other creatures as well. So sad what we have done.

[@BackyardBertha]

We agree Bill, and understand too.

[@Graeme_Lastname]

It's happening all over the world m8. Hi from Oz.

[@la196]

Beautiful and peaceful looking Rat snake:) Since many people mistake this snake, a rather harmless non toxic danger as a dangerous moccasin, maybe if you find the time, do a short video to see them side by side to learn what differentiates one from the other:)

[@BackyardBertha]

Good idea! I am always on the lookout for our wildlife.

[@annettefoote8343]

Beautiful serpent!

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you so much!

[@joelongjr.5114]

I have black snakes around my rural eastern Kansas home and let them be to catch rodents. They're beneficial to have. I find them sunning themselves in the springtime, close to their den.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for your visit today.

[@donnajeffries7913]

Yeah. I like blacksnakes. I have one around here.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for sharing and the visit Donna!

[@codecaine]

Thanks for sharing

[@BackyardBertha]

You bet!

[@onazram1]

Nice shots of this lovely Colubrid....

[@BackyardBertha]

Thanks for visiting

[@michaell397]

Treat him well. He's doing a fine job for you. ;

[@BackyardBertha]

Agree 100%

[@johnhiggs325]

We have a few black rat snakes that help control the rodent population around our farm. Some of the females are well over eight feet. I spotted one particularly large female crossing a twelve foot gate. She spanned nearly the entire gate. I don’t kill snakes I find, but I do relocate any that are close to the house because my wife is deathly afraid of them. My eight year old worries me because he loves to handle them, but doesn’t know which are venomous. I always know if he’s found a rat snake, though. He will smell like their musk. 🤣. He brought a juvenile skunk up a few weeks ago and it was very difficult to explain to him that we aren’t allowed to keep wild animals as pets in our state. He thought I was lying! 😝

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for sharing you adventures with the wildlife John. Did you say skunk?

[@johnhiggs325]

@@BackyardBertha Yep. 😆

[@nmmorin3509]

So magnifique ❤Merci ❤I’m in love forever ❤🎉❤🎉

[@BackyardBertha]

Awe, blushing. Merci!

[@morrisdennis]

They are beneficial 2 us.

[@alanjackson1568]

These animals can be quite active. I have a pet western black rat snake I call Ram, and she likes to explore to a point where it is a bit difficult to keep her. It helps to let her hang on while I go on walks, and there are sections of the house I just let her roam around in, knowing of course, that she can go 4 feet in any direction from a place she can hold onto. I have seen her climb blinds as well as cupboard doors, which are perhaps half an inch wide. Well, right now I put her in the garage, with a small heater, for brumation, (like hibernation for animals that don't produce much of their own body heat). In hindsight, snakes that hunt, by holding still, (ambush predators) are probably easier pets as a first pet snake.

[@alanjackson1568]

Part of the reason I got a pet snake is that I am fascinated by snakes as symbols. Black rat snakes in particular are fascinating symbols of tenacity, being an animal where there are stories, of them overcoming birds of prey that tried to prey on them. There are also stories black rat snakes lead other snakes to safety for winter, hence their other name, pilot black snake. I doubt black rat snakes actually lead other snakes to burrows in winter, but there are accounts of them brumating alongside other species. Rattlesnakes were used as symbols in the early history of the United States, "don't tread on me" because for their method of avoiding confrontation with their rattle, but willingness to strike if all other options are gone. Then there is the famous "Join or Die" cartoon's depicting a snake in many severed pieces, each piece with the initials of a state. In the Old Testament, the fiery serpent Moses held up was a symbol of Truth and Christ. Fiery, probably means, venomous, since Truth, reality, and Christ have real power, and venom, would be a symbol of power. Look to Christ who is Truth, and you can be saved the consequences of previously ignoring truth, and, be brought, through Christ, into alignment with truth. In the New Testament, Christ uses them as a symbol of wisdom when he told early Christians to be wise as serpents. Serpents, wise I think in the sense that there are many truths other animals can ignore, but snakes cannot. Snakes don't produce enough body heat to digest food in winter, they cannot run away if caught in the open, etc. I do wonder why a serpent was used as a symbol of Satan. Well, I do somewhat know why the ouroboros (snake eating it's own tail) is used as a symbol for what I consider to be, the most evil, genus, of religions on earth. But that is a story most won't want to learn about. (Snake, eats itself to create itself, a symbol of man as the creator, who creates himself, man creates society creates man creates... etc.) Well, I could go on, many people have used the idea of shedding their skin to symbolize changing themselves etc. But this is already a cumbersome wall of text.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for sharing your story. Really like the pilot story, leading other to safety too.

[@azzir325]

Can't say for sure without a better look, but I think the snake you photographed is actually a black RAT snake. Very similar in size and coloration to black racers and they occur in a lot of the same areas. Rat snakes (there are many different species) are very beneficial non venomous snakes who specialize in eating small mammals (rats, mice). Like garter snakes, Racers will simply grab and swallow their prey. Rat snakes, on the other hand, along with the King and Milk snake families, are constrictors.

[@varanid9]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

[@BackyardBertha]

You could be on to something, all the same, really appreciate your visit today.

[@klewis153]

I agree I'm pretty sure that's a rat snake. Great to have on ones property. I had one for many years (named him Jake)until he/she got out under my privacy fence and was hit by a car. Still he/she managed to get back home before it died. A year later I saw a couple of the offspring in the garden and the young look very different until they mature. I was happy once again. They get very used to seeing a person and just do their thing. Awesome find.

[@BackyardBertha]

We are glad to read that your Rat snake story lives on...

[@jamesjenkins3384]

Have both on my property and can only tell the difference by behavior

[@annairwin8147]

I have seen a Black Snake eat a HUGE Copperhead in my friends yard several years ago😳😳 I DO NOT like snakes BUT this is a good one BUT don’t come into my yard☠️

[@BackyardBertha]

Wow, that sounds like a cool sighting!

[@meltoncomics]

I think it’s a King snake

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you David.

[@meltoncomics]

@@BackyardBertha welcome 😎

[@petewheelus2662]

I wouldn't kill her/him, but I wouldn't hang around where the snake is.

[@BackyardBertha]

We plan to give it freedom to enjoy the habitat. Cheers Pete!

[@petewheelus2662]

@@BackyardBertha I would to, but I would try to make sure that I'm not where he/she is. My mother once told me that everything has a right to live. That stuck with me.

[@alanjackson1568]

Their teeth are pretty small for their size, from experience, a 4 foot western black rat snake can barely even break the skin. If there is a local place that lets you handle some common pet snakes, you should try it. Many animals, even wild ones, can get used to having people around if they notice that you are never a threat, over time.

[@cherylbouvier9626]

Oh hell no😮

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for the visit Cheryl.

[@user-zt1pq7hq6y]

That's not a Black Snake...that is a Rat Snake and its locomotive is not quick. A Black Racer is quick.

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for the visit and comments today.

[@ArkansasBowHunter007]

That’s a black rat snake not a black racer ma’am.

[@BackyardBertha]

Appreciate your comment and observation too.

[@josephsmith6944]

I Hate Snakes !

[@BackyardBertha]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[@andrewgates8158]

Okay Indy!

[@coyotegrins]

Why?

[@maukwa420]

I enjoyed your video 🖤

[@BackyardBertha]

Glad you enjoyed

[@johnr990]

100% a Black Rat Snake belly pattern and diminished saddle pattern on back. Different back and belly than a racer. Plus it's way thicker and made for climbing as you can see not thin and sleek like a Black Racer that's made for speed. I see racers in hedges and small trees but never up in a Oak Trees or up in my barn roof truss like rat snakes here in the Ocala National Forest.

[@BackyardBertha]

Hey John, Thank you for taking the time to ID this black snake. Glad that you can see both in your lovely Ocala NF.