Overview
Get to Know the Black Rat Snakes!
Black rat snakes are true to their name: large black snakes, although with white bellies too. They are not naturally aggressive and will avoid contact with humans whenever possible. When their space is threatened, they may advertise their presence by vibrating their tail tip, which mimics the rattle of Maryland’s timber rattlesnakes especially when the black rat snake is nestled in dry leaves. If that fails to keep animals away, they may then “false strike” by lunging towards an animal with no intention to bite. These behaviors, along with their typically peaceful attitude, send a clear message: please leave me be!
Who’s Who
With several black rat snakes sharing a habitat, it may seem very difficult to tell any of them apart. Black rat snakes can be identified by our expert zookeepers by unique sizes and subtle colorations, especially via patterns on their bellies. Each snake also has a microchip that zookeepers can scan to ensure they’re handling a specific individual.
Where to Find Us
You’ll find the black rat snakes sharing a habitat in the Giant Tree in the Maryland Wilderness. This habitat has multiple branches of varying heights wrapped along the space, each a unique distance away from the sources of heat coming from the habitat ceiling. As exceptional climbers, each black rat snake has the opportunity to travel across the branches to choose their ideal zone of warmth, occasionally peacefully stacked on top of each other. Of course, if the goal is to cool down rather than warm up, or if the snakes are brumating (a hibernation-like state some reptiles go through during the colder months), snakes may also choose to be buried under the moss or mulch, sometimes with small parts of their bodies peeking out.
Special Care
Animal keepers routinely ensure that each black rat snake is adequately fed, of a healthy physical condition, and at an ideal weight. This can sometimes be tricky in habitats where multiple individuals are coiled up together. You may see keepers pulling the snakes one-by-one from the habitat– this may be because they are placing each snake in an individual container to be fed, preventing any unwanted food competition. They may also just be placing that container on a scale to weigh the snake.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
This status means that the population of black rat snakes living in their native range is doing well, but there are always opportunities to ensure this species can continue thriving.
How you can help
All animals thrive when their habitats are in excellent condition. When you respect and care for local habitats, you’re helping these animals thrive. Keep habitats clean of trash and chemicals, stick to designated nature paths, and encourage the growth of native plants on land in your care.
How the Zoo is helping
Many of the animals in the Maryland Zoo’s care that are native to Maryland are specifically native to Druid Hill Park, the park where the Zoo is located. The Maryland Zoo takes great care to ensure that zoo grounds benefit the wellbeing of all native animals found living within it. The Zoo prioritizes native plants, designs construction with wildlife safety in mind, and routinely surveys the grounds to check on the status of local populations.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Family: Colubridae
- Genus: Pantherophis
- Species: P. obsoletus