Eastern Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Description
How to Identify
Large climbing snake; adults are usually black with faint patterning and a pale, checkered belly, while juveniles are gray and blotched.
Size
Usually 40-72 inches.
Diet
Mice, rats, squirrels, birds, bird eggs, and occasionally reptiles.
Habitat
Forests, farms, barns, wooded suburbs, and other habitats with trees or structures to climb.
Images
Location
Where it is found
Common throughout the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.