TheAnimalsPedia

20 Most Popular Rat Snakes: Black, Texas, Eastern, Yellow & More

Popular species of pet snakes in the United States include rat snakes. Because of their low maintenance needs and easygoing nature, they are excellent pets for beginners. The more than 45 snake species commonly referred to as rats can be split into two distinct groups. The European continent is the cradle of old world species, while the Americas are the birthplace of new world species. Because of their softer nature and manageability, animals from the New World are perfect for children and those with less experience. The rat snake is a non-venomous, medium-sized constrictor snake.

Black Rat Snake


The black rat snake, formerly known as Elaphe obsoleta Obsolete, is a resident species most well-known to people in the more populous northeastern United States and may grow to an astonishing 8 feet in total length. Most people also have touches of white and, occasionally, red or orange. Those spots are very noticeable in newborns, but they eventually disappear.

Also, know about Blue Racer Snake Breed Profile: Facts, Speed, Pictures & Care

Texas Rat Snake

Commonly found in Texas and neighboring states is the Texas Rat Snake. The snake’s appearance varies according to its habitat. People from east Texas tend to have a ruddy grey complexion.
Species native to Central Texas tend to be more lemony in color. This snake constantly follows the same fundamental outline. The back of a Texas rat snake is covered with dark, hexagonal spots, while the belly is a plain cream color. After a meal, the crimson flesh that lies between their scales becomes very noticeable.

Ridley’s Cave-Dweller


The Ridley’s Cave-Dweller is a mammal that was first discovered in Malaysia and Thailand. It’s common knowledge that rat snakes are rather lovely. The top of their heads is a lilac color, while the rest of them are orange. A black tail emerges from their orange torso.
The spines of Ridley’s Cave-Dwellers are marked with a single cream stripe, and their bellies are white. Due to its unusual coloring, this rat snake is highly sought after by hobbyists but is rarely stocked by pet stores.

Eastern Rat Snake

There is just one known population of Eastern Rat Snakes, and it lives along the southeastern coast of the United States. From North Carolina to Florida, you might easily come upon them. They resemble black rat snakes in nearly every way, being wholly black on the back and sides and having little keels on their scales.
Juveniles are a pale grey with dark brown squares down the spine. Age causes these signs to fade. The underside of their bodies is white at the chin and dotted with black markings that eventually blend into a uniform grey near the tail.

Tiger

Tiger rats, which can be kept as pets, are among the longest pet snakes in both North and South America, growing to an average of over ten feet in length. Places like southern Mexico, Peru, and Brazil are home to many of the world’s newest species. Creamy yellow with a black pattern, Tiger snakes are a common sight in the Tiger’s habitat. These black markings may take the form of webs, bands, or stripes before giving way to a bright red or completely black tail. They look like tigers because of the black stripe across their faces. Tigers, despite their reputation, are fantastic pets since they are calm and friendly.

Yellow Rat Snake


The Eastern rat snake has several subspecies, one of which is the yellow rat snake. Golden or olive in hue, the yellow rat snake has four dark brown stripes running down its back. Depending on the person, these stripes may be quite noticeable or barely noticeable. In addition to having golden eyes, Yellow Rats have a bare, white, or yellow belly. The yellow rat snake has been selectively bred for a number of different color and pattern variations because of its widespread popularity as a pet.

Rhino rat snake

The rhinoceros snake is a unique species thanks to its horn, which is covered in scales. Newborn rhino snakes have consistent gray-green upper bodies and bright cream underbellies. Most people get more vivacious and colorful as they age, developing a lengthy, yellow-green abdomen. However, there are still some snakes that maintain their original grey coloration even as adults. Every species has a black odor at the base of their snouts, visible through the eye.
The price of a rhino snake ranges from $200 to $300.

Gray Rat Snake

The eastern United States from the Mississippi River to the Appalachians is home to this rat snake species. The adults in the northern parts of their range are a dark grey overall, with black down their backs and flanks. To the south of its range, this snake keeps its juvenile markings. The resulting rat snake will have saddle marks in a dark brown or grey color.

Baird’s Rat Snake


One more rat snake shows up around halfway across Texas going west. The orange ground color and stripes of Baird’s rat snake are reminiscent of those of the Everglades rat snake. It grows to an average of 3.5 to 4 feet in length and likes the canyons and ravines with moister, wooded environments found within its otherwise dry habitat.

Trans-Pecos Rat Snake

The Trans-Pecos rat snake, at over 6 feet in length, is a real desert rat that thrives in the dry, dismal landscape of west Texas. During the hottest parts of the day, it hides underground or in cracks in rocks. It is primarily a nocturnal animal, as seen by the large, dark pupils of its eyes; its preferred food items are small mammals like rodents and bats.

The Great Plains

Smaller than the Eastern Rat Snake, the Great Plains Rat Snake is endemic to the Great Plains of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, and northern Mexico. Due to the fact that they are nocturnal, encounters with this species are unusual even within their range. The main difference between this snake and the red rat snake is its browner coloration. Saddles of dark brown down their backs and lesser markings on their flanks characterize Great Plains. Their underbellies are a pale grey, and their tails are striped twice.

Mexican Rat Snake


The majority of the world’s population of this snake species lives in Mexico and Central America. The appearance of Mexican Rat Snakes is similar to that of corn snakes. They have a beige background with dark red dots. A single, wavy stripe is formed when these dots are combined with the black areas around them. This is why people sometimes refer to them as “yellow-red snakes.” The snake also has red markings on its sides, which alternate with the ones on its back. Their bellies are white with minimal markings. The irises of Mexican types are a distinctive pale blue, and their pupils are unusually small.

Everglades Rat Snake


The Everglades Rat Snake belongs to the same family as other rat snakes found in the East.
The name of this species gives away its origin: the Everglades of southern Florida.
The undersides of Everglades Rat snakes are white or yellow, and their upper bodies are a vibrant orange. Adults rarely have even the barest hint of the juvenile characteristic, a tiny stripe down their backs.

Baja Rat Snake

Rat snake from Baja. The Baja rat snake is primarily found on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, though there have been reports of a few border-region individuals being found in California. The length of an adult can exceed 4 feet, and it has a uniform tan tint. They are nocturnal creatures that thrive in arid climates.

Fox Snakes

In the east, you’ll find the fox snake. Fox snakes are in two distinct subspecies, both of which are common rat snakes in the United States Great Lakes region. They live primarily on land and are commonly associated with wet environments.

Leucistic Texas

The leucistic morph of the Texas rat snake is a popular breed that was developed by selective breeding of the standard rat snake population. Although a few leucistic humans have been spotted in the wild, it is more common for these types to be bred in captivity. A leucistic snake’s appearance is that of a pure white or very light pink snake with smooth, glossy scales. Leucistic snakes, in contrast to albino variants (21 interesting facts about snakes), have normal-colored eyes. They may have brown or grey eyes.

Brown Rat Snake


Brown In Southeast Asian countries like Sumatra, Thailand, and Indonesia, you can find a rat snake species called the rat snake. This animal prefers to live near water and feeds primarily on lizards and small mammals, though it has been seen on occasion catching fish. These animals are longer and more graceful than the others on this list; when disturbed, they lift their heads and upper bodies off the ground and sway from side to side. Those who are still young have a mix of green and black spots. Their color changes to a ruddy brown as they get older. The adults of this species are either a dark brown or red color, with a black spiderweb pattern running over their backs and sides.

Japanese Rat Snake

It is common to see this type of snake in the woods all around Japan. The Japanese Rat Snake is a medium-sized snake that hunts small rodents at first light and last light. The snake’s body is green with irregular black markings, while its head is solid green and its eye is smudged with black. Their underbelly is covered in white or green scales that are occasionally spotted with black. Interestingly, there appears to be an undocumented population of albino Japanese rats in the area around Iwakuni. The Japanese government has taken measures to safeguard the wild population.

Red Rat (CORN) Snake


Red rat snakes are often called corn snakes. The red rat snake often called the corn snake, is one of the most popular pet snakes in the United States thanks to its striking appearance and docile nature. Corn snakes can be found from southern New Jersey through Florida and further west to the approximate Mississippi River. It is able to thrive in a variety of human-altered ecosystems, from the outskirts of cities to rural areas with a high rodent population.

Mandarin Rat Snake

Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, and Tibetan explorers all encountered the Mandarin rat snake (central and eastern Asia). Rat snakes are unusual among snakes in that they rarely ascend vertical surfaces.
Instead, mandarin snakes would seek refuge in abandoned burrows or scour the forest floor for rodents to eat. Their bodies are tan, and they have a black and yellow diamond pattern running down their backs.
They have horizontal black stripes across their light beige bellies and yellow head with black bands. Some solitary Mandarin Rat Snakes sell for more than $300 because of their high demand.

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