Guide on the Yellow Rat Snake

Madison snake

Yellow Rat Snakes are probably among the easiest snakes to feed, making them one of the favorites of snake owners. They have a large body, which also requires a big terrarium about 4ft long and at least 3ft in height. They are constrictors, and they will suffocate their prey to subjugate them. They are arboreal and non-venomous snakes that you will often see climbing on tall trees. They can be seen climbing a 60ft tree just to hunt for their prey.

What is the Appearance of the Yellow Rat Snake?
The adult snakes can be distinguished by their dark stripes that are set on a light-yellow background. The juvenile yellow rat snakes will have prominent markings against their gray background that may resemble the appearance of other snake species. They can have a straw or bright yellow shade with distinctive dark or brown stripes. Perhaps the brightest would be the species in Florida that are known for their almost golden hue. As you travel north, the Yellow Rat Snake color becomes darker and will have a less-noticeable coloring. While they may be non-venomous, they have a set of teeth on their lower and upper jaw. It can grow at about 4-5ft, and its body can have an average girth of 2 inches. However, there are instances when they can grow larger.

Where is the Habitat of Yellow Rat Snake?
They can be found throughout the state of Florida and from South Carolina to the Coastal North. The species of the Yellow Rat Snakes in the south will have a butter-yellow shade and will have a variety of yellow highlights beneath their chin and on their belly. The species found in central and northern Florida will have a straw or tan-yellow coloring. They commonly inhabit the swamps and rivers of the south. They will be hunting their prey around the abandoned buildings, barns, fallow fields, oak hammocks, and into the cutover woods.

What is the Feeding Habit of Yellow Rat Snake?
This snake will mostly feed on warm-blooded creatures such as smaller mammals like rats and mice. They will also climb trees to look for nesting birds. The juveniles may eat frogs and lizards. They are particularly fond of tree frogs. They will coil their body on their prey before swallowing them whole. They have become a great asset in an agricultural setting since they can manage the population of rodents. Sadly, their population will suffer from alteration and habitat degradation.

What is the Nesting Habit of Yellow Rat Snake?
It is oviparous, which means that they will lay their eggs. They will look for rotten logs, piles of leaves, rocks, or damp ground to deliver the eggs. The nest's location must receive a steady amount of heat from the sun that will aid the incubation process. A newly-hatched egg will have a juvenile snake that measures about 12 inches.

Yellow rat snakes are non-venomous and are often beneficial to agricultural settings since they can control the population of rodents. If you have them in your house, call the help of a wildlife removal professional so they can be humanely removed. Go back to the home page: Snakes of Madison