Eastern Rat Snake The Eastern Rat Snake can reach lengths of over seven feet long. It occurs in two color phases; the black phase and the yellow phase. Eastern Rat Snakes are very prevalent within their range and account for many of the calls and requests for help we receive from homeowners who don't understand the benefits of having this snake on their property. Fortunately, rat snakes are non-venomous and pose no threat to children or pets such as dogs and cats. Rat Snakes are excellent climbers. They easily climb trees to search for prey and are often found climbing on houses after birds nests and into the roofs of homes as they follow scent trails of prey animals such as mice. If you have a rat snake under your home or even inside your attic, it poses no harm to your family and is not an animal that usually causes damage to your home. It is simply trying to rid the area of the many different pests that do in fact cause substatntial damage to structures. To find out about removing a snake from your home read our "Guide to a Snake Free House" by clicking here. Rat snakes are usually more active in the daytime in spring and fall and become nocturnal as the summer heat approaches. Rat snakes are also frequently found in chicken coops where they may consume several chicken eggs. This can be very frustrating to people wanting to collect eggs. However, it is important to understand that the benefit rat snakes provide through the removal of many unseen rodents in the barnyard far outweigh the damage they do to a few chicken eggs. A solution is to either snake proof the chicken coop using 1/4" hardware cloth wire or get a few more chickens and donate their eggs to your new snake friend. Eastern Rat Snakes are a protected species. This means it is illegal to harm them and/or possess them. To learn more about snakes, cosider subscribing to our You Tube channel and following us on our other social media accounts. Facebook - Southeastern Reptile Rescue Instagram - @SoutheasternReptileRescue
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