Texas Rat Snake (18 May 2007) Lake Austin, Texas

(Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri) Extremely Beneficial. Non-poisonous; very aggressive; may bite if cornered, not allowed to escape, and handled; the productive bite of a mature adult may produce painful wounds that bleed freely from the numerous puncture marks caused by its small, sharp teeth; the bite is otherwise inconsequential; this species of snake preys on mice and rats and is, therefore, a very good snake to have around.

Photos courtesy of Karen S.; text by Jerry Cates

The head of the Texas rat snake is noticeably larger than its neck, producing the "arrowhead" shape that many have been taught as a sure sign that a snake is poisonous.  This snake has such a head, and Karen worried that the snake might harm her family.  Fortunately for the snake, it managed to escape down a small hole in the ground before that fear led to its demise.

Rat snakes have large heads to accommodate the jaw structure necessary to seize and swallow large mammalian prey like rats, small rabbits, and the like.  The head is rounded on top, rather than being angular as that of a cottonmouth or a copperhead. Also, the snake is quite long, somewhat slim bodied, while copperheads and cottonmouths have stout bodies and, these days, relatively short ones. The side markings, in orange on dark gray, are typical for the Texas rat snake, as is the uniformly gray head.

The mid body markings consist of saddles over the spine, separated by lighter spaces with an orange tint (sometimes bluish gray).

Such encounters as this are excellent examples of why snake repellents make good investments. This is a highly beneficial snake, but it can be disconcerting to have it roam your back yard, frightening the dog, and often taking over birdhouses, eating the young or the eggs.

Many thanks to Karen S. for this excellent photo.

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