Yellow Rat Snake

Pantherophis alleghaniensis yellow

Venom Status:

Non Venomous

 

Characteristics:

Adult at 4 to 5 ½ feet, the yellow rat snake occasionally attains a 7 foot length. It is a variably colored, harmless, but often feisty, semi-arboreal snake. Ground color of olive green to orange-yellow dorsally. Four dark stripes are usually very apparent. Whitish belly with pale yellow blotches. Scales are smooth on the sides and weakly keeled on the back. Oviparous. Hatchlings are gray with black saddles. Hatchlings are light gray with dark gray saddles. Various colors, especially a dark olive green or brownish ground color, may show at areas of integration with the gray or the black rat snakes.Yellow Rat Snakes from the extreme southern portion of the peninsula and the Upper Keys (the (Florida Keys variant) may have a ground color of orange to brown. Dark stripes are often most prominent anteriorly. Dark dorsal blotches may or may not be visible. This color phase was once called Deckert’s rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta deckerti. Occurs throughout most of Florida, except the Everglades, the Lower Keys, and the Panhandle. From FL it ranges northward along the coast to neNC. It is relatively dull and usually referred to as the “greenish rat snake” in the Carolinas.

 

Unique Features:

The yellow body color and 4 stripes will identify this snake. Rat snakes, as a group, will hiss if frightened and will often vibrate the tail. This latter, if in dried grass or leaves, will make a whirring sound that is rather similar to the noise of a rattlesnake.

 

Habitat and Diet:

Open woodlands, edge situations, old buildings, trash heaps, fields, and almost any other terrestrial situation may harbor yellow rat snakes. They are excellent climbers and may ascend high in tre

 

Geographic Range:

FL, GA, SC, NC,