SUMMARY
VENOM: None
PREVALENCE: Common
ACTIVE PERIOD: Most active during the day
KEY ID FEATURES: Reddish brown with black tail, long and lean
BEHAVIOR: Very fast and readily willing to bite, but will almost always try to flee when encountered
SIZE: Large - 2m
QUICK ASSESSMENT 0-10
GALLERY
IMPORTANT: Many snakes have significant variance in coloration and pattern even within the same species. There can also be extreme differences in appearance from juveniles to adults so it is important to never assume you have properly identified a snake.
DESCRIPTION
Generally reddish brown, with lateral scales transitioning to dark black at the tail. Body shape is mildly keeled. A lean snake, the White-bellied Rat is slender relative to its length and when fully grown will be ~2 inches in diameter at roughly 2 meters long. Large round eyes with round pupils on a slender head usually flat brown color on top with lighted cloration along the jaw.
BEHAVIOR
The White-bellied rat snake as with many rat snakes will hiss when threatened. A harmless defensive tactic but can be unsettling for the inexperienced. These snakes will almost always flee extremely quickly if they sense you approaching and despite a bite from a mature specimen being a bit painful they pose almost no danger to humans and have no venom. They can musk if handled as well.
HABITAT
They eat rodents, lizards and occasionally birds and as such can be found from forested areas to areas around lakes and rivers as well as water culverts and jogging trails. Active during the day and can be a regular encounter on the trails.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
NO SNAKE SHOULD EVER BE HANDLED BY ANYONE BUT EXPERTS: White-bellied rat snakes can look similar to keeled rat snakes. Color and size at maturity are key differentiators.