Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
If you’re unsure of the snake species, the snake is inherently dangerous (such as a rattlesnake), or if the snake is too large to sweep outside safely, it’s best to call animal control or pest control to remove and relocate the snake safely.
As a constrictor snake, the black rat snake is non-venomous and considered harmless to humans. Its appearance can be quite frightening at first glance, though, with its shiny black scales, piercing black eyes, and impressive size maxing out at around 8 feet.
Like a cat’s eye, most venomous snakes have thin, black, vertical pupils surrounded by a yellow-green eyeball, but the coral snake has round pupils. While pupils can indicate that the snake is venomous, this is observed at close range, which can be a potentially dangerous identification method.
Some nonvenomous snakes (eastern milksnakes, black kingsnakes, and black racers) actually prey on other snakes, including venomous species. There are 32 species of snake in Virginia, but only three are venomous (cottonmouth, copperhead, and timber rattlesnake). Of these, only the copperhead and timber rattlesnake occur in Southwest Virginia.
Its venom—more hemorrhagic than neurotoxic—is considered dangerous and potentially fatal. Black snakes occur on all continents. In North America, Coluber constrictor constrictor, the black racer or black pilot snake, and Elaphe obsoleta, the black rat snake, have black-coloured forms that are mainly located in eastern North America.
Young Black Racers have obvious blotches that gradually fade to solid gray-black by adulthood. Body of juveniles (< 2 ft.) is gray with irregular reddish-brown blotches that fade with age. Body of adults is solid black; chin and throat are white.
Description. Often called the "black snake," the western ratsnake is one of our state's largest and most familiar snakes. The back is generally shiny black, but some individuals show dark brown or black blotches (especially young adults and specimens in southeastern Missouri). The skin showing between the scales along the sides may be red.
When cornered or provoked, black snakes are known to stand their ground and can become aggressive. Counterattacks on large birds of prey, often committed by large snakes in excess of 150 cm (59 in) in length, have resulted in violent prolonged struggles.
In spite of great variation in body size, habitat use, diet, and behavior, the lack of bold, readily apparent distinguishing marks can make identification of southeastern "black snakes" a daunting task for those inexperienced with snakes.
Coluber c. constrictor. Background and Range: The northern black racer is one of two large, black snakes found in Connecticut (the other is the eastern ratsnake). It is considered an "important species" in the state as its population is declining due to loss of habitat through succession, fragmentation, and development.