Texas Rat Snake

[Maestro]

My wife was cleaning out our shed when she found two rat snakes. She immediately called me at work to tell me as she had taken a "mental health" day from her job. ;) We had seen one or the other before near the back of our lot that backs up to the pasture behind us, but we simply thought it was hunting in our yard. Apparently it lives in our yard in the shed. Since she was cleaning out the shed, I had to move the snakes. So I grabbed them both and put them in a large container, but before releasing them, I sat one down in one of my gardens for some photo ops. No snakes were harmed in the making of these images. :)

First, the photographer in action....As you can see I didn't waste any time getting out there. I didn't change out of my work clothes.





Results....











After releasing them, they headed straight back to the shed. I don't mind. They keep the vole population down.

[TZ]

1. Neat. Love the coloration

When I hear "rat snake" I think of the black rat snakes we have all over here.
Those guys look a lot like rattlers. I wonder if thats for concealment or predator deterrent or both...

[Maestro]

15. Thanks TZ

I'm sure the coloration differs from area to area. Corn snakes get confused with rat snakes too. Rattlers are generally duller in appearance and their heads are more triangular.

[Iggo]

2. He looks pissed. (n/t)

[Maestro]

16. Slightly

but I put it back right where I found it after rearranging a few things in the shed.

[redqueen]

3. Nice!

Glad you're letting them stay. :)

[Maestro]

17. Oh of course.

Snakes are very good for my yard.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. gorgeous. are they at all poisonous~!

[TZ]

5. rat snakes are not venomous.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. venomous! yes, that is the right word. thanks.

we used to have water snakes in our pond. so pretty

[bigwillq]

6. Nice pics!

:bounce: :hi:

[Maestro]

23. Thank you for looking

and thanks for commenting. :hi:

[Bertha Venation]

8. What a beauty.

I have a secret weapon of my own for the voles. ;)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. My dear Maestro!

Wow! Snakes...:scared:

That next to the last picture (the close-up) is amazing!

Good for you, letting them stay...

And...it's been waaaaaaaaaay too long since you've posted any pics!

Thanks for these, sweetie...

:hi:

[Maestro]

22. Thanks Peggy

Life has a just been very hectic. I do post some pics over on FB quite often, but I find it difficult to work up posts like this with narration and such. I wish life would just slow down a bit. Take care.

[hobbit709]

10. Great pics

When I first saw the subject line I thought you were talking about Goodhair or one of his cohorts.

[Taverner]

11. Cool snake. I was bit by a rat snake once

Although they are not venomous, when the teeth hit your finger bone, it does hurt. A lot.

I can still feel the vibration that snake made.

Having said that, its still a cool snake ; I was trespassing on his home. I don't blame him.

[blueknight]

12. great pics!

and beautiful snakes, thanks for posting these

[WillParkinson]

20. I got bit by a rat snake once...

His name was Rex. He was in the biology lab at school. We were cleaning cages and I turned around and saw him crawling into the cayman tank. I grabbed him and yanked him up and got a bite on the thumb as thanks.

[Theres-a]

13. Fantastic

As always...***Bravo!***

[Lex]

14. Nice shots.

I don't think I could've done it. I would've been irrationally scared to death (they have that effect on me).

[Tuesday Afternoon]

18. Nice work

when you can get it ;)

I let my cats handle the voles :D

[dgibby]

19. I have moles in my yard, and one of my cats is OCD about

them. She'll sit for hours over their tunnels. In the meantime, the birds and squirrels are chowing down in the feeders above her head, and she doesn't even notice them. Cats- go figure!

[Forkboy]

21. Great photos.

Snakes are super cool, especially in pictures! ;)

Thanks for sharing.

[Maestro]

24. Update....

I have a friend who is a amateur herpetologist. He states that it is a Great Plains Rat Snake, not a Texas Rat Snake.

[InvisibleTouch]

25. How beautiful!

Looks like this subspecies keeps its pattern into adulthood. Among my own pets I have a pair of silver Baird's rats (same species as your garden guests, different subspecies), who start out blotched like that, and then grow into faded stripes. I'm expecting eggs from my female this year for the first time. Both parents are very silver, so I'm expecting tinsel-colored babies. :) They are very friendly, and, as you've noted, great for keeping the rodent population down.

[Haole Girl]

26. You are so brave!

There is no way I'd get near a coiled snake! eeek! Guess it's because I spent too many years in rattle snake country.

Great photos, Maestro. Good to see you here. :hi:

[carlyhippy]

27. OMG, I grew up in W Texas, I would have caught a glimpse of him and ran

He resembles a rattler, growing up I regarded any brown/white/gray snake as a rattle snake. But very very nice photos! I love the one with his tongue out!

What area of Texas? It is sure green there!

[SallyMander]

28. BEAUTIFUL! :-)

Do you mind if i steal a couple of these for my desktop?

Reminds me of my little pet Scarlett, an eastern fox snake. They are of course close cousins. :D

[petronius]

29. You left work to go home to play with snakes? You have the awesomest job ever!

:)

Great pictures!