Eastern Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis · Colubridae
Also called: Black Rat Snake, Chicken Snake
A large, harmless constrictor and one of the best natural rodent controllers around homes and farms. Juveniles are gray and blotched, leading to copperhead confusion.
What the Eastern Ratsnake looks like
How to identify it
- 1Long, shiny black body as an adult, often with white chin and throat
- 2Juveniles are gray with dark blotches (not hourglass bands)
- 3Body cross-section shaped like a loaf of bread
- 4Round pupils and no rattle
Snakes it's confused with
Venomous; has a rattle and triangular head.
Venomous juveniles have hourglass bands, not blotches.
Behavior & danger to humans
May rattle its tail in leaves and strike defensively, but is completely harmless.
✓ Good news: Harmless and highly beneficial. Keeps rodents out of barns and homes.
Related snakes
Non-venomousCorn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus
A harmless, beneficial constrictor and one of the most popular pet snakes in the world. Frequently mistaken for the venomous copperhead.
Non-venomousNorthern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
A harmless aquatic snake constantly killed out of fear that it is a cottonmouth. It bites readily when grabbed but has no venom.
Non-venomousScarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides
A harmless coral snake mimic. Its red bands touch black bands — 'red touches black, friend of Jack' — separating it from the venomous coral snake.
Non-venomousGopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
A large harmless constrictor that imitates a rattlesnake by hissing loudly, flattening its head and vibrating its tail. No rattle and round pupils give it away.