Natural History: Yellow Rat Snake (Pantherophis Spilotes pullatus)

Yellow Rat snakes are slender constrictors and have an average length of 36-48 inches. Their coloration varies by region. Yellow Rat snakes in Florida are a much brighter yellow/orange with thin dark stripes while the ones found in the Carolinas has a duller yellow coloration accompanied with the thin dark stripes. Oviparity is seen in Yellow Rat snakes with breeding occurring from March to May and clutch sizes ranging from 6-30 eggs. Hatchlings typically eat lizards and small mice, while the adults tend to eat rodents and birds. This species can be found in a variety of habitats, many of which being pine forests with water nearby. While they are typically terrestrial, they can be found in arboreal habitats.  They range through the eastern coast of the Carolinas and all the way through Florida.

I was, ironically, on my way to my Herpetology class when I spotted the Yellow Rat snake outside a building in the grass. I would not have noticed it had it not been for the two male college students standing on the side walk adjacent to the snake. I had been biking by and had to stop my bike and back track. The two males were throwing sticks at the snake in hopes of making it move and I was worried they were going to scare it away before I got a good look at it. Luckily, I was able to make it in time to snap some pictures before I had to run to class. At the time, I had not learned all of the species and could not identify the snake without the help of my field guide, which, of course, I didn’t have with me that day. Fortunately, I was able to use someone else’s when I arrived at class and compared it to the pictures I had taken and determined that it was a Yellow Rat snake.