With warmer weather comes the awakening of some familiar visitors to our paths and trails: snakes, particularly eastern rat snakes (Pantherophis obsoletus). While several other species do make the property home, today I’d like to call attention to these ever-present reptiles that can sometimes startle us, but are ultimately so beneficial to have around!
Before deciding to write this blog post, I asked my fellow staff members to share photos of eastern rat snakes they’ve taken while on duty specifically at the Gardens – and received many more than the few I’ve shared below!
In the greater Charlotte region, these are some of the most frequently spotted reptiles, and over the years, as a volunteer snake relocator, I’ve moved many from places they were not welcome due to concerns of homeowners. We all have fears, and for many people, those involve snakes. But these snakes are great to have around, and their habits are often very amusing.
As you can see from the photos, we have a healthy population of these inky black creatures! Rat snakes are inherently curious and bold by nature, and less likely to hide when they see a human coming. But they do not pose a threat to us or to any household pet bigger than a hamster. While they can bite, they have no venom or poison, and the damage done is no worse than a cat scratch. Most folks are likely to get “musked” when trying to pick one up – a term referring to this snake’s natural defense mechanism of releasing a foul-smelling liquid along with feces when handled and feeling threatened. Of course, the safest way to avoid being either bitten or musked is to just leave the snake alone to go along on its journey.
We are happy that Stowe can provide a place for these snakes and many other types of wildlife to live their lives peacefully, and if you encounter a snake during your visit, take a moment to quietly observe it. Unless the snake is actively in the way of an event, we will leave it alone and as pretty fast-moving creatures, they tend to be gone from view within a few minutes.
So what are they up to? Well, eastern rat snakes eat, as the name implies, rats – along with all sorts of other rodents, lizards, birds and bird eggs, frogs and even other snakes, including venomous copperheads if they happen to cross paths and are hungry enough. They’re looking around for prey most of the time we see them or looking for a sunny spot where they can bask and absorb heat to help them digest their food. If they’re approached, they may coil into a ball and even wiggle the end of their tails while striking in an attempt to scare us off, but sadly, this defense mechanism results in many thousands of these snakes needlessly losing their lives every year.
What if you end up with an eastern rat snake on your property and aren’t quite as magnanimous toward them as our staff? If it’s inside, sweep it outside with a broom. If it’s outside and you’d prefer it moves along, use a gentle stream of water from a hose or pot to encourage it to move elsewhere and check the surroundings around you. Snakes prefer to live in places with lots of undergrowth, high grass, piles of branches, bushes and discarded or seldom used equipment that gives them a safe place to hide from the critters that want to eat them, and that shelters the prey they enjoy. Don’t waste your money on snake repellant or other products that claim to chase them away- especially mothballs, which are poisonous to the environment and other creatures that come across them.
Eastern rat snakes are also notorious egg thieves in chicken coops, sliding in right under a hen and swallowing eggs while the birds are on the nest and enjoying the warmth afterward! Sometimes people will put golf balls or ceramic eggs in chicken nests to harm or eliminate the snakes, but this is cruel. Screw or glue down any false eggs you use in nest boxes and completely check your coop for holes and cracks along the roofline and foundation. If your coop is insecure enough to allow these snakes to enter, it needs to be repaired and reinforced with smaller mesh, or the door is wide open for much more dangerous predators and pests, like mice.
In the past two weeks, I’ve captured two injured eastern rat snakes and taken them to our local wildlife rehabilitators from the Gardens and the road nearby. One had tangled with prey and came out with a serious jaw injury which unfortunately ended its life, while the other had inflammation in its mouth that was successfully treated and ensured it was able to go back into the wild! Any time I am able to help and advocate for these beautiful and mischievous native reptiles, I am happy to- and I would love to see more people join me.
