Skin between the scales along the sides may be red. The belly is mottled with gray or may be checkered with black. This species is well-known for its ability to climb trees. Black rat snakes eat rodents, birds and birds' eggs. They kill their prey by constriction.
Farmers are well aware of the value of black rat snakes in controlling destructive rodents.
A black rat snake will bite to defend itself, but the bite is harmless. It may vibrate its tail when alarmed. Statewide, but shows some indication of being replaced by the gray rat snakea subspeciesin the southeastern corner. This is our most common venomous snake. Color varies from grayishbrown to pinkishtan, with hourglassshaped crossbands of dark gray, brown or reddishbrown.