In many areas, North Arerican "Rat Snakes" don't live in trees. Just because Va. Black Rats live in wooded areas, doesn't mean that they live in trees. Yes, they can climb. But much of the time they are not in trees. There was a study done of Black Rat Snakes using raido tracking devices, that would argue against your point.

Many types of N.A. Rat Snakes are found in areas where trees are few and far between. I think you are making much to do about nothing.
Spatial Ecology of Black Rat Snakes on Remington Farms, Maryland, by George M. Durner and J. Edward

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• Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - Ameron, Tue Oct 28 23:36:06 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - Evil_Hybrid, Wed Oct 29 10:10:21 2008
• Reply - Ameron, Wed Oct 29 10:41:37 2008
• RE: Reply - Elaphefan, Wed Oct 29 18:39:54 2008
• RE: Reply - draybar, Wed Oct 29 19:50:02 2008
• RE: Reply - Evil_Hybrid, Thu Oct 30 04:49:49 2008
• RE: Reply - Trolligans, Thu Oct 30 09:45:24 2008
• They are Tree Snakes? - jyohe, Wed Oct 29 20:33:29 2008
• timing........ - jyohe, Wed Oct 29 20:48:09 2008
• RE: They are Tree Snakes? - jhnscrg, Thu Oct 30 19:14:15 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - tbrock, Wed Oct 29 21:47:45 2008
• Great Reply, Thanks - Ameron, Thu Oct 30 13:26:34 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - dustyrhoads, Wed Oct 29 23:03:16 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - tbrock, Thu Oct 30 06:55:20 2008
• common names' history - dustyrhoads, Wed Oct 29 23:13:36 2008
• Good Points, and Interesting - Ameron, Thu Oct 30 13:28:14 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - tspuckler, Thu Oct 30 08:33:41 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - jhnscrg, Thu Oct 30 19:10:44 2008
• Ground snakes - guttersnacks, Fri Oct 31 00:12:33 2008
• How Often Do You Hunt In Trees? - Ameron, Sat Nov 1 11:48:17 2008
• RE: How Often Do You Hunt In Trees? - draybar, Sat Nov 1 14:18:53 2008
• RE: How Often Do You Hunt In Trees? - draybar, Sat Nov 1 14:20:48 2008
• And Kingsnakes don't wear crowns.... - garweft, Sun Nov 2 14:40:28 2008
• RE: And Kingsnakes don't wear crowns.... - orangudan, Mon Nov 24 21:54:44 2008