Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone tell me what the approximate size of the territory covered by a male rat snake is ?

I have searched all over the place for this but cannot find much information other than "It's relatively big"

Thanks very much in advance

Steve

You may have to ask you local herpetological society that question. I know of a couple guys that do study this with cottonmouths. They place small radio tracking implants subcutaneously so they can track their rangings. I do not know of anyone doing this with rat snakes although I am sure they are out there.

This would no doubt depend on what kind of ratsnake....I know of a 15 year study in Kansas of the Black Ratsnake in a mostly 750 acre area, with 359 snakes, that it was calculated that the average(mean) range for males was 29 acres......and 23 acres for female "obsoleta". Different geographical areas, as well as other species is no doubt going to vary....but this does give a pretty good "ballpark" for many.......I'm sure if you do a "search" on the web, you will come up with many studies on this subject and more.......hope this helped,..............Doug

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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

Indeed it did. Thank you Doug.