Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in Wichita, KS. There are snakes in my neighborhood that resemble young black ratsnakes or young prairie kings. I have been calling them ratsnakes up until a couple years ago I noticed that they had a single anal scale. So I began calling them prairie kingsnakes. I have a young one that I have been keeping for almost a year that shows all of the physical appearance of a black rat getting darker with each shed and especially dark on its belly.

How cast in concrete is the notion that black ratsnakes have a divided anal scale? Collins and Collins Anphibians & Reptiles in Kansas, and Ray Staszko's book Rat Snakes and other publications all say the anal scale is divided.

What do you think? Black Rat or Prairie king??? Enquiring minds wanna know.

Mike B

Photos would help. Could also be a coachwhip,racer...they can all look similar when young. I am not an expert or anything.

According to Collins and Collins, both Racers and Coachwhips have a divided anal scale. The coachwhip isn't supposed to be in Sedgwick County.

Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans) pattern seems close, single anal scale. They aren't supposed to be in Sedgwick County, either.

Maybe I need to ask Joe Collins???

Mike B

It is not an American Rat Snake. It might be a Bull Snake, Pituophis catenifer. A picture sure would help.
A Checklist to the Native Herpetofauna in Kansas

I had a yellowish bull snake when I was younger!I am not sure what phase or anything though. Meanest snake I ever owned! I got him from a friend of my fathers when he was about 3 feet long. I sold him 5 years later at about 5 1/2 -6 feet.This guy would not tame for anything. He would use his tongue and tail to sound and look like rattle snake.Handling him was a real task and at the time I sold him I was attending school so...but anyway he was actually a burden off my back and blood off my hands..lol