Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm located in the mountains of Northern Virginia. After three years of not even seeing one snake, I've seen 4 in the past two months. Two garter snakes and two of these little guys. I found the first one in my house last week and the second one was in my garage yesterday. Both were about twelve inches long. From reading on this site I think its a Nothern Black racer, but someone is telling my wife they think it is a Black Rat Snake. Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

I agree it's probably a black rat. Another possibility is black racer, because they both look like that as hatchlings. The only good way to tell the difference is based on the scales. I can't tell from these pictures, but if it had keeled scales, it was a rat, but if they were smooth, it was a racer

Black racers and black rat snakes both have different markings as neonates then they do as adults, but they are nothing alike. Here is a link to a picture of a neonate black racer, so you can see the difference.
Baby Black Racer

That is a hatchling black eat snake.. not a northern black racer... thanks alot..

Baby Black rat snake, definitely.

I believe it is a Juvenile Black Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta. It matches descriptions and photos I found in Conant’s field guide and on the internet. The Racers look a bit different, more saddled than blotched.
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Randy Hallman

that is definitly a black ratsnake!

Thank you all for the info.

that some one is right it is a baby black rat snake