Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in central Pennsylvania where I frequenly find both black racers and black rats. A friend of a friend who lives in the country near a few farms/fields was having a snake infestation problem. (not really a problem if you ask me!! haha) They reportedly have atleast 5-6 different snakes crawling out from around the foundation of their house. They claim the snakes are VERY aggressive and will actually charge you. They took a few pictures from a window above. I spent a few days searching their property and found zero snakes. I have caught more black rats and racers than i can probably count. My personal opinion based on the photos i was given is that the snakes are black racers. My brother feels very convinced they are black rats. Can i get some input from some of the other experts? Your input is greatly appreciated!

Well, it's really tough to see any details with all the dirt on them and so far away, but the two in the first pic look like Black Racers to me from the slender shape of the head and body. But thin Black Rats can sometimes have a very similar shape too.

The second photo, even though it is all white from the strong sun glare looks to be a Black Ratsnake from what I can see of the face and stocky build.

Where those photos taken in the beginning of spring when they were coming out from under the house after winter brumation?

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

pics were taken in mid april.

Coluber constrictor - The Black Racer

Wait a minute!!!!! You checked out an INFESTATION and couldn't find ONE animal?????? No way! That never happens! Where were you, the everglades??? Seriously, that first pic, are Black Racers! Your friends probably saw them coming out of brumation and by the time you got there, they were at their summer destinations! Assure them, THEY'RE NOT IN DANGER!

Those all look like black racers to me. The snake in the second pic is pretty stocky, but it looks to have a pointed snout and large, deep brows, for lack of a better word.
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Matt Kauffman

Though the photos aren't very good, I'd say that those are Racers. "Back in the day" in some older literature I'd occassionally read about Racers attacking people. Carl Kauffled relates and incident where this happened in his book "Snakes and Snake Hunting." (1957)

Apparently Racers have territories that they will defend. This probably doesn't happen very much anymore because Racer populations seemed to have declined.

Tim

Actually Spuggles, with the housing market and land sales being so down, the Racers kind of lost track of their territorial boundries and have lost interest!