Black Ratsnake
Pantherophis obsoletus
Also called: eastern ratsnake, pilot black snake
A long, glossy black constrictor of eastern woods and farms, a skilled climber that eats rodents and is often found in barns and trees.
- Kind
- Harmless Lookalikes
- Typical length
- 3.5 to 6 feet
- Range
- The eastern and central U.S., from New England and the Great Lakes south to the Gulf Coast states
- Regions
- Northeast, Southeast, Midwest & Plains
- Habitat
- Woods & forest, Grass & prairie
- When active
- Spring through fall, active day and night
Note: Ratsnakes shake their tails in dry leaves and may strike if cornered, which can sound like a rattlesnake. They are not venomous.
How to identify it
- Adults are glossy black, with a white chin and throat and a checkered belly.
- Young snakes are gray with dark blotches and are often mistaken for rattlesnakes.
- The body is long and rope-like, slightly angular in cross section, and it often climbs.
- The head is only slightly wider than the neck, and the tail has no rattle.
Often confused with
- Timber Rattlesnake: heavy, with a rattle and a black unbanded tail; far shorter and thicker than an adult ratsnake.
- Black Racer: all black and thinner, with a smooth body and a very fast escape.
If you meet one
- Leave it alone. Harmless snakes eat rodents and are useful neighbors, and many are protected by state law.
- Give it room and let it move on. Handling or cornering a snake is how most bites happen, even from harmless ones.
- If you cannot tell for sure what it is, treat it as venomous and walk around it.
Field notes
Ratsnakes hunt rats, mice, and nesting birds, which is why they turn up around barns and chicken coops. They are some of the most useful snakes on a farm.
Related guides
This page is a general reference, not medical advice and not a substitute for identifying a real snake with an expert. Many snakes are protected by state law, and rules about killing or handling them vary, so check your state wildlife agency; our state resources directory links to each one. For any bite, get emergency care.