Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
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Eastern Rat Snake 

Eastern Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta)

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Description:
Plain, shiny black snake with lighter underside; young are strongly patterned. They reach 3.5 – 6 feet long (1.1 – 1.8 meters).

Habitat:
Rocky, timbered hillsides to flat farmlands. An excellent climber, the snake sometimes dens in cavities in hollow trees.

Range:
Throughout eastern North America from southeastern Minnesota to northern Louisiana to the east coast.

Diet:
Mice, rats, chipmunks, voles, shrews, birds, and eggs. Young feed on frogs, lizards and small mice.

Life Span:
Unknown.

Family Life:
They breed in spring, and the female deposits up to 15 eggs in late summer. Eggs hatch in early fall. Young are 11-13 inches.

Status:
These snakes are protected in some areas of their range due to overcollection or killing due to their large size and habit of vibrating their tails (like a rattlesnake) when threatened.
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The Eastern Rat Snake is one of the largest snakes found in Connecticut. It is sometimes confused with the Black Racer, which has smoother scales than the somewhat keeled rat snake. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo has two Eastern Rat Snakes on exhibit in the Connecticut Reptile House located in the New England Farmyard.
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​203-394-6565
​info@beardsleyzoo.org 
1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610
Open 9am-4pm daily
​Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is dedicated to acquainting a diverse public to the delicate balance that exists between living things and their environment.

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is a 501(c)(3) not for profit owned and operated by the Connecticut Zoological Society.

2019 Kids Out and About #1
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Connecticut - Still Revolutionary
Weekly Best of Fairfield County Readers' Poll 2014
FC Buzz Events - Arts & Culture of Fairfield County
© 2022 Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
  • Home
  • About
    • Blog
    • Contact Us
    • Jobs
    • Press
  • Guest Info
    • Accessibility
    • Calendar
    • COVID Guidelines
    • For Kids >
      • Coloring Pages
      • Zoo Patrol
      • Zoo Tots
    • Our Animals >
      • Eastern Rat Snake
    • Our Plants
    • Parents
    • Zoo Cams >
      • Outdoor Red Panda Cam
      • Indoor Red Panda Cam
      • Outdoor Spider Monkey Cam
      • Indoor Spider Monkey Cam
      • Otter Cam
    • Zoo Etiquette
    • Zoo Map
  • Membership
  • Education
    • Citizen Science >
      • FrogWatch
      • MonarchWatch
    • Conservation >
      • City Nature Challenge
      • Conservation Pledge
    • Cool Blue >
      • Cool Blue Schools
    • Programs
    • Educational Resources
    • Evening Lectures
    • Field Trips
    • Just 4 Teens >
      • CDC
      • Explorers
    • Teachers
  • Support
    • Animal Sponsorship
    • Appeal
    • Corporate Support
    • Donate
    • Events
    • Gift Guide
    • Honor & Remember
    • Monthly Giving
    • Naming Opportunities
    • Wish List
  • Parties, Rentals & Weddings
    • Birthdays
    • Private Events
    • Weddings
    • Rates and Details
    • Preferred Vendors
    • Preferred Wedding Vendors
    • Event Guidelines
  • Volunteer
    • Interns
  • Buy Tickets