Please Identify This Snake
Posted by Ordinary Person on October 20, 2007
Q: I have searched all over and cannot find this snake.
He is(was) 5 ft. long. He has a slender head. His belly is kind of yellow looking. His back is black with some red in it.
I found him dead (I'm assuming my Rottweiler killed it) in my back yard. It's woodsy around my neighborhood.
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: Kansas
Habitat: suburban/yard
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A: This is a Western Rat Snake (formerly known as the Black Rat Snake), one of the largest snakes found in Kansas. I caught one in Douglas Co KS years ago that was just shy of 6.5 feet long! Although large and intimidating, Western Rat Snakes are harmless. They eat small mammals, frogs, snakes and other vertebrates, and are skilled climbers, often ascending high into the treetops in search of prey.
You can learn more about these snakes here.
I grew up in Kansas, and spent much of my youth "herping" (looking for reptiles and amphibians) the outskirts of Lawrence. It is a fantastic area for reptiles!
Solon Morse ( October 22, 2007)