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The Mischievous Ratsnake
In the southern and eastern U.S., a particular genus of snakes is virtually synonymous with getting into trouble- Pantherophis, also known as ratsnakes (or, sometimes, “chicken snakes”).
As someone who routinely receives calls to rescue snakes in homes, cars, offices, garages, etc., as soon as the phone rings my first thought is, “What did a ratsnake get itself into this time?” This is in large part because they are such active foragers. Rather than waiting for food to show up, they greet the day by going out to find breakfast. They possess considerable assets to help in their quest: a tongue that can sense minute particles in the air (even indicating the direction a prey item traveled), good eyesight, and the ability to climb an amazing range of surfaces.
For whatever reason, people commonly confuse ratsnakes with venomous snakes, and many tragically die because of misidentification. Such actions are short-sighted, as these are very beneficial animals. They are remarkably efficient rodent predators (hence their name), and rodents are responsible for a great deal of agricultural destruction and are a leading cause of house fires. If a ratsnake is frequenting your property, it is likely performing a valuable service! While it is true that they also consume birds and eggs, the wise chicken keeper considers a few missing eggs a small price to pay for the services they provide.