Many of these phone calls and emails result in the suspect snake being a similar looking, non-venomous snake with characteristics that are hard to distinguish from the copperhead.
The two most common non-venomous snake species that are mistaken for the copperhead are the corn snake and the northern water snake. The copperhead gets its name from the coppery-tan color found mainly on its head and throughout parts of its body down to the tail. Parts of the pattern of the copperhead resemble an hourglass and is one of the most diagnostic traits of all. To put it simply, the top of the hourglass touches the left side of the body, the bottom of the hourglass touches the right side of the body.
Copperheads are not aggressive, nor do they go out of their way to bite humans or other unsuspecting bystanders. It all comes down to their camouflage. When curled up, their camouflage resembles a pile of fallen leaves; this helps them remain hidden from potential predators — including you. When walking through potential copperhead habitat, the snake will likely spot you first and may try to move away. As you get closer, it will curl up into its camouflage pile, blending in with fallen leaf litter on the ground.
The last and final step is a strike. Even though you may have never noticed any of the prior warnings, all the snake knows is that he gave you all warnings to stay away and that you still persisted. Eye pupil shape is a very easy way of identifying not only copperheads but also most venomous snakes in South Carolina, except for the coral snake. Please be advised that this does require great eyesight and an excellent viewpoint.
The venomous coral snake and all other non-venomous South Carolina snakes have round pupils. Farmers appreciate having snakes around for this reason.
The black rat snake can reach a length of eight feet, but is usually much smaller. The adult snake is black with a white or creamy yellow chin and throat. In contrast to the black racer, the belly of a rat snake is a mixture of light and dark, giving a somewhat mottled appearance. Light areas are often apparent between scales, and the scales on the back are weakly keeled.
A juvenile rat snake is gray with light spots running down the middle of the back, and has white eyes. This pattern darkens with age and is generally undetectable once the snake reaches a length of three feet. Having them near the house is a good thing. In fact, I place pieces of sheet metal and plywood lying strategically, but inconspicuously, on the edges of the yard as snake habitat. When I peek under this cover, I usually find at least one beautiful little ringneck snake, juvenile rat snake or young milk snake.
Some people find this shocking. These are the people who kill every snake they find. Most snakes encountered in a backyard setting are harmless. Garter snakes seldom longer than 36 inches can be recognized by three longitudinal stripes that run the length of the body. Ringneck snakes up to 20 inches are charcoal gray with a gorgeous yellow or orange ring around its neck.
Smooth green snakes up to 22 inches are bright lime green. They blends in perfectly with lush vegetation, so they often fall victim to lawn mowers. In death, green snakes quickly turn blue as unstable yellow pigments break down leaving only the more stable blue pigments behind.
They take shelter in these places to hide from predators. They are also known for their climbing skills. They also live in high altitudes and sea level in suitable habitat. They are also by nature constrictors, i. These non-aggressive, harmless snakes fall prey to foxes, snakes, raccoons, eagles, hawks, etc. Although they are non-poisonous, they are often considered a threat as they are quite large. They are mistaken for the poisonous and dangerous rattlesnakes as they shake their tail in the same manner.
These are naturally non-aggressive snakes and do not bite at all, and in the few rare cases of bite, their bite is quite painful though far from fatal.
Furthermore, they have proven to be quite beneficial to agriculture as they consume the rats and pests responsible for paddy destruction. These reptiles are incredibly efficient in maintaining the balance of the eco-system, which would otherwise be in the ruts with the rodent population.
They are agile and fast and stays away from human sight, most of the time. King Cobras often make the rat snakes their prey. In the Indian subcontinent, they are quite prized for their skins. Rat snakes shed their skin, and those skins are believed to possess curative properties.
However, the impact of poachers has left them dwindling in numbers as they are also hunted for their flesh, as some people think that it can cure rheumatic problems. Rat snakes are not very fond of the hot and sweltering sun and, thus, often found in cool shades and holes in the home. Some misconceptions are surrounding the lifestyle of Rat snakes.
Some snake charmers believe that they mate with cobras, which is far from the truth. They mate only and only within their own species, and any belief of inter-species mating is just rumors.
Rat snakes are oviparous. Females lay a cluster of eggs per season. The incubation period of which is days.
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