- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold eastern ratsnake, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the eastern ratsnake
The central ratsnake, also called the black ratsnake or chicken snake, is a nonvenomous constrictor of the eastern and central United States, with two disjunct populations in southern Ontario. Adults typically measure 99 to 183 cm, and northern animals turn black in adulthood. It is an agile climber that lives in hardwood forests, along tree-lined streams and around barns, and it climbs trees to reach bird nests and squirrel dreys. It hunts small mammals, birds and eggs, while young snakes prefer frogs and lizards. When startled it freezes in a kinked posture and rattles its tail against the ground to mimic a rattlesnake.
Eastern Ratsnake facts
- It rattles its tail on the ground to imitate a rattlesnake.
- Females use water-filled tree cavities during gestation.
- Females reach sexual maturity at 7 to 9 years of age.
- Kingsnakes prey on ratsnakes despite being smaller.
Where to see eastern ratsnake in the U.S.
4 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding eastern ratsnake by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
