Though encountering a snake might make your heart race, not all snakes are to be feared. While avoiding venomous snakes is wise, rat snakes are generally harmless and are known for their gentle nature. These non-venomous constrictors can grow up to eight feet long and are found across the globe.
Here are eight intriguing facts about rat snakes that showcase their unique ecological roles. Rat snakes belong to the Colubridae family, which encompasses two-thirds of the world’s snake species. This family is characterised by legless bodies (contrary to some legged snake species), absence of upper teeth, and fewer head scales.
They possess slender bodies and flat bellies. Specifically, rat snakes are part of the Colubrinae subfamily, which includes both New World and Old World genera. While some Colubrids are venomous, they rarely pose a threat to humans due to their lack of front fangs and their need to chew to inject venom.
Rat snakes, in particular, are non-venomous, with only a few exceptions. They are widespread, except for Antarctica, with the highest diversity found in North America, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. Rat snakes are part of the colubrid family, which is the largest snake family.
If you encounter a non-venomous snake and it's not a boa, python, viper, rattlesnake, or elapid (like cobras or mambas), it’s likely a colubrid. Colubrids, including milk snakes, kingsnakes, garter snakes, and rat snakes, are widespread across all continents except Antarcti.