Black rat snake, juvenile. I find them on my property often. they must be breeding here or someplace close by.
Black Rat
- Thread starter woodjin
- Start date
I think the body pattern on them is much like a pine snake and when I was a kid I thought they were baby pine snakes.They are still beautiful snakes though I must say Pines are about top of my list
I could tell you, but that would be too easy. It was not because I was afraid of snake bite or because I was doing yard work. See if you can guess. hint: I was actually about to leave for work, right then, and I didn't want to risk this....?
close enough. Black rats will emit a rather nasty musk fluid when they feel threatened. It is very hard to wash off and get rid of that smell. I wasn't sure if a juvenile was capable of doing that but I wasn't taking any chances when I had to leave for work in 3 minutes. He didn't try to bite or emit the nasty stuff so I guess I would have been okay.
Yes a juvenile can skunk you but not as well as an adult.water snakes are the worst. I have had them leave white gunk on me and I know that snakes poop and pee at the same time out the same opening and it mixes which will smear a snake cage up pretty badly. I assumed that that was what i was getting smeared with but whats in a cage never smells like what they smear me with so it may just be a different substance....musk? I have had small juvies skunk me as well so it must not have to be a sexually mature snake to do it.
Agreed about the water snakes. I've had the dubious pleasure of free-handing rolling, thrashing and projectile-musking water snakes. The stuff gets everywhere. Plus the biting. Yeesh.
The white gunk is uric acid. Like birds, snakes use uric acid to get rid of their nitrogen-based waste rather than through ammonia and urea like mammals. The use of uric acid helps with water conservation.
The scent comes from musk glands in the cloaca (anal vent). The cloaca holds everything: poop, reproductive fluids, uric acid, and the musk glands are within the vent, so at will, the snake discharges its contents in whatever degree of foulness it desires.
The white gunk is uric acid. Like birds, snakes use uric acid to get rid of their nitrogen-based waste rather than through ammonia and urea like mammals. The use of uric acid helps with water conservation.
The scent comes from musk glands in the cloaca (anal vent). The cloaca holds everything: poop, reproductive fluids, uric acid, and the musk glands are within the vent, so at will, the snake discharges its contents in whatever degree of foulness it desires.
Just tried to dive on a black rat today.About a five footer.I tripped just before I was ready to dive so when I dove/tripped I missed.He was moving! fast like a racer but shiny and big like a Rat and had that kinky body posture common with rats. Guy thought I was running from something because He didn't see the snake. Instead of coming up hurt I came up pissed.he said "what happened" I said I just missed an awesome snake!