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Animal profile

Eastern Rat Snake

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

ReptiliaDeciduous forest, farmland, hedgerows, rocky slopes and barnsLeast Concern

Field profile

The eastern rat snake is a large glossy black constrictor of eastern North American woodland and farmland. It is an accomplished climber that regularly enters trees and buildings in search of rodents, birds and eggs. Juveniles are strongly blotched and look like a different species.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-03-21

Eastern Rat Snake

Rat snakes climb bare tree trunks without branches

Large rat snakes ascend vertical, limbless trunks by folding the body into a series of horizontal loops and gripping the bark from opposite sides. The technique, called concertina climbing, is slow and metabolically expensive.

Read with evidence →

Eastern Rat Snake | Daily Animal Facts