![]() In fact, they pose no threat to humans in any way, and usually attempt to flee if confronted. However, black racers are not dangerous to humans in the slightest. Black Racer and Human Interactionīecause racers live in urban and agricultural areas, they run across the path of humans pretty frequently. Instead of squeezing their food like a constrictor, these snakes simply hold their prey down so that they can swallow it whole. Younger snakes frequently prey on lizards, small snakes, frogs, insects, and small rodents.Īdults eat all of the above, and also feed on small birds, eggs, squirrels, rats, mice, small rabbits, and more. Their diet depends on their age and location. Like most snakes, black racers are carnivorous, which means they eat meat. Different regions commonly have different subspecies of racers. They also spread down from Texas into portions of Mexico and into Guatemala. In the United States, they live along both the East Coast and the West Coast, with their only absence in the Midwest. They live as far north as southern Canada, and as far south as Guatemala. This species of snake has a relatively large range. During these times they retreat to the safety of the dense vegetation and go into a hibernation-like state. Because they live in northern portions of the United States, they frequently encounter cold seasons. They also live in swamps, marshes, along the edges of lakes, and more. Some of their favorite habitats are grasslands and fields, open woodlands, and the edges of forests. ![]() Because they live in so many different areas, they must be flexible to survive. They do not have rattles, like the venomous rattlesnake does, but if they shake their tail in dry leaves or branches the sound is quite similar and scares away predators.īlack racers live in a variety of different ecosystems within their range. If they cannot swiftly escape into a nearby bush or rock pile, they will coil their bodies and rattle their tails. Spook Snake – Like many other species of snakes, black racers use a number of different methods while attempting to escape predators.In fact, researchers found a single communal nest on one occasion with over 300 eggs inside! However, some racers lay eggs in large, communal nests. Group Egg Laying – Most racers find a nice secluded space to lay their eggs, like an old log or a pile of rotting leaves.Black racers are not venomous, and while their sharp teeth might hurt, they do not have the dangerous venom of some other species. Nonvenomous – While they do not constrict their prey, they also do not use venom to subdue potential meals.Black racers do not constrict their prey. Other constrictors wrap their muscular bodies around their prey, and squeeze to suffocate them. Coluber constrictor – Despite their species name of “constrictor,” these snakes are not particularly constrictor-like.While many people can identify black racers, far fewer know much more about these snakes. Interesting Facts About the Black Racerīecause these snakes are so common, they are relatively well-known creatures. Adults grow up to 5 feet long, and weigh a little over a pound. long they usually lose these patterns and assume a more uniform color. The young, juvenile snakes have patterns across their scales, usually in red or brown. All of the subspecies have rather shiny scales, but their color varies from black and gray, to bluish and brown. The appearance of this snake species varies based on the region.
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