What Is A Chicken Snake? 12 Infor & Facts About It
People have seen this beautiful snake grow to be over 8 feet long, and some say they have seen them grow as long as 14 feet.
If this is true, the chicken snake is not just one of the biggest snakes in the Americas, but in the whole world! No matter how big a chicken snake gets, it is not poisonous. Instead, it helps people by eating rats and mice.
What Is a Chicken Snake?
Chicken snakes are a type of snake that lives in North America. They do not have poison. Most of the time, these snakes are grey or brown, and black stripes run down their backs.
Diet
Chicken snakes will eat whatever food they can find.
Small animals like rats and birds are their main food source, but they will also eat lizards, frogs, eggs, and dead animals. There have been times when chicken snakes have killed chicks.
Behavior
Since they are nocturnal, chicken snakes are most active at night. Most of the time, they hide during the day in burrows or under rocks.
Chicken snakes use their strong sense of smell to find their prey when they hunt. Once they find their prey, they will strike quickly and try to keep it close.
Habitat
Chicken snakes live in a lot of different places in North America. Most of the time, you’ll find them in forests, swamps, and marshes. Sometimes, chicken snakes can even live in people’s homes.
What Does a Chicken Snake Look Like?
Chicken snakes have brown or tan bodies with spots that are lighter in colour and look like the pattern on a chicken’s feathers.
Even though chicken snakes have small teeth, they are not dangerous to people because they rarely bite and are small.
Some people might find them while cleaning out an old barnyard or cellar, since these are places where these snakes often go to hide and hunt.
Overall, the common chicken snake is easy to spot and is not thought to be dangerous.
Chicken Snake Amazing Facts
1. Some chicken snakes puff up their necks when they feel scared. They look like cobras because of this. If that doesn’t work, they’ll bite.
2. Even though they are very big, adult chickens are too much for them to handle. They have, however, been seen taking baby chicks.
3. The yellow rat snake isn’t dangerous, but some people say it can be aggressive, especially when it’s young. People who bother snakes have been said to be chased by them.
Where To Find Chicken Snakes
Chicken Snake Scientific Name
The scientific name for the chicken snake is Spilotes pullatus.
The word “spilotes” comes from the Greek word “spilos,” which means “spotted” or “dirty.” The Latin word pullatus means “to wear dark clothes.” There are five separate subspecies, which are:
1.Spilotes pullatus anomalepis
2. Spilotes pullatus argusiformis
3. Spilotes pullatus maculatus
4. Spilotes pullatus mexicanus
5. Spilotes pullatus pullatus
There is a chance that these subspecies could mate and have hybrids.
What Are the Different Types of Chicken Snakes?
The Eastern Rat Snake, the Black Rat Snake, the Gray Rat Snake, the Corn Snake, and the Northern Pine Snake are all types of chicken snakes. All of these snakes are harmless, but they have different sizes and looks.
Corn snakes and northern pine snakes are much smaller than other types of snakes. Most of them are only two or three feet long.
No matter how big they are, all chicken snakes look the same. For example, they all have black stripes and light-colored spots.
Chicken Snake Population & Conservation Status
The chicken snake seems to be common everywhere it lives. The IUCN Red List says that the chicken snake is the least important.
How To Identify Chicken Snakes: Appearance and Description
This lovely snake is long, and at times very long and thin.Its head and neck are different from each other. Most of the time, the snake is black and yellow, with yellow patterns that look like crossbands, nets, or diagonals, depending on where it lives.
There are 16 to 14 rows of scales on the back in the middle of the body, 198 to 232 scales on the belly, and 90 to 120 split scales on the bottom of the tail. Like many colubrids, its eyes are big and its pupils are round.
Chicken Snakes Vs. Rat Snakes
People use both the terms “chicken snake” and “rat snake” to talk about the same type of snake. The five types of snakes that people think are chicken snakes are actually rat snakes.
Some people may use the term “chicken snake” to talk about the Eastern Rat Snake, while others may use it to talk about any of the five species in this group.
In the end, there is no right or wrong answer; it all comes down to personal preference. Whether you call them chicken snakes or rat snakes, these species make interesting pets and can be fun to watch in the wild.
Do Chicken Snakes Pose Any Dangers?
Whole chicken snakes are not poisonous, but they can still hurt people and other animals. These snakes kill their prey by wrapping their bodies around it and squeezing it to death.
If a small child or pet gets too close to a chicken snake during this kind of hunting, they could get hurt. Also, chicken snakes can bite if they feel like they are in danger, so be careful if you see one.
Chicken Snake Behavior and Humans
Chicken snakes live alone and have their own territory, but if they sense danger, they will try to get away.
If they’re in a tree, they’ll fall out and try to disappear. Their most obvious sign of danger is that their necks grow longer, which makes them look like cobras and makes them look bigger than they are.
They also shake their tails like a dangerous rattlesnake does. If these moves don’t scare away a possible predator, the snake might strike.
After mating, the female lays between 12 and 18 eggs in a secret place. Snake babies come out after 73 to 76 days.
Neither parent takes care of them, but they can take care of themselves unless they are eaten by other animals or other snakes. When it is born, a chicken snake is between 8 and 12 inches long.
If there is a lot to eat, the female may lay one set of eggs in early spring and another set in late summer.
The chicken snake is not dangerous to people, and it eats pests, which is a good thing.
Are Chicken Snakes Poisonous?
Even though whole chicken snakes don’t make venom, some experts say they can still be dangerous to humans because the animals they eat may make them carry toxins.
In either case, most people agree that chicken snakes should be left alone since they try to stay out of trouble with bigger animals.
Overall, it’s not clear if chicken snakes are poisonous or not, but most experts agree that they don’t pose a serious threat to people and only attack when they feel threatened or provoked.
If you see a chicken snake in the wild, you should leave it alone and watch it from a safe distance.
How To Get Rid of Chicken Snakes?
If you have a chicken snake on your property, the best thing to do is to leave it alone and let it do its own thing.
You can get rid of the snake if you are worried about the safety of your family or pets. The best way is to talk to a professional who has dealt with these creatures before.
They will be able to safely remove the snake from your property and move it to a better place for it to live.
You can also try to get rid of a chicken snake on your own, but unless you have experience with these snakes, this is not recommended.
If you decide to get rid of the snake yourself, be careful and use the right safety gear, like gloves and a long stick. When trapped, chicken snakes can be dangerous, so be ready if it decides to attack.
Chicken Snake FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How do chicken snakes hunt?
Since they are diurnal, chicken snakes hunt during the day. As they move across the ground or tree limbs, they use what they see, what they taste and smell, and what they feel to find food.
When food is close, they grab it with their jaws, wrap their coils around it, and suffocate it. They sometimes just grab their prey in their coils and slam it against a hard surface until it dies.
Are chicken snakes aggressive?
Some people think chicken snakes are mean, while others say they are shy and will only attack if they can’t get away from a threat in any other way.
Where do chicken snakes live?
Chicken snakes, which are called Spilotes pullatus, live in Mexico, Central America, and South America, as well as Trinidad and Tobago.
They like to live in wooded areas near water, but they can also be found on farms where there are lots of mice, which are their favourite food.
What do chicken snakes eat?
Chicken snakes prefer to feed on rats and mice.They will also eat birds, lizards, bats, and bird eggs.
What is a chicken snake?
How do you identify a chicken snake?
The black, yellow, or sometimes black, yellow, and orange pattern on their scales makes them stand out. Most of the time, they are long and thin. Chicken snakes live in areas that are mostly dry and are often seen in trees.
What does a chicken snake look like?
It is a thin snake that can grow to be between 4 and 8 feet long, though some have grown much bigger.
The base colour is black, and there are yellow spots and crossbands, as well as black lines that connect the scales. The belly is yellow and has black bands that aren’t even.
Are chicken snakes good pets?
What’s the real name of a chicken snake?
The scientific name for the chicken snake is Spilotes pullatus.
What do chicken snakes do?
Like other snakes, chicken snakes act the same way. As cold-blooded animals, they hunt for food, avoid being eaten, and make sure they don’t get too hot or too cold. They have babies every now and then.
What are the key differences between coachwhip snakes and chicken snakes?
Coachwhip snakes and chicken snakes are mostly different in how they look, what they eat, where they live, how fast they move, how long they live, and how they act.
What are the differences between the copperhead and the chicken snake?
Copperheads and chicken snakes are mostly different in how they look, what they eat, where they live, and how they attack and defend themselves.
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