Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

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gone herpin
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Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by gone herpin »

I am currently on a massive (1 year) dry streak from seeing a black rat which is slowly killing me on the inside :cry: I used to see these guys all the time (especially in my neighborhood :crazyeyes: ). I've been putting myself into excellent habitat but the snake still escapes me. Can anyone give me any advise for how to find this magnificent creature. I feel like its one of those creatures you just have to wait out, but maybe I'm doing something wrong. What kinds of habitats do they like the most? I've been recently in swamps, wet woods, deciduous forest, pine forest, meadows, and scrub but I havn't found a single one. Having to search so many different habitats has really slowed down my progress on learning about the species, hopefully targeting a specific set of habitats will help speed up the process. Feel free to PM me if you think its something that shouldn't be seen on the main forum (I'm not a poacher, Kyle and Nate could vouch for me :thumb: ). Thanks for reading and hopefully I'll figure this animal out!
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spinifer
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by spinifer »

I have found them recently basking at field edges, but they are not really moving around much yet. Usually find them around debris piles with lots of lumber, couches, or mattresses in May and June.
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gone herpin
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by gone herpin »

Do Black Rats prey on frogs (or other herps), or do they pretty much stick to mammals? I would assume they would eat other herps but prefer mammals. Lately I've been focusing in on flooded areas but I think I need to give them more time to really pick up. I think I'm going to start hitting field edges, I might catch some stuff basking :thumb: .
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by Mike VanValen »

Birds and their eggs and small mammals make up most of their diet. You are looking in the right places so it's only a matter of time.
TJP
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by TJP »

John Vanek wrote:Look up.
Exactly what I was going to say. Basking on fallen trees seems to produce, as well as berry bushes. They like birds, so go to where the birds will feed or keep their young and eggs.
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gone herpin
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by gone herpin »

Hmm ok, I'll start looking up. Thanks for the advice!
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incuhead2000
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by incuhead2000 »

May tends to be prime time in this region. I see rats emerging in March/April but don't see peak activity until later. Once I start seeing DORs I know they are really moving. The only DORs thus far have been garters for me, pretty typical this time of year. DORs can tell you A LOT about snake movement. The rats will really get up in the trees as the birds start nesting too, so keep that in mind!
Brendan Murray
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by Brendan Murray »

incuhead2000 wrote:May tends to be prime time in this region. I see rats emerging in March/April but don't see peak activity until later. Once I start seeing DORs I know they are really moving. The only DORs thus far have been garters for me, pretty typical this time of year. DORs can tell you A LOT about snake movement. The rats will really get up in the trees as the birds start nesting too, so keep that in mind!
Agreed. I had success roadcruising in the mornings after showers or t-storms in May and June last year. Out of the 6 live black rat snakes I saw last year. 4 were in the mornings in May/June after a rainstorm. Also a good time to cruise up Timbers.
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intermedius
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by intermedius »

I've been dealing with the same problem trying to find Black Rats up in NJ. In my last topic, everyone said to look up or under A/C.

Justin
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Dennis Wasko
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by Dennis Wasko »

FWIW, telemetry studies have shown that black rats really like forest edges to help with thermoregulation, and spend LOTS of time up in trees where you just never see them.

Of course, in my actual experience, finding them is like anything other species: a pure dumb-luck crapshoot.
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Nick Scobel
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by Nick Scobel »

Definitely look for cover as well, if you can find clutter near forest/farmland combinations, you may find them under boards, tin, etc alongside milk snakes. As the summer progresses, they do seem to move in the late afternoon/evening hours and can be seen crossing roads. I saw several in NJ on roads right around sunset.
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by Mike VanValen »

Connecticut is obsessed with removing junk piles/dump sites so AC is like gold up here. We have to find our snakes the old fashioned way.

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zwhitman
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Re: Advise on Black Rat Snakes please

Post by zwhitman »

This year I have been finding rats since mid march up in northern NJ and southern NY. The key to finding them at this time of year is knowing where they den. They are starting to be pretty active on the warm days but they wont go far from their hibernaculum this early in the season when it can still get cold again. Another few weeks and they will be everywhere and anywhere. Most of the rats I have encountered have been actively cruising/hunting at the edges of fields, or in rocky woodland. I have never had any luck finding them in the trees, but maybe I just look down too much!
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