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Texas Rat Snake
Stanley Jones

Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta)

Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii: Colubridae) These easily excitable nonvenomous snakes are quick to defend and will do so with gusto. However scary, their jaws are weak and a resulting bite results with only light scratches. Like most colubrids when excited they will flatten their heads to give an appearance of pit vipers and will slap their pointy tails rapidly on the surface it is laying on resulting in the sound of a rattlesnake. Adults range from 1.07-1.83 m (42-72 in) long with the record being just over 2.13 m (7 ft) long. Photographed in Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA. Rolling limestone hills with depressions. Plateau live/ash juniper dominated at ca. 165 m (541 ft) in the Edwards Plateau Vegetational Area.
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Habitat
Rolling limestone hills with depressions. Plateau live/ash juniper dominated at ca. 165 m (541 ft) in the Edwards Plateau Vegetational Area.
Location
Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA.
Date taken
May 2006
Scientific name
Elaphe obsoleta
Equipment used
Canon EOS 20D with a Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM lens at 300mm.
L
Reminds me of the good ol' days on the basketball court, bringing a whole new meaning to the expression "In your face!" Intense photo. Beautiful creature.
 
Digiscoper321
This one's looks ready for action even though there's no rat in the picture. ;); Great shot and lots of energy,Stanley. :t:
 
tetoneon
A really neat profile of this snake Stanley. We have a resident ratsnake on our property which has gotten rather large over the years, but harmless to us.
 
ChrisKten
Great close-up and interesting info, Stanley; I've a feeling that you've been "scratched" at least once by these or similar|=)|
 
KC Foggin
Supporter
Now that's a neat head on shot Stanley.

Very similar to the Rat Snakes I have here.
 

Media information

Category
Reptiles
Added by
Stanley Jones
Date added
View count
481
Comment count
18

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