Rat Snake
Rat Snake (Pantherophis spp.)
Born: unknown Arrival Date: June 6, 2018, from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)
Rat Snake has become a calm animal since he entered our care. In his past, he sustained an injury from a weed-eater, so he was surrendered to us as a confiscation from TWRA. In general, rat snakes tend to be fairly relaxed and not aggressive. When he first came to Reflection Riding, he was nervous around people. Since then, he has become much more relaxed and is an exemplary animal for programs.
We want to emphasize that it is illegal to own any native animal as a pet in the state of Tennessee, including this species. Please be respectful of native animals and leave them be in their natural habitat.
Rat Snake is visible to the public on the boardwalk near our Welcome Center. He is also in our program rotation, which means he is a possible candidate for our educational wildlife programs. We believe in the animal’s consent, so we will only bring out an ambassador who feels up to the challenge for any given program.