Black rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus)

Short answers

Black rat snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 200×100×200 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, formerly Elaphe, adult; likes to climb, a large species).

Black rat snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–28 °C, basking spot 30–32 °C (local hot spot), at night 18–20 °C.

Black rat snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential, weak UVB recommended.

Black rat snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–20+ years in captivity.

Black rat snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–28 °C

Night temperature

18–20 °C

Basking spot

30–32 °C (local hot spot)

Humidity

60–75 %

UVB

UVB not essential, weak UVB recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 200×100×200 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, formerly Elaphe, adult; likes to climb, a large species)

Substrate

Forest humus or bark mulch, sturdy climbing branches, hides, a bathing basin

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice and rats matched to their girth

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days, juveniles every 5–7 days

Key facts

Adult size

120–180 cm (rarely over 200 cm)

Life expectancy

15–20+ years in captivity

Origin

The central and southern USA (west of the Mississippi)

Protection status

Not protected (no CITES, no German nature conservation listing), no registration duty

Brumation

A winter rest of about 8–12 weeks at about 10–15 °C (recommended for breeding)

Cohabitation

Keep them singly – solitary and territorial; only temporarily for supervised breeding

Notes

A large, climbing-keen rat snake (also the "ground snake"); the young can be bitey but usually become tame. Because of the final size, a roomy, tall terrarium with stable climbing branches. The taxonomy and naming are inconsistent in the literature (Pantherophis obsoletus s.l.).

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Related species

• Baird's rat snake (Pantherophis bairdi) – Beginner
• Great Plains rat snake (Pantherophis emoryi) – Beginner
• Western fox snake (Pantherophis vulpinus) – Beginner
• Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) – Beginner
• Eastern rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) – Beginner
• Slowinski's corn snake (Pantherophis slowinskii) – Beginner
• Texas rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus lindheimeri) – Intermediate
• Russian rat snake (Elaphe schrenckii) – Beginner

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Black rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 200×100×200 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, formerly Elaphe, adult; likes to climb, a large species)), substrate (Forest humus or bark mulch, sturdy climbing branches, hides, a bathing basin), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.