Non-venomous
Where are they from?
Black racers are found all throughout Kentucky.
What do they eat?
They eat small rodents like mice and shrews, but also lizards, birds, amphibians, and even other snakes.
How do they act?
These snakes are diurnal, meaning they are active and search for prey during the day. They lay around 20 eggs at a time. When they are threatened, they shake their tail quickly and may try and strike, though, they are very skittish and typically get away from danger quickly (hence the name “racer”). They are also good climbers, so they can take cover in trees.
Are they endangered?
This species has not been assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Reptile Report
Despite their scientific name containing “constrictor,” black racers do not constrict their prey!
The name “racer” is very fitting for these snakes because of how quickly they move!
Sources:
https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Documents/kysnakebook.pdf
http://kysnakes.ca.uky.edu/snake/coluber-constrictor