Gray Ratsnake

Pantherophis spiloides

Classification

Conservation Status

  • The Gray Ratsnake is a nonvenomous snake that hunts rodents and birds, killing its prey by constriction. 
  • The snake is an excellent climber and is often high in the canopy. 
  • The snake imitates a rattlesnake, audibly rattling its tail when threatened. 
  • It is illegal to kill any native species of venomous or nonvenomous snake in the state of Tennessee.