The Spotted Early Life of a Young Black Rat Snake

A young black rat snake has up to 40 spots on its body and the tail is spotted right up to the tip. Bright patterns on a juvenile snake become darker and disappear as the snake approaches maturity. A Black rat snake can grow from 42 to 72 inches long and can be found climbing in trees.

The snake in today's photo is probably in its first year, and appears to be coming close to the time when it will shed its skin. We can tell this because the color pattern is not sharp, but rather, is somewhat masked by a hazy hue. Take a closer look at the eyes and you can see the onset of a milky color that will eventually make the pupil almost impossible to see. This could be the first time that this young snake has shed its skin.

Today's photograph was taken by Volunteer Land Steward Bill Sayles on Nicholson Island in the Allegheny River.

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