Welcome to austinsnakes.com! I am David, a snake enthusiast living in Austin, TX. Many people don't know that Austin is in fact full of snakes! You just need to know where to find them - they can often be shy and elusive. Some Texas snake species are more common outside of the city limits, in different parts of Travis County TX, but many types of snakes are indeed common in the more urban parts of Austin. This guide is meant to help educate you about the beautiful snakes of Austin, and to help you identify the most common snakes of Austin, as well as the venomous snakes of Austin that you should learn to recognize and avoid. If you want more detail, click here for my complete list of ALL snake species in Austin. Remember the following:
- Most snakes of Austin are harmless and don't want to encounter you
- Venomous snakes exist but are uncommon in Austin, Texas
- Snakes eat rats and mice and are a valuable part of the Texas ecosystem
- Never kill a snake - if you leave a snake alone, it will leave you alone.
Common Snake Species in Austin
![Austin snake](Texasratsnake.jpg)
![Austin snake](hognosedsnake.jpg)
![Austin snake](watersnake.jpg)
Venomous Snake Species in Austin
![Austin snake](cottonmouth.jpg)
![Austin snake](copperhead.jpg)
![Austin snake](rattlesnake.jpg)
![Austin snake](coralsnake.jpg)
If you're unsure, you can email me a photo of the snake at info@austinsnakes.com and I will email you back with the snake's species. If you found a snake skin, read my Found a Skin? page, and you can email me a photo of the skin, and I'll identify the snake for you. If you need professional Austin snake removal help, click my Get Help page, or see the below website sponsor I found, who provides that service.
Understanding The Yellow Rat Snake: Appearance, Biology, Life Cycle, Habitat, Diet, Behavior
A common snake for those who live on the east coast, the yellow rat snake is a non-lethal type of snake that typically stays away from humans. You can find it in many areas and have likely seen it at some point. Whether you fear snakes or not, understanding more about it can help you if you see it in the future. As with any other animal, there are important facts about it. To keep you safe and to keep the snake safe, you should know more about it. Everything from its appearance to its reproduction is an important piece of your safety and its safety.
Appearance
Yellow rat snakes are yellow – obviously. They grow to, at most, 6 feet long, though they may be shorter, and are yellow with some black stripes going down the back.
Life
Like other rat snakes, the yellow rat snake mates in spring and will lay eggs a few weeks later. The eggs will take about 2 months to hatch after that. The baby snakes will be on their own after hatching. Rat snakes do not care for their young, nor do their young need it. They are ready to go live on their own immediately. These snakes can live up to two decades about, though wild snakes typically do not live that long.
Behavior
Slightly more aggressive than other rat snakes, yellow rat snakes may bite when threatened. However, they are not going to go after you. Most snakes are not going to do that. They prefer to stay away from humans. They are slightly more aggressive, and will attack if cornered, though.
Habitat
You can usually find yellow rat snakes around oak trees and swamps and forests. You can find them in most places that offer adequate shelter across the Carolinas to Florida. They like everything from the Everglades to abandoned structures. If it offers shelter, they want it.
Diet
Rats are a major part of the diet for a rat snake. They will capture, constrict, and consume rats and other rodents generally. They may also go after birds, lizards, eggs, and similar prey. Yellow rat snakes are typical for rat snakes. Found on the east coast, these snakes are common wherever they live. You can find them anywhere from your backyard to a swamp – and likely have if you live in the same areas as them.
Remember, the term is not poisonous snakes of Austin, it's venomous snakes of Austin. Poison is generally something you eat, and venom is injected into you. That said, dangerous snakes are very rare in Austin. The few venomous snakes of Travis County are rarely seen. But they are commonly misidentified, so learn about all the snake species of Austin in order to correctly identify them. These snakes are usually also found in the surrounding towns of Pflugerville, Lakeway, Lago Vista, Del Valle , Bee Cave, Manor, West Lake Hills, Volente, Rollingwood, Manchaca, Jonestown, Point Venture, Hudson Bend, Sunset Valley, The Hills, Briarcliff, Creedmoor, Webberville, Barton Creek, Wells Branch, Hornsby Bend, Windemere, San Leanna, Garfield, Lost Creek and the surrounding areas.
Read our article about:
Understanding The Water Moccasin Snake: Appearance, Biology, Life Cycle, Habitat, Diet, Behavior
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