How To Befriend A Black Rat Snake! (3 Easy Steps)

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  • Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
  • What's the best way to handle a wild snake to minimize risk of injury and maximize friendship? In this video, we learn how to properly handle a black rat snake and quickly make a new friend!
    If you enjoyed learning about befriending rat snakes, please be sure to leave a like and share this video with your friends. If you hate snakes, leave a comment telling me your least fun snake fact and I will convince you that snakes are actually cool.
    For more educational wildlife content, subscribe to my channel. New videos go up on Thursday evenings at 7 PM!
    / thewildreportofficial
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    If you've made it this far in the description, remember to be safe when creature adventuring! Most wild animals can cause injury if harassed, and I do not recommend attempting to capture any creatures without purpose and practice. The reason that I interact with wildlife is to produce these educational videos, and I am a professional biologist. Also, I always ask permission from a land owner before exploring on their property, and you should do the same.
    Keep adventuring everywhere, and keep your adventures safe at all times!
    -Ben Zino
    "How many are your works, Lord? In wisdom you made them all, the earth is full of your creatures."
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    #wildlife #snake #animals #explore

КОМЕНТАРІ • 59

  • @jr-wv4qw
    @jr-wv4qw 2 місяці тому +16

    I've always noticed that snakes I pick up eventually just accept they've been yoinked. When I look at the reptile trade, people always say snakes don't need enrichment in their enclosures, but I've always felt that was wrong. These animals are curious and have enough sense to know what is going on around them.

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому +4

      Yeah this does seem to happen often, depending on the species and individual I'm working with. I also think captive snakes deserve more complex environments than they are often given. They navigate complex three dimensional spaces in nature, so why not in captivity?

  • @DonSchomer
    @DonSchomer 2 місяці тому +9

    Had my first hands on encounter with an adult rat snake yesterday. 4' at least. Such a wonderful experience and a great, docile animal

  • @KalashmanNC
    @KalashmanNC Місяць тому +1

    My dog alerted me to a big fella in the yard earlier. He coiled up on me but a few minutes of me standing there he seemed to relax enough for me to pick him up. Was able to relocate him back to the woods and into a tree where he went on about his business. They are great to have around.

  • @waltermaples3998
    @waltermaples3998 2 місяці тому +8

    Ben my Uncle had Cabin on Mobile River and he had a Huge Black Snake that lived under the pilings and he kept the mice and rats out of the Cabin My Uncle Toby loved that Snake he was like a pet and gave me apperaction for the Black Rat Snake ❤. But my favorite is Green Snake. Thanks for another Great Video Ben 😉👍❤️

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому +2

      They do love to live in/around/under structures that mice frequent. I think it's such convenient free pest control! Green snakes are absolutely adorable, I can see why they are your favorites. Thanks for watching, Walter!

  • @smetlogik
    @smetlogik 2 місяці тому +2

    One of my favorite snakes to find when I'm in their range. Common, but still an iconic snake.

  •  Місяць тому +2

    Just moved a black rat snake off my deck yesterday with confidence and without harming or scaring the snake. Thanks for all the informative videos Ben!!

  • @trainattendant5810
    @trainattendant5810 Місяць тому +2

    Absolutely lovely Ben to see these beautiful & gentle creatures & your loving interaction with them. Hopefully we'll get to see Big Bertha - the Queen of black rat snakes, this summer! Blessings to you.

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  Місяць тому +1

      Thanks so much for the kind words, they are such sweet snakes! I'd also love to find Bertha again, we shall see.

  • @cameronharper439
    @cameronharper439 Місяць тому +1

    I'm that guy from the coffee shop! Awesome video, man. I love learning about animals.

  • @listenerofnature7899
    @listenerofnature7899 2 місяці тому +2

    Great video! I absolutely love rat snakes! I always appreciate how chill they are. These guys are truly a special gift!

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому

      Thank you! Yeah these are by far the chillest 'big snake' in NC that I've worked with.

  • @emilyrife2389
    @emilyrife2389 2 місяці тому +1

    I love adult black rat snakes. Now, baby black rat snakes are a bit less friendly and tend to freak out when encountered. At least in my experience.

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому

      Agreed, I think by the time they get big they are better at knowing what is a threat and what might not be.

  • @joylayton8794
    @joylayton8794 2 місяці тому +2

    Great video, Ben! It's so interesting when a wild animal that surely had to dodge a lot of predators in its life to get that big, will respond calmly to gentle handling. Remarkable!

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому +1

      Thanks Joy! It is amazing that they are able to stay alive and reach such impressive sizes, it's a harsh world out there for a snake.

  • @acdragonrider
    @acdragonrider 2 місяці тому +1

    Ring necks are so cute!!!!!
    My family hasn’t stopped fearing snakes unfortunately. But she also grew up in Taiwan where 90 percent of the snakes were not only venomous but highly dangerous. That’s Taiwan. My mom just doesn’t like snakes unfortunately and also sides with their prey. There was one time when I was a kid and there was a baby rabbit in our garden. The black rat was prowling around and my mom insisted on killing the snake.

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому

      Ringnecks really are adorable. That's unfortunate, but hopefully she can overcome her fear by becoming more familiar with nonvenomous snakes!

  • @blackie1of4
    @blackie1of4 2 місяці тому +2

    The black rat snake is my personal favorite snake here in Pennsylvania as well 😊
    The rough green and smooth green 🐍 are tied for second!
    Followed ever so closely by the Eastern Milk Snake 😊
    Thanks for sharing this Ben

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому +1

      That's a very solid tier list, hard to argue with such a stellar lineup! The top of my list is some combination of copperhead, mud, rat snake, and eastern king, but I can never decide on the exact order.

    • @blackie1of4
      @blackie1of4 2 місяці тому

      @@TheWildReportOfficial love king snakes.. always wanted one ever since I was a child!
      Closest thing we have to them in Pennsylvania is the milk snake.
      The California King Snake is my favorite of all snakes!
      I'm not a fan of venomous snakes.. but boy boy are they beautiful ❤️

  • @Jseebs2222
    @Jseebs2222 2 місяці тому +2

    Love your videos and all the local nc knowledge. Really helped me with my snake encounters

  • @ryans6780
    @ryans6780 Місяць тому +1

    Thank you for this! I just found my first black rat snake the other week and honestly had no idea how to handle so as soon as I touched it, it slithered off quickly😂 (it was my first attempt ever picking up a snake). Would love to see a video in general on herping tips sometime🙏🏻 love your content man

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  Місяць тому

      Glad it provided some timely help! I'll have to work on a general herping video, that would be a good episode I think. Thanks for the support!

  • @jackzimmer6553
    @jackzimmer6553 Місяць тому

    I live in SW Ohio and invariably get black rat snakes from time to time in the summer. Down the hill from my townhouse is a small creek where they probably come from. The ones I’ve seen are easily 5 feet long. I like to see snakes (behind glass!) so they startle me and my heebie jeebies kick in. lol!!

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  Місяць тому +1

      Neat, rat snakes definitely seem to appreciate proximity to a water source. It's amazing how such a large snake can appear so unexpectedly!

  • @tkreitler
    @tkreitler 2 місяці тому +1

    Not Big Bertha but a fantastic snake nonetheless. I enjoy the "What's That Species?" challenge. To me, the next one looks like a Cottonmouth or a well fed Nerodia.

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому

      It really was an amazing snake to work with! Oh great guesses, we'll find out soon!

  • @JackDogSteve-jr9js
    @JackDogSteve-jr9js Місяць тому +1

    Your Awesome Dog! Ihave a BRS that comes & goes from my basement through the Cat door & Its Welcome to do so! Thanks for Your Knowledge🤪

  • @silverwings1843
    @silverwings1843 Місяць тому

    I was raised around snakes and in an early part of my life worked in surveying which I was knees deep in snakes. I came to see each breed
    has a main character trait. As some of the most poison were very docile and far from aggressive. Such as the very intelligent Cotton Mouth.
    And many snakes like the Corn Snake were just so easy to handle. But I found that the grumpy Black Snake, racer or rat..will not stop Biting!!!

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  Місяць тому

      I love how different species have different personalities...yep, when they are grumpy they are sometimes extremely difficult to calm down and I often just let them go.

  • @yuuya5985
    @yuuya5985 Місяць тому +1

    Cool video! Keep it up!

  • @DesertNebula
    @DesertNebula 2 місяці тому +2

    I wanna touch a rosey boa snake!!!! 😮 just learned about em 🐍 🐍 🐍

  • @dennisatkins9837
    @dennisatkins9837 2 місяці тому +1

    How large would you say that the rat snakes home range would be?

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому +2

      It depends on the snake, the average seems to be around 10ha based on movement ecology studies like this one:
      www.jstor.org/stable/3809084

  • @rebeccacook7924
    @rebeccacook7924 2 місяці тому +1

    ❤️❤️❤️

  • @shotzburynative4384
    @shotzburynative4384 Місяць тому +1

    i live in Salisbury (Rowan county) North Carolina... found a snake skin that has to be 6 feet long unfer my house... i feel like it's a black rat snake... I'm going to leave it alone and let it do it's job even though my family wanted me to find it and get rid of it

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  Місяць тому

      I'm from Salisbury! Sounds likely to be a rat snake.

    • @shotzburynative4384
      @shotzburynative4384 Місяць тому

      @TheWildReportOfficial no way you're from salisbury? i live by the flea market on Webb road and study animals just like you

  • @anthonylewellen2721
    @anthonylewellen2721 20 днів тому +1

    I had a rat snake come in and kill my bird now the snake is my new pet

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  19 днів тому +1

      Oof, sorry about your bird but I guess congrats on the new pet?

    • @anthonylewellen2721
      @anthonylewellen2721 19 днів тому

      @@TheWildReportOfficial thanks. And your video has helped me with my snake

  • @russellsage4953
    @russellsage4953 2 місяці тому +2

    I need this channel. I have tried to have a healthy attitude and not overreact to snakes.
    Mixed bag though
    I held a baby cooper in my hand and everyone was screaming at me to put it down 😂 (I’m originally from the uk where we NEVER see any). Then I was trying to escort a northern racer out of a swimming area and ended up killing it because it kept leaping at me and I wasn’t confident enough to think of something else.
    I’m a teacher, and I’d like to work with knowledge and not ignorance 😂
    I discovered a black rat well over 6 ft-happy to send you the vid. Pretty exciting, and I’d like to make friends with it if I can just get calmer.
    ua-cam.com/users/shortsIHHJRhrSNyo?feature=shared

    • @TheWildReportOfficial
      @TheWildReportOfficial  2 місяці тому +1

      Well I'm happy to be helping with that process! Hmm that video share link didn't work right, can you try sending it again>

    • @russellsage4953
      @russellsage4953 2 місяці тому

      @@TheWildReportOfficial ua-cam.com/users/shortsIHHJRhrSNyo?feature=shared

    • @russellsage4953
      @russellsage4953 2 місяці тому

      @@TheWildReportOfficial

    • @russellsage4953
      @russellsage4953 2 місяці тому

      ua-cam.com/users/shortsIHHJRhrSNyo?feature=shared

    • @russellsage4953
      @russellsage4953 2 місяці тому

      @@TheWildReportOfficial if none of the links work, just look at my old man not that exciting channels, and it s one of the more recent vids …’well fed black rat snake’ is the title ☮️