Let’s keep it rolling – or better yet, slithering – on #WorldSnakeDay 🐍 with the Texas rat snake! This species is a constrictor, meaning it suffocates its prey, coiling around small animals and tightening its grip until they can no longer draw breath before eating them. Though they will often consume mice, voles, and rats, Texas rat snakes are far from specialists at this kind of prey and will readily consume any small vertebrate they can catch. Other prey opportunistically eaten by this specie

YOUNG BLACK RATSNAKE ID – Here’s a snake that goes through several colorful changes during the first few years of its life. AskMDC provides some helpful identification tips in this short video. #WisdomWednesday -- Kristie@MDC | Missouri Dept. of Conservation