12/18/2023 0 Comments Black racer snakeMice should be pre-killed to avoid injury to your snake. They should be fed mice ( either pinkies or adults) during the day. However, they will eat them if they get the chance!īlue Racer Snakes in captivity are active hunters. Juveniles tend to eat more insects due to their smaller size.īirds and bird eggs represent a smaller portion of their diet because blue racers are not heavy climbers. This species eats more mammals in the spring and summer and insects in the fall. Their prey choice and diet change over the course of the year. This means they will happily prey on insects ( especially grasshoppers), locusts, birds, small mammals, amphibians, lizards, other snakes and eggs. In the wild blue racer sakes are opportunistic feeders. Young snakes have a dark blotched pattern on their backs (similar to juvenile rat snakes) which they lose as they reach sexual maturity. Juvenile snakes normally double in size over the course of their first year. Hatchlings are generally 7.5 to 15 inches in length ( not including their tail). Both sexes are slender snakes and are not particularly heavy-bodied like a Western Hognose. There is little size variation between males and females. Blue Racer Size Southern Black RacerĪdult blue racers range in size from 36 to 60 inches. The eastern yellowbelly racer ( Coluber constrictor flaviventris) is coffee-colored with a yellow underbelly. The buttermilk racer ( Coluber constrictor anthicus) is an unusual snake with a checkerboard pattern on its back. Some blues are a darker gray color and can be harder to distinguish from other subspecies such as the southern black racer ( pictured below).Īll 11 subspecies of racer snake have varying colors and patterns. The black scales around their eyes that form a mask.Two key features unique to the blue racer are: They grow to 36 to 60 inches in size and are easily identified by their metallic gray-green scales. This is because of its bright blue scales. The blue racer snake is one of the most attractive and easily recognizable racers. Although nonvenomous they can cause a painful bite and so should be approached cautiously in the wild. If that fails they may vibrate their tail against vegetation to make a buzzing noise and strike repeatedly. When threatened blue racers will first try to outrun their attacker. Their high metabolism lets them slither at speeds of up to 4 miles per hour! Currently they are not considered endangered in the United States.īlue racer snakes are named after their color and high metabolism. This has led the snake to be listed as endangered in Canada. Sadly their wild population is decreasing due to habitat loss, construction and human activity. Their range in Canada is limited to a small population on Pelee Island. In the United States they can be found near the Great Lakes, from Minnesota to Southwestern Ontario and Indiana. They adapt to a wide variety of habitats and climates. They are part of the Colubridae family – the largest snake family in the world.īlue racers are unique for their blue coloration and distinctive black mask. The Blue Racer Snake is one of 11 North American racer subspecies.
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