rat snake
Harmless mouse hunter
A rat snake is a nonvenomous snake that preys primarily on rodents.
Several species across North America and Asia bear the name, typically medium to large constrictors that kill by squeezing rather than venom.
They're often found near barns and outbuildings where rats congregate: We found a rat snake in the chicken coop.
Wound circular arrangement
- squeezeFirm bilateral compression
- suffocateKill by blocking air
- wrapEnclose by winding around
- encircleSurround on all sides
grip · tighten · immobilize · constriction · muscular · entwine · subdue · pressure
Plates or weighing devices
- slenderThin and graceful
- elongatedStretched beyond usual dimensions
- forked tongueSymbol of dishonest speech
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
streamlined · narrow · cylindrical · tubular · pattern · keeled · muscular · flexible
Pursuer of prey
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- stalkerObsessive, unwelcome follower
- preyAnimal being hunted
- rodentGnawing mammal order
mouse · bird · egg · nest raider · forage · strike · swallow · digest
Unfeeling or externally heated
- ectothermicTemperature set by surroundings
- oviparousReproducing through external eggs
- sheddingLosing outer covering
- diurnalActive during daylight
hibernation · metabolism · thermoregulation · lifespan · growth rate · maturation · breeding season · clutch
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- squamateScale-bearing reptile order
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- subspeciesTaxonomic rank beneath species
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
herpetologist · vivarium · captive breeding · field guide · identification · conservation · population
coil
Wound circular arrangement
encircle · grip · tighten · immobilize · constriction · muscular · entwine · subdue · pressure · loop
scales
Plates or weighing devices
- slenderThin and graceful
- elongatedStretched beyond usual dimensions
- forked tongueSymbol of dishonest speech
serpentine · streamlined · narrow · cylindrical · tubular · pattern · keeled · muscular · flexible · vertebrae
hunter
Pursuer of prey
rodent · mouse · bird · egg · nest raider · forage · strike · swallow · digest · opportunistic
cold-blooded
Unfeeling or externally heated
- ectothermicTemperature set by surroundings
- oviparousReproducing through external eggs
- sheddingLosing outer covering
diurnal · hibernation · metabolism · thermoregulation · lifespan · growth rate · maturation · breeding season · clutch · hatchling
reptile
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- squamateScale-bearing reptile order
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- subspeciesTaxonomic rank beneath species
taxonomy · herpetologist · vivarium · captive breeding · field guide · identification · conservation · population
terrestrial
Relating to land
woodland · forest · grassland · burrow · rock crevice · rafters · tree cavity · rural · suburban · range
- reptileslizard, turtle, crocodile, alligator, python
- limbless animalscobra, python, viper, boa, mamba
- rat predatorscat, barn cat, house cat, owl, barn owl
- snakescobra, anaconda, boa, viper, python
- long and thineel, earthworm, worm, centipede, millipede
- Asian reptilesking cobra, Indian cobra, Burmese python, saltwater crocodile, krait
rat snakevenomous snake
Serpent with toxic bite
viper · rattlesnake · cobra · pit viper · black mamba
rat, snake, rattle, snakes, rattlesnake