How to Identify a Gulf Hammock Rat Snake

Many different types of rat snakes live throughout the Southern, Eastern and Midwestern United States. The Gulf Hammock Rat Snake is a member of the Rat Snake family and is believed by some to be a cross of the Gray Rat Snake and the Yellow Rat Snake. Others consider this snake to be a unique subspecies. Although rat snakes can be difficult to tell apart, there are some variations in coloring and markings that distinguish the Gulf Hammock Rat Snake from other types of rat snakes.

Instructions

    • 1

      Check the snake's coloring. The body color should be light, nearly white. This is a characteristic of the Gulf Hammock Rat Snake.

    • 2

      Check the snake's markings. A Gulf Hammock Rat Snake will have four longitudinal brown stripes running down its back with dark gray blotches over the top of them, giving the snake a speckled appearance.

    • 3

      Look for a black tongue and black or brown eyes. These are characteristic of Gulf Hammock Rat Snakes.

    • 4

      Estimate the length of the snake. Gulf Hammock Rat Snakes are larger than most other American snakes, ranging in size from 36 to 72 inches long. They sometimes reach up to 7 feet in length.

    • 5

      Observe the snake hunting or eating. Gulf Hammock Rat snakes do not bite or poison their prey, but will instead use their body to constrict and kill the prey.

    • 6

      Observe the the terrain in which the snake lives. Gulf Hammock Rat Snakes prefer either loose, sandy soil or bushes. Either of these habitats provides a suitable home for a Gulf Rat Hammock snake.