They are faster and more agile than most other snakes, so a quick escape is their first defense. When approached, a black racer is likely to quickly flee.Black racers perform several behaviors that help them avoid being eaten by predators (animals that eat them).They are active during the day ( diurnal).This reduces the risk of dehydration for them and allows them to live in extremely dry environments. The scales on a reptile also help prevent water loss by preventing evaporation (when water changes from liquid to gas) through the skin. Unlike us, snakes do not lose water through their skin in the form of sweat.The scales on a snake's belly help "grab" onto small rough spots on the ground to create friction (resistance) and allow the snake to pull itself forward. Snakes don't have legs like we do and cannot walk.Snakes, like all reptiles, have scales.These structures, in addition to the slow forward movement of a snake's head along its prey, allow them to consume their prey whole.The upper and lower jaw components are more loosely connected than most animals, allowing the snake to open its mouth wider than its body. The lower jaw is composed of two separate pieces. These pieces are held together in the center by a stretchy ligament, allowing the space between the two pieces to increase. A snake's jaw structure allows it to consume prey without having to tear it apart. If they feel threatened, they will often musk the person holding them. They are a very fast-moving snake and will attempt to wriggle free while you handle them. These snakes do not like to be handled and will often bite if you attempt to pick them up. The Southern Black Racer does not make a good pet. They thrive in areas where there is both open space and plenty of places to retreat. They can also be commonly found on more open areas such as parks, farmland and even in peoples gardens. However, their preferred habitat tends to be wooded areas, brush, and thickets. They thrive in a wide variety of habitats and conditions, which is evident by their large geographical range. Although most of the racers that are found this far North are Northern Black Racers. They can be found as far North as the Southern parts of Maine. Their range extends from Easter Texas all the way to the Atlantic coastline. They are very common in states such as Florida, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, among other states. The Southern Black Racer can be found throughout much of the South-Eastern United States. They are somewhat similar in appearance to the Mexican Black Kingsnake although there are notable differences such as patterning, coloration and size. This gives the snake the appearance of having white lips. The jawline of this snake is white, above and below the mouth where the base color and the belly color of the snake meet. Juveniles can have red or brown blotches but this generally fades as the snake ages, leaving a uniform base color to the snake.Ī characteristic feature of this snake is the color of their jawline. The back and sides of the snake are black to dark grey in colour while the belly of the snake is usually light grey or white. They have smooth scales that cover their slim bodies. The Southern Black Racer is a small to medium sized snake that grows to lengths of 2-5ft. This genus consists of 11 species of racer that are all native to North and Central America. The genus that this snake belongs to is called Coluber. Colubrid snakes are common throughout South-Eastern United States. This is the same family as species such as Corn Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milk snakes. The Southern Black Racer belongs to the Colubridae (Colubrid) Family of snakes.
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