Shared by Julia Bennett, as Guest Blogger.

Recently while searching for supplies at Caledon State Park, my coworker, looking a bit startled, spotted a long black snake in the storage shed.  He called me over to take a look.

Ranger Julia carefully handling an Eastern Rat Snake

Carefully, I looked around and saw the snake trying to climb the wall looking for a place to hide, but still pretty calm. I allowed it to move it's head away from me as it went on it's way, then gently picked up the thicker part of the tail. I brought it out of the shaded shed into the sunlight noticing the big eyes and light colored belly of an eastern rat snake. My coworkers were a bit shocked when I did not let go immediately, fearful it would bite me.

The snake was comfortable and showed no signs of distress so I carefully posed for a picture. A distressed or angry snake will usually be fast moving and trying to get away. It may also coil up into a striking position and hiss once the tail is released.

Although it wasn't necessary, I was more careful handling the snake than I would normally be because I did not want to fill out any paperwork. I know my supervisor appreciates that forethought.

 Eastern Rat Snake up close and personal!

Eastern rat snakes are harmless to humans. They are non-venomous and are usually docile, preferring to musk or hiss instead of bite. Rat snakes are not venomous because they use constriction to subdue their prey.

Snakes bite not just to eat but also to defend themselves. Venom is another way for a snake to defend itself; it can paralyze or injure it's predator enough to get away. Rat snakes do not have this ability so instead they can musk their attacker. The musk is a very strong smell that comes from their vent, it is meant to imitate what venom would taste like. Their backwards teeth are used to catch and swallow prey but can also leave a painful mark.

Eastern Rat Snake

This young black snake will one day be 6 feet long, maybe bigger! I definitely would not want to be bitten by him then. Just a side note *** I don’t encourage anyone to pick up snakes in the wild, please leave it to the professionals! For more information on Caledon State Park, please click here.