Bogertophis subocularis
Encyclopedia
The Trans-Pecos rat snake (Bogertophis subocularis) is a medium to large (1.0 - 1.7 m), nonvenomous rat snake
native to the Chihuahuan Desert
, that extends northward into Texas
. It has a row of small scales (suboculars) between the lower border of the eye and the upper labials. This is a beautiful snake, yellow to tan dorsally with a series of black or dark brown H-shaped markings. The eyes are large and prominent, light-colored with contrasting round black pupils.
flats and brushy slopes, and rocky outcrops where they nest and feed on small vertebrates. A nocturnal
species, it is uncommon and rarely-seen in the wild, save on warm summer nights during the breeding season. Nicknamed "subocs" by enthusiasts, they are unaggressive when approached, even passive, and are easily raised in captivity.
-laying begins in July and ends by September. At nearly three months, their incubation period is lengthy for a snake, at the end of which a clutch of anywhere from three to 11 snakes of 28–33 cm hatch. As they are born during winter, the hatchlings may remain hidden underground for several months before venturing outside.
Rat snake
Rat snakes are medium to large constrictors that can be found through a great portion of the northern hemisphere. They feed primarily on rodents and birds and, with some species exceeding 3 m , they can occupy top levels of some food chains. Many species make attractive and docile pets and one,...
native to the Chihuahuan Desert
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
, that extends northward into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It has a row of small scales (suboculars) between the lower border of the eye and the upper labials. This is a beautiful snake, yellow to tan dorsally with a series of black or dark brown H-shaped markings. The eyes are large and prominent, light-colored with contrasting round black pupils.
Habitat
The Trans-Pecos rat snake's habitat consists of desertDesert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
flats and brushy slopes, and rocky outcrops where they nest and feed on small vertebrates. A nocturnal
Nocturnal animal
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal"....
species, it is uncommon and rarely-seen in the wild, save on warm summer nights during the breeding season. Nicknamed "subocs" by enthusiasts, they are unaggressive when approached, even passive, and are easily raised in captivity.
Size
Males are larger than females as adults. Adult females reach between 3½ to 4½ feet (1.1-1.4 m) long; whereas males grow up to 5 feet (1.5 m) or more.Reproduction
Their breeding season runs through May and June, while eggEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
-laying begins in July and ends by September. At nearly three months, their incubation period is lengthy for a snake, at the end of which a clutch of anywhere from three to 11 snakes of 28–33 cm hatch. As they are born during winter, the hatchlings may remain hidden underground for several months before venturing outside.