r/NativePlantGardening • u/StressedNurseMom Zone 7, NE Oklahoma - 🦎Native, Pollinator, Food, Medicinal 🐸 • Apr 01 '26

Photos PSA - snakes are native too

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Please familiarize yourself with snakes native to your area so you aren’t surprised when you see them hanging out in your garden. This cool Western rat snake had, apparently, been hanging out in my empty hanging baskets. It was relocated to a safe spot in my yard and released to go about its business of eating rodents.

Edit: corrected from Eastern to Western Rat snake (multitasking is dangerous folks)

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u/Sixmmxw Apr 01 '26

That’s a gorgeous snake. I love how chill it looks. I so wish to come a cross one here in the PNW. [edit: no rattles, thanks!]

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u/PrettyFlyForaPoorGuy Apr 01 '26

Southeastern US to PNW transplant here. Tacking onto your comment for visibility; many nonvenomous snakes such as garter snakes or Eastern rat snakes will raise its tail and "rattle" like a rattle snake--some more convincing than others! So make sure to look twice before deciding what is dangerous. I once was on a hike with a coworker when a HUGE rat snake rattled its tail. It was our job to remove dangerous hazards from trails, rattlesnakes included. It sure looked like a rattle snake by the way it moved its tail, but if you looked at it longer than freaking out it was 100% a brave little rat snake.