Zionsville park visitors discovered this snake while hiking along the Big-4 Rail Trail. It was identified as an eastern rat snake. It also is known as a black rat snake, and adults are typically 3 to 5 feet long but can reach up to more than 6 feet long. Rat snakes eat mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks birds and bird eggs. They are great climbers and prefer being in trees. Rat snakes are not venomous. There are no venomous snakes in Zionsville. Other snakes in the town’s parks include midland water snakes and garter snakes, among other species. (Submitted photo)
