The Eastern Fox Snake is a non-venomous species of Rat Snake that is native to the North-Eastern United States and South-Eastern Canada.
It is a relatively large species of Snake that can grow to almost 5 feet in length, making it one of the largest species of snake in the region.
Eastern Fox Snake Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The Eastern Fox Snake belongs to the Colubridae or Colubrid family of snakes. This is the largest family of Snakes in the world consisting of many popular species such as Corn Snakes and Milk Snakes.
With around 250 different genera of Colubrids, these snakes can be found on every continent except Antarctica which also makes them the most widely distributed family of snake in the world.
The vast majority of Colubrid snakes are non-venomous, or at least contain a venom that isn’t considered to be medically significant to humans.
However, there are a number of species of Colubrid snakes that contain venom capable of killing humans. This includes species from the Boiga and Rhabdophis genera as well as other snakes such as the Boomslang.
Genus
The Eastern Fox Snake belongs to the Pantherophis genus. This genus contains the North American Rat Snakes, Corn Snakes and Fox Snakes.
The snakes in this genus were once considered part of the Elaphe genus until they were later reclassified. This means that they were originally grouped with the Old-World Rat Snakes such as the King Rat Snake.
Species
The scientific name for this species is Pantherophis vulpinus.
Originally this snake and the Western Fox Snake were both considered sub-species of Pantherophis vulpinus.
However, the species were re-classified to full species status in 2011 with the Eastern Fox Snake keeping the name Pantherophis vulpinus and the Western Fox Snake given the name Pantherophis ramspotti.
Eastern Fox Snake Description
The Eastern Fox Snake is a relatively large species of snake that can grow to around 5 feet in length. However, a number of specimens have been documented at closer to 6 feet in length.
They can vary in color from yellowish to light brown and typically have darker brown or black blotches all over their body.
The head of the snake has a more copper or reddish coloration. The belly of the snake is yellowish in color with black checkered markings.
They have a slightly rough feel to them as their scales are slightly keeled.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Eastern Fox Snake is native to the Great Lakes region of the North-Eastern United States and South-Eastern Canada.
In the United States, they can be found in places such as Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. They can also be found in a small part of Minnesota and Iowa, but the Western Fox Snake is more prominent in these states.
In Canada, this snake can be found in a small part of Ontario. They are found North of Toronto where they live on the wetlands around Lake Huron.
These snakes like to live on the wetlands around the Great Lakes but they can also be found along the nearby rivers, marshes and partially drained areas.
These snakes are almost always found near sources of water but can be found in less natural habitats such as farmland, pastures and residential areas.
They share some of its range with other species such as the Ornate Box Turtle the Eastern Black Kingsnake and the Rough Green Snake.
Eastern Fox Snake Behaviour
The Eastern Fox Snake is a terrestrial species, meaning it spends most of its time on tje ground. They are rarely seen climbing trees.
While this species is considered quite docile and will typically try to escape if approached, they will defend themselves if they feel threatened.
They are known to vibrate their tail against the floor to create a loud vibrating sound. This is used to mimic a Rattlesnake in an attempt to confuse and scare away a potential threat.
