| Eastern racer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coluber constrictor anthicus, buttermilk racer | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Coluber Linnaeus,1758 |
| Species: | C. constrictor |
| Binomial name | |
| Coluber constrictor | |
 | |
| Synonyms[1][2] | |
Theeastern racer (Coluber constrictor) is a type ofnonvenomous snake in the familyColubridae. It only lives inNorth America andCentral America.
Eastern racers usually grow up to 50 to 152 cm (20 to 60 in) in length. They usually weigh around 556 g (1.226 lb). Its color can range from black, bluish, gray, to olive brown.[3]
It is found throughout theUnited States, east of theRocky Mountains. It is also found north intoCanada and south intoMexico,Guatemala, andBelize.
It is usually found nearwater, but it can also be found in bushes, trash piles, roadsides, andswamps. It spends most of its time on theground. But, it is a good climber. It may be found inshrubs andtrees where there are bird nests.
Most of the eastern racers like open,grasslandhabitats where theireyesight andspeed can be used. They are usually not far from a place to hide.
They mainly eat smallrodents,frogs,toads,lizards, and othersnakes. Somesubspecies are known to climbtrees to eateggs and youngbirds. Young eastern racers usually insects with soft bodies, such ascrickets andmoths. They overcome moving prey by wrapping into one or two coils pressing its prey to hold it so that it can swallow it alive.[4]
The eastern racers are fast, very active,diurnalsnakes. Eastern racers are curious snakes. They have very goodvision. They are sometimes seen raising their heads above thegrass where they are crawling to see what is around them. They usually run away from apredator. They are hard to hold and will poop, and release a bad smellingliquid from theircloacae.[4]
It mates in thespring from April until early June. The female lays three to 30 eggs in a hidden nest, such as a hollow log, an abandonedrodentburrow, or under arock. The young ones hatch in the earlyfall. They reach maturity when they are around 2 years old.
