They are active during daytime and prefer to spend most of their time on the ground, but are known to forage both on ground and trees. The blue racers are known to hibernate in large groups during the cold winter months. This speed helps them catch prey or avoid being preyed upon. The species lifespan in the wild ranges from 15 to 20 years. That common name also refers to the speed the snake is moving at.As their common name suggests, the blue racer is a very fast snake that can move at speeds of almost 7 Km or 4,3 mph, even so far from the lightning speed of the highly venomous black mamba. The racer and its subspecies are often also called eastern racer or “runner” instead of racer. Western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor Mormon).Southern black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus).Everglades racer (Coluber constrictor paludicola).Mexican racer (Coluber constrictor Oaxaca).Black-masked racer (Coluber constrictor latrunculus).Brown-chinned racer (Coluber constrictor helvigularis).Eastern yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris).Tan racer (Coluber constrictor etheridgei).Northern black racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor).Buttermilk racer (Coluber constrictor anthicus).Their common names often suggest details of the range and/or their coloration and appearance: There are eleven subspecies of the racer that can all be found in the United States. Scientific classification of Coluber constrictor Namely, these are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Apart from Alaska, Eastern Racers can be found in every U.S. However, some of the subspecies have spread to the Western United States as well as to Hawaii. Therefore, the species is also called eastern racer. The largest part of the racer population can be found in the Eastern United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. During the winter months, they hibernate in burrows of small mammals or in rock crevices in the forest. Other than in open grasslands and savannahs, they also live in forests and close to human settlements. The eastern racer prefers to roam around open grasslands where it can spot its prey from a distance and race towards it. Other than that, there is nothing to worry about, when it comes to eastern racers.Ī juvenile blue racer seen in Mason County, Illinois. Superficial disinfection is always recommended for any wound. A bite will only cause a minor discomfort as they have small teeth and do not have any venom glands. However, if they are cornered and feel threatened, they are a fairly aggressive species that will not hesitate to attack and bite. It rarely occurs that humans are bitten by eastern racers since they are incredibly fast and will escape any form of danger. The racer is a nonvenomous snake and does not pose any danger to humans or pets. Thanks to their incredible speed, they easily manage to chase and pin down any small animal once they have spotted it. Juveniles often eat insects until they become large and strong enough to take on larger prey. Their diet conists mainly of amphibians like toads, frogs and lizards as well as rodents and small birds. They are using their body to immobilize their prey and often swallow it alive, before soffocating it. Photo: Pondhawk Hunting BehaviorĮven though their scientific name suggests Coluber constrictor otherwise, the eastern racer does not constrict its prey. Despite its name, the juveniles have lighter colors with patterns over their bodies.
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