Are Black Rat Snakes Poisonous?

Whenever we see a Black Snake, the first thought that comes to our mind is it can be very poisonous. But are they really poisonous?

If you are here to know about Black rat snakes then it is very obvious to ask – Are Black Rat Snakes Poisonous?

In this guide, I am going to give you all the information that is needed for you to know about Black rat snakes as non-poisonous snakes.

Are Black Rat Snakes Poisonous?

No, black rat snakes are neither venomous nor poisonous. However, they can strike a bite if they feel threatened, provoked, or irritated by someone. It is very common to observe a black Rat Snake if you are a farmer because black rat snakes always eat rats, mice, and other pests. Their bite can cause infection if they are not treated.

As I told you black rat snakes are non-poisonous and nonvenomous snakes but they can bite you if they are threatened or irritated by you.

Their bite can be dangerous if you don’t take it seriously. A snake mouth contains tons of bacteria that are fatal to human blood.



Once you get a bite from a Black Rat Snake, you invite those bacteria to get right into your blood.

Whenever Black Rat Snakes bite its victim, they inject some bacteria in theIR blood and it is fatal to humans but not much if you treat it. You can easily create a bite if you get it from a Black Rat Snake.





In this article, you will get to know how you can treat a black rat snakebite but before that, we would love to give you some space of information about the signs and symptoms of black snakes bite.

 

What Are The Signs and Symptoms Of Black Rat Snakebite?

There are lots of common signs and symptoms of black rat snakes that can appear if you get a bite from them. But here we are only going to discuss the most common one that you can experience after getting the initial bite from a Black Rat Snake.

• Excessive saliva
• Excessive sweating
• Excessive swelling
• Numbness in the face or limb
• Weakness
• Blurred vision
• Breathing problems
• Pain at the bite area
• Redness and itching around the wound
• Vomiting and nausea
• Two puncture wounds
• Bruising
  
  

These are the most common signs and symptoms that anybody can experience after getting a bite from a non-venomous or venomous snake.





It doesn’t matter if you get a bite from the non-venomous and venomous snake if you fail to recognize that you have been bitten.





That is why it is very important to know the signs and symptoms so that you can take the correct medications to be on the safe side.

But here we are going to talk about the black rat snakes that are non-poisonous so if any of the signs appear then maybe you have been bitten by Black Rat Snake.

but always make sure that you check the size and color of the snake after getting the bite as you can mislead yourself and medical team by telling them that it was Black Rat Snake without even knowing it.

If you are 100% sure that you have been bitten by a Black Rat Snake then you can treat it by yourself. So let’s know how to treat a black rat snakes bite.

Other Snakes ? That Makes Good Pet (Click to know if they are venomous or not)

White Snakes	Northern Water Snakes	Hognose Snakes
Black Racer Snakes	Grass Snakes	Black Rat Snakes
Rattlesnakes	Bull Snakes	Eastern Hognose Snakes
Green Snakes	Ringneck Snakes	Kingsnakes

How To Treat A Black Rat Snakebite?

If you get a bite from a Black Rat Snake then the wound is going to be very small and the bleeding with be minor.



However, if you experience the pain much more than expected and you see the bleeding is very aggressive then you may need some stitches or you have been bitten by a non-venomous snake as well.

If you also experience Blurred vision or weakness or vomiting and nausea then you have been bitten by a venomous snake.

In such scenarios, you must seek medical professional help as soon as possible. Call the doctors or an ambulance.

But again, we are talking about Black rat snakes so if you get a bite from them, then you can treat it by yourself.



As the wound is very small and breathing is minor, you just need to follow some steps in order to clean and treat the wound.

Here are the five simple and straightforward steps to treat black rat snakes.



After getting a bite from a Black Rat Snake, you need to rinse off the wounds with fresh and clean water. Avoid using any kind of soap, as clean and fresh water is enough to do the work.

After rinsing off the wound, you need to apply mild antibacterial soap to clean the wound.

Don’t use any kind of soap or cleanser that contains hydrogen peroxide or alcohol as it can irritate the wound skin or can also damage all the essential and healthy tissues that are needed to make the recovery process faster.

After you are done rinsing and cleaning the wound, you must dry the wood. In order to dry the wound, you need to rotate with a soft cloth.

Make sure that you don’t apply too much friction as it can rip off the skin. Alternatively, you can also use a clean and fresh towel or cotton. We recommend you use cotton.

Now after drying the wound, you may think that you need to apply a bandage as it is going to do good for you.

But we would never recommend you apply a bandage as applying a bandage can make the area moist, dark, and warm which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

On the other hand, if you feel that there is a risk of cross-contamination then you can apply a bandage or use a bandage on the wound.



Apart from that, if you feel that you have been bitten by a venomous snake or the wound is getting infected then you must forget all the points and information that have been shared in this article and all over the internet and must seek help from a professional certified doctor or call for an ambulance asap.

Now, after knowing these five simple and straightforward tips on how to treat a black rat Snakebite, you can easily treat the wound.



Anybody can follow these steps if they have been bitten by a non-venomous snake, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Black Snake or green snake, or a Grass snake.



Apart from that these steps are useless if you have been bitten by a venomous snake as you need professional help, you can’t do anything much yourself.



The only thing that you should do after getting a bite from a venomous snake is to call an ambulance and keep your body still so that the Venom circulates slower in the blood.

Now after knowing the treatment, you must know how you can prevent a bite from a Black Rat Snake. Let’s know that.

Other Snakes ? That Makes Good Pet (Click to know if they are venomous or not)

White Snakes	Northern Water Snakes	Hognose Snakes
Black Racer Snakes	Grass Snakes	Black Rat Snakes
Rattlesnakes	Bull Snakes	Eastern Hognose Snakes
Green Snakes	Ringneck Snakes	Kingsnakes

How To Prevent A Black Rat Snakebite?

There are some tips that you can follow in order to prevent a bite from Black Rat Snakes.

if you really want to be very cautious about this then make sure that you follow these tips and remember all the points that have been shared here.

Here Are The Tips

• Never enter a territory which is a snake territory if you don’t know enough about Snakes and you don’t know how to deal with one.
  
  
  
  
• If you need to enter a snake territory then you make sure you’re wearing protective clothing like boots, leather jackets, leather gloves, and long pants.
  
  
  
  
• Don’t enter an area where the grass is very long as Black rat snakes tend to be very nocturnal in those areas.
  
  
  
  
• If you are going to pet a Black Rat Snake then makes sure that you don’t handle them too much as it can irritate them and make them bite you.
  
  
  
  
• Make sure that you double-check before you stick your hand into a crevice.
  
  
  
  
• Keep the grasses short around your house.
  
  
  
  
• Avoid keeping big woods, rocks, and piles of leaves as it can invite black rat snakes.
  
  
  
  
• If you keep a pet black Rat Snake then make sure that you keep them in a fully secured enclosure or vivarium because most of the snakes can climb and escape.
  
  
  
  
• Don’t disturb your pet snake if they’re feeding their hunger for the stomach.
  
  
  
  
• Handle your snake with a firm grip as with a strong grip they can feel frightened/threatened.
  
  
  
  
• Don’t go out at night in areas where snakes tend to be more nocturnal and always attack the visitor according to locals or friends.
  
  
  
  
• Before entering any kind of territory must ask the locals if the territory is full of snakes are not. The same applies to the lakes before swimming.
  
  
  
  

The FAQ Frequently Asked Questions