Japanese rat snake
| Japanese Rat Snake | |
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| Species: | E. climacophora
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| Elaphe climacophora (Boie, 1826)
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The Japanese Rat Snake (Elaphe climacophora) is a medium sized snake found throughout the Japanese archipelago (except the far South West). In Japanese it is known as the Aodaishō or "Green General". It is a non-venomous snake, and a member of the Colubrid family.
Adults reach a length of between one and two meters and a girth of about five centimeters, and is the largest Japanese snake outside of Okinawa. The color is rather variable, from pale yellow-green to a dark blue-green pooish color
The young snakes have a pattern of brown stripes, which may be an example of mimesis to the venomous mamushi. An albino form is known, especially around Iwakuni, where they are known and revered as "Iwakuni White Snakes". The albino population was protected in 1924 as a "National Monument".
Japanese rat snakes eat a variety of small animals: rodents, frogs or lizards. They are strong climbers and often raid birds nests. They were favoured by farmers as effective rat control (though unpopular with chicken rearers). Natural enemies include Eagles and Raccoon Dogs.
The snakes hibernate for three to four months, mate in spring and lay 7-20 eggs in early summer.
In the German reptile zoo Exotarium Oberhof Elaphe climacophora has been found able to mate with Elaphe schrenckii and to produce fertile bastards, that in mating with each other result in snakes that look very much like Elaphe taeniura
References
- Japanese Wikipedia
- Ratsnakes.com