Wildlifeof China
Elaphe schrenckii
Colubrid Snakes
Photo: Repina Tatyana · CC BY 4.0
Elaphe schrenckii
Basic stats
Diet
Small mammals, birds and bird eggs
Habitat
Moist forest clearings, scrub and farmland; semi-arboreal, mostly crepuscular; up to 2,000 m
Range
North-east Asia: Amur Basin of Russia, north-eastern China and Korea
Size
Usually 1.2–1.6 m
The Amur rat snake (Elaphe schrenckii), also known as the Manchurian black water snake, is a non-venomous colubrid of north-east Asia. It inhabits fairly moist places such as forest clearings, scrub and farmland, hiding in tree cavities or piles of stone or wood, and it flees up a tree or into the water when threatened. (The Reptile Database; Wikipedia, general species account)
It reaches up to 2,000 m, tolerates cooler areas than many snakes, and averages 1.2–1.6 m. It is an excellent swimmer and climber and is believed to be mostly crepuscular. It feeds mainly on small mammals, birds and bird eggs, and females lay 6–30 eggs in June or July. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Quick answers
- What does the Elaphe schrenckii eat?
- Small mammals, birds and bird eggs
- What habitat does the Elaphe schrenckii live in?
- Moist forest clearings, scrub and farmland; semi-arboreal, mostly crepuscular; up to 2,000 m
- Where is the Elaphe schrenckii found?
- North-east Asia: Amur Basin of Russia, north-eastern China and Korea
- How big is the Elaphe schrenckii?
- Usually 1.2–1.6 m