Rat snakes are medium-to-large, nonvenomous snakes that kill by constriction. Recent research has complicated the taxonomic classification of rat snakes.
Some news outlets have reported that hot, dry conditions appear to be driving rattlesnakes into Utahâs urban areas in search of moisture, but this should not be taken as the Great Rattlesnake Invasion of 2021, as some members of the public have interpreted the reports.
âIâm not arguing that people arenât seeing the snakes. They most certainly are, but whether that represents an unusual increase in snake activity, I would be a bit surprised at that,â said USU biology professor Alan Savitzky, noting extreme heat tends to limit snake movement, if anything, because it can be too hot for snakes as well as humans.