Missouri Animals Great plains rat snake   (Elaphe guttata emoryi) Chordate: Vertebrate: Reptile: Serpentia: Colubridae Native North American snake Habitat: rocky wooded hillsides. Diet: rodents, bats, small birds. ID Features: checkerboard mottled body with tan and brown colors. Natural History: The great plains rat snake is a medium sized snake that grows to 36 inches. It is normally found under rocks and logs where it hunts by day..

The graphics and text are from: The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri by Tom R. Johnson, Missouri Department of Conservation, ©1992