Missouri Animals Western fox snake   (Elaphe vulpina vulpina) Chordate: Vertebrate: Reptile: Serpentia: Colubridae Native North American snake Habitat: lowland forests. Diet: mice, chipmunks, small birds, bird eggs. ID Features: brown body with large alternating black blotches the length of the body. Natural History: The western fox snake is a medium-large snake that reaches 4 1/2 feet in length. It is often found on the edges of wood lots. It is generally diurnal but takes shelter under logs or in animal burrows. It feeds by constriction..

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