Great Plains rat snake (Pantherophis emoryi)
The Great Plains rat snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 1,092 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 9 states, most of all Texas (709), Kansas (238) and Oklahoma (83). Its observation records peak in May.
Pantherophis emoryi, commonly known as the Great Plains rat snake, is a species of nonvenomous rat snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the central part of the United States, from Missouri to Nebraska, to Colorado, south to Texas, and into northern Mexico.
From Wikipedia: Pantherophis emoryi, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the Great Plains rat snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The Great Plains rat snake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Often mistaken for
The Great Plains rat snake is non-venomous, but people often take it for rattlesnakes (both are recorded in 9 of its 9 states).
Which states have the Great Plains rat snake?
The Great Plains rat snake's U.S. record is concentrated: Texas alone holds 65% of licensed records. It is listed in 9 states in all; the next are Kansas (238), Oklahoma (83) and Nebraska (25).
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 709 | 1.7% | 20th of 86 |
| 2 | Kansas | 238 | 1.6% | 23rd of 44 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 83 | 0.6% | 31st of 50 |
| 4 | Nebraska | 25 | 1.1% | 16th of 31 |
| 5 | New Mexico | 18 | 0.3% | 37th of 56 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 8 | 0.2% | 30th of 36 |
| 7 | Colorado | 5 | 0.1% | 22nd of 26 |
| 8 | Missouri | 3 | 0.2% | 33rd of 36 |
| 9 | Utah | 1 | 0.0% | 27th of 28 |
When is the Great Plains rat snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the Great Plains rat snake run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 24% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 5% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Texas) and latest in April (Kansas). Each of these states peaks in a different month: April in Kansas and May in Texas.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | March through October | May | 183 |
| Kansas | April through September | April | 30 |
Where the Great Plains rat snake is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 709 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Hidalgo County, Brewster County and Bexar County. Next come Medina County (21) and Cameron County (17).
Kansas
Kansas holds 238 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Kansas run mostly April through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Russell County, Ellis County and Riley County. Next come Rooks County (12) and Trego County (12).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 83 licensed records, the joint 31st most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Atoka County, Comanche County and Woodward County. Next come Cherokee County (4) and Greer County (4).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russell County | Kansas | 63 | 5.8% |
| 2 | Ellis County | Kansas | 61 | 5.6% |
| 3 | Hidalgo County | Texas | 33 | 3.0% |
| 4 | Brewster County | Texas | 23 | 2.1% |
| 5 | Bexar County | Texas | 21 | 1.9% |
| 6 | Medina County | Texas | 21 | 1.9% |
| 7 | Atoka County | Oklahoma | 17 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Cameron County | Texas | 17 | 1.6% |
| 9 | Riley County | Kansas | 15 | 1.4% |
| 10 | Travis County | Texas | 15 | 1.4% |
| 11 | Val Verde County | Texas | 15 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Jeff Davis County | Texas | 14 | 1.3% |
| 13 | Frio County | Texas | 14 | 1.3% |
| 14 | Starr County | Texas | 13 | 1.2% |
| 15 | Rooks County | Kansas | 12 | 1.1% |
How recent are the Great Plains rat snake records?
The Great Plains rat snake record leans on older material: only 22% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 2003. The oldest dated record is from 1911; the busiest year was 1966, with 51 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 1920s | 7 | 0.7% |
| 1930s | 8 | 0.8% |
| 1940s | 24 | 2.3% |
| 1950s | 52 | 4.9% |
| 1960s | 210 | 19.8% |
| 1970s | 72 | 6.8% |
| 1980s | 67 | 6.3% |
| 1990s | 57 | 5.4% |
| 2000s | 159 | 15.0% |
| 2010s | 245 | 23.1% |
| 2020s | 156 | 14.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 45 counties where the Great Plains rat snake is most recorded, 24 are also top counties for the gopher snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the western massasauga.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Gopher snake | 24 |
| Speckled kingsnake | 22 |
| Western massasauga venomous | 20 |
| Coachwhip | 18 |
| Plains black-headed snake | 17 |
| Eastern racer | 16 |
| Central plains milksnake | 15 |
| Chihuahuan night snake | 15 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Pantherophis with profiles here: Eastern rat snake, Western rat snake, Corn snake and Eastern fox snake.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.