Eastern yellow-bellied racer facts for kids
The eastern yellow-bellied racer is a type of snake. It is not venomous, so its bite is not dangerous. This snake lives only in North America. It is a subspecies of the eastern racer snake.
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What Does This Snake Look Like?
The eastern yellow-bellied racer is a thin snake. It can grow up to about 1.5 meters (60 inches) long. Adult snakes are usually olive-grey or green. Their bellies are yellow.
Young racers look very different! They have tan or cream-colored bodies. They also have brown or grey blotches, like spots. As the snake grows, its color slowly changes. It becomes a solid olive-grey or green. This change happens when the snake is between 1½ and three years old. It also happens when the snake is about 46 to 76 centimeters (18 to 30 inches) long.
Where Do These Snakes Live?
You can find the eastern yellow-bellied racer in many parts of the United States. They live in states like Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. They are also found east to Iowa and south to Texas and Louisiana. Sometimes, small groups of these snakes are found in Canada too.
Protecting This Snake
In the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, the eastern yellow-bellied racer is an endangered species. This means there are very few of them left there. People are working to protect them.
How Do These Snakes Behave?
Racers are active during the day. This means they hunt and move around when the sun is out. They are very fast snakes. If you try to pick one up, they might bite quickly.
These snakes are predators. They mostly eat small animals like rodents, lizards, and frogs. Young racers also eat soft-bodied insects. Racers are quite nervous snakes. Because of this, they usually do not do well as pets.
