Zoo Buddy: Black rat snake!

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - We’re getting a close look at the black rat snake, also known as a chicken snake, in today’s Zoo Buddy segment.

You can find this guy in the Reptile Building at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo in Monroe.

They get the name “chicken” snake because they love to eat chicken eggs.

Zookeeper Wade Jones says these guys are found throughout the Southeastern states.

“This is our main species of rat snake in Louisiana; it’s one of our only arboreal species, meaning they climb and spend a lot of time in the trees,” says Jones. “A rat snake this size could climb straight up the bark of a tree; they wedge their scales in the bark to climb.”

He says they’ll get into dens with rattlesnakes. They also steal burrows from other animals, since they aren’t able to dig their own.

The splashpad is also open daily and a great way to cool off! It’s open from about 10 a.m. until 4:15 p.m.

The zoo is open every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can get tickets to feed the budgies, feed the tortoises, ride the boat, or ride the train at the front office. You can reach them at (318) 329-2400

You can also volunteer with the zoo. Contact the Louisiana Purchase Zoological Society through their Facebook page.

Click here for a breakdown of their prices.