Species info:
Ratsnakes, including cornsnakes, are common throughout the Midwest and Eastern United States, also ranging into Mexico and Ontario. Like their name suggests, they prefer a diet of small rodents and other warm-blooded animals. They are relatively long compared to most North American snakes, and can reach over 6 feet in length. Ratsnakes are excellent climbers, scaling trees to reach bird nests or to bask in branches, and often living near rocky overlooks and cliffsides. They can also live in close proximity to humans, taking up residence in attics or old barns, eating mice and raiding chicken coops for eggs. They are non-venomous and excellent to have around for pest control, but many people find their size intimidating. Eastern ratsnakes range from New England to Florida, with black, yellow, and orange coloration depending on their location. Ratsnakes are known for inspiring disagreement among taxonomists, with a recent revision suggested that would combine the black ratsnakes native to the Northeast with gray ratsnakes, splitting them from the yellow and orange Everglades varieties, and making RJ and Emery separate species.

Emery info:
Emery was found in a building on the Lancaster Country Day School campus in late September, 2019. We felt it was too late in the season to relocate her, and she came to us with an infected mouth wound that required treatment, so the decision was made to welcome her into the museum family. Emery proved to be very docile for a wild snake, never striking even when she was scared or hurting from her infected mouth. She seemed genuinely curious about people, always poking her head out of her hiding spots to watch what was happening around her. When we first took her in, she would musk slightly (a common snake defensive behavior) if she was taken out during busy times, but over time gained confidence and lost any remaining hints of nervousness. Her mouth healed, and she learned to eat frozen/thawed mice and quail eggs. Emery now goes on field trips with PA Fish & Boat’s Officer Schmidt, educating people throughout Lancaster County about native snakes, and teaching them to be as brave and curious as she is.

Species info:
Ratsnakes, including cornsnakes, are common throughout the Midwest and Eastern United States, also ranging into Mexico and Ontario. Like their name suggests, they prefer a diet of small rodents and other warm-blooded animals. They are relatively long compared to most North American snakes, and can reach over 6 feet in length. Ratsnakes are excellent climbers, scaling trees to reach bird nests or to bask in branches, and often living near rocky overlooks and cliffsides. They can also live in close proximity to humans, taking up residence in attics or old barns, eating mice and raiding chicken coops for eggs. They are non-venomous and excellent to have around for pest control, but many people find their size intimidating. Eastern ratsnakes range from New England to Florida, with black, yellow, and orange coloration depending on their location. Ratsnakes are known for inspiring disagreement among taxonomists, with a recent revision suggested that would combine the black ratsnakes native to the Northeast with gray ratsnakes, splitting them from the yellow and orange Everglades varieties, and making RJ and Emery separate species.

Emery info:
Emery was found in a building on the Lancaster Country Day School campus in late September, 2019. We felt it was too late in the season to relocate her, and she came to us with an infected mouth wound that required treatment, so the decision was made to welcome her into the museum family. Emery proved to be very docile for a wild snake, never striking even when she was scared or hurting from her infected mouth. She seemed genuinely curious about people, always poking her head out of her hiding spots to watch what was happening around her. When we first took her in, she would musk slightly (a common snake defensive behavior) if she was taken out during busy times, but over time gained confidence and lost any remaining hints of nervousness. Her mouth healed, and she learned to eat frozen/thawed mice and quail eggs. Emery now goes on field trips with PA Fish & Boat’s Officer Schmidt, educating people throughout Lancaster County about native snakes, and teaching them to be as brave and curious as she is.

Species info:
Ball pythons are native to the grasslands, shrublands, and open forests of Central and West Africa, from The Gambia to Uganda. Like all pythons, they are non-venomous constrictors, with their diet consisting mostly of small mammals and birds. Also called royal pythons, they are Africa’s smallest python species, with males averaging between 2-3 feet, and females reaching around 5 feet in length. Ball pythons are generally docile snakes, making them one of the most popular reptiles to keep as pets. They have been bred to come in many different colors and pattern morphs. Ball pythons are named for their tendency to curl into a tight ball and hide their head when scared. In the wild, they are capable climbers, but are primarily ground dwellers, retreating into the burrows of other animals to rest or escape from intense heat.

Monty info:
Monty has lived at the North Museum for around 30 years, making him one of our senior residents. While 30 seems to be an average lifespan for ball pythons, it’s not unheard of for them to reach their 40s, and even longer! In 2020, a ball python at the Saint Louis Zoo made the news when she laid a clutch of eggs at the estimated age of 62. She had been donated to the zoo in 1961. We hope to have Monty around for many more years. Despite ball pythons being known for hunger strikes, Monty has been a steady eater of frozen/thawed mice and chicks for the past several years. He is a calm snake who goes to schools, camps, and other off-site outreaches, acting as an ambassador for the North Museum and snakes everywhere. In his 20+ years of living at the museum, he has introduced thousands of people to snakes in a way that they never would have had the opportunity to otherwise experience. His gentle demeanor and cute expressions have convinced people that maybe not all snakes are as scary as they seem, with many visitors commenting in surprise at his softness after touching a snake for the first time.