Japanese Forest Rat Snake

The Japanese forest rat snake (Euprepiophis conspicillatus) is a colubrid endemic to Japan, 70-100 cm long. It is reddish brown with black spots that in some animals form a zigzag and that fade with age. The ventral scales carry black markings in a chequerboard pattern, the source of its Japanese alternative name. A V-shaped mark on the head runs across the eye, giving the epithet, which means spectacles. The upper jaw overhangs the lower, thought to keep soil out of the mouth as the snake pushes through the ground. The neck is thick and poorly demarcated from the head, and there are 21 rows of dorsal scales. As its Japanese name, the burrower, suggests, it favours the forest floor and works its way into soil and under stones. It prefers cool conditions of around 24 C, is active in the cool of morning and evening, and becomes inactive in the summer heat. It feeds mainly on small mammals such as mice and moles, with a particular liking for nestling mice in underground nests. Captive records show it feeds actively only in spring and autumn, when mice breed, and fasts through summer and winter.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Japanese Forest Rat Snake lives 10-15 years.

The Japanese Forest Rat Snake grows to 70-100cm total length.

The ideal temperature for the Japanese Forest Rat Snake is 24℃.