For most of us, suddenly coming upon an unknown snake at close range out in the world is certainly enough to get our heart rate going just a little bit quicker.
But what is sure to get your heart beating double time is seeing a jet-black snake, tearing through the grass or out of the underbrush toward you or across your path.
Sound like a nightmare? It isn’t, because you’ve just heard about an entirely common encounter with the black racer.
Black racers, just like the name says, are famous or rather infamous for their speed and agility. Sometimes they come straight at people, though this is due more to poor eyesight, and less to malice.
It might be enough to give you a heart attack, but is the black racer venomous and is it dangerous?
No, the black racer is non-venomous and almost entirely harmless to people. They may eat small animals like newborn chicks and bird eggs, however.
Black racers are very common in the southern part of the United States, and for anyone who lives outside of a city, it’s almost unheard of to talk to someone who hasn’t seen one.
