Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) being mobbed by Indian Mynah
This Specimen from Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
The Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) is a common Indian Snake found in parts of South and South east Asia. It is a large snake 1.5 to 1.95 m long and 4 to 6 cm in diameter. It is non venomous and fast moving. Eating a variety of prey and in urban areas, found where rodents live, they are fast moving. Brown above, they may possess distinct black cross bands on the posterior part of the body.
They are diurnal and semi arboreal. Rat snakes mate in late spring and early summer, but in some places (tropics) this may be throughout the year. They are strongly territorial. Males establish territories, by a ritual of inter twining their bodies. This is sometimes wrongly understood as a mating dance. Females produce 6-15 eggs per clutch several weeks after mating.
Acknowledgements-Dr. Yashpal Singh, Mrs. Neena Singh, Mr. Rajesh Bedi, Manoj Kumar Yadav