Known for its striking blue coloration and incredible speed, the blue racer snake is found primarily in the Midwest. These snakes are nonvenomous and play an essential role in their ecosystems, helping to control populations of small mammals and other prey.
While their beautiful blue color makes them stand out, blue racer snakes are also known for their elusive nature, often fleeing at the first sign of danger. They are most commonly found in open habitats, where they can use their speed to their advantage.
Blue is an unusual color in the snake world, which makes blue snakes fascinating to many reptile enthusiasts Out of the over 3,700 snake species globally, only around 50 are known to exhibit some shade of blue. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these rare serpents and what gives them their azure hues
What Causes Blue Coloration in Snakes?
Producing blue pigmentation requires specialized skin structures that most snakes don’t possess. As such displaying vibrant blues uses a lot of energy that many species would rather devote to other biological processes. Generally snakes exhibit blue for one of three reasons
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Camouflage – Some snakes, like the blue-striped garter snake, use blue hues to blend into their surroundings more effectively. This aids their ambush-style hunting.
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Mimicry – Coral snakes often have red, black and blue banding. Non-venomous species may mimic this color pattern to ward off predators.
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Mating – Vibrant blues can help attract the attention of potential mates.
While the causes vary, blue coloration in snakes is always highly strategic from an evolutionary standpoint.
Most Common Blue Snake Species
Now let’s look at some of the blue beauties themselves. Here are among the most famous blue serpent species slithering across the planet today:
Blue-Lipped Sea Krait
This venomous ocean dweller inhabits coral reefs and tidal pools in Southeast Asia and Australia. It has striking jet black and cobalt blue banding throughout its 3-4 foot long body. Its blue lips give it a cheerful appearance, but its highly potent neurotoxic venom means it’s best admired from a distance!
Blue Racer
The blue racer is a harmless colubrid species found across the Eastern and Central United States. It earns its name from its solid powder blue scales along its 3-5 foot body. Its cream-colored chin provides a nice contrast. The blue racer population has declined in recent decades due to habitat loss.
White-Lipped Pit Viper
This arboreal pit viper lives in Indonesia and can range from pale sky blue to a rich teal green. It has highly variable patterning and coloration based on its island origin. It packs a dangerously potent venom in its half-foot long body.
Indigo Snake
The indigo snake inhabits the Southeastern United States. It’s the longest native snake in America, growing up to 8 feet long. Its inky blue-black scales provide perfect camouflage within the longleaf pine forests it calls home. Though nonvenomous, its impressive size means this species should be treated with caution if encountered.
Blue Malayan Coral Snake
This elapid inhabits Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. It has a vibrant blue-banded body and a vivid red head and tail. At around 2 feet long, it carries a highly potent neurotoxic venom that can be fatal without prompt treatment. Its rainbow-like appearance warns predators to stay away.
Why Blue Snakes Are Rare
As mentioned earlier, producing blue coloration requires specialized skin cells that scatter and reflect light to create blue wavelengths. Developing these complex nanostructures demands extra energy expenditure.
Most snakes simply don’t benefit enough from being blue to justify the biological investment. Species like vipers, pythons, boas and rattlesnakes lack blue coloring because their normal browns, tans and blacks provide suitable camouflage without such a high energy cost.
There are also fewer blue pigments available in nature compared to other colors like reds, yellows and blacks. This further limits options for snakes to access blue hues.
These factors combine to make blue a very uncommon reptile color overall. That’s why when we do encounter azure serpents, they never fail to impress us with their rarity and beauty!
Caring for a Blue Snake as a Pet
Due to their stunning appearances, some blue snake species have become popular exotic pets. The blue beauty rat snake and blue-eyed leucistic ball python are two captive-bred examples frequently kept as pets.
If interested in a blue snake companion, make sure to thoroughly research the specific species’ needs. Provide an appropriately sized enclosure with hides, branches, clean water and substrate that enables natural burrowing behavior. Use a quality thermostat and heat mat to maintain a temperature gradient between 75-85°F.
Feed an appropriate prey size every 7-10 days and monitor the snake’s body condition. Blue snakes have similar care needs as their normally colored counterparts, but their rarity does mean securing a healthy, captive-bred individual from a reputable source is key.
Appreciating Nature’s Blue Beauties
Blue snakes possess an allure unmatched by most other reptiles. We’re drawn to their vibrant azure hues that provide a symbolic contrast to the common browns and blacks many associate with snakes. They remind us that nature contains endless diversity and beauty if we take the time to observe her wonders.
Hopefully this overview has provided insight into what makes blue serpents special. Seeing one in the wild would be a herpetologist’s dream, but photographs also let us appreciate their aesthetic appeal. If treated with proper caution and respect, these rare jewels of nature can be admired by all.
Social Habits
Blue racer snakes are solitary creatures, spending most of their time alone except during the breeding season. These snakes are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon.
Blue racers are known for their incredible speed and agility, which they use to escape predators and chase down prey. When threatened, they may vibrate their tails in dry leaves, mimicking the sound of a rattlesnake as a defensive tactic.
However, blue racers are more likely to flee than to stand their ground, relying on their speed to avoid confrontation.
Different Subspecies
While the blue racer is a subspecies of the eastern racer (Coluber constrictor), it is one of the most distinctive due to its unique coloration and regional adaptations. The blue racer is primarily found in areas like northern Indiana, northern Michigan and the most southern tip of Canada, particularly on Pelee Island in Lake Erie.
Unlike other subspecies of racers that may be brown or black, the blue racer’s vibrant color and larger size make it easily recognizable.
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FAQ
Is there a type of snake that is blue?
Blue snakes are a rare and fascinating group of reptiles found in various parts of the world. Their striking coloration makes them an object of curiosity and admiration among herpetologists and nature enthusiasts alike.
Are blue snakes poisonous to humans?
Blue coral snake venom has only occasionally caused human deaths. This species has unusually long venom glands, extending to 25% of the length of the body. The venom contains a neurotoxin, Calliotoxin, that causes near instantaneous paralysis by delaying inactivation of the prey’s sodium channels.
How rare is a blue racer snake?
Fast-moving and shy of humans, the blue racer is one of Canada’s rarest snakes, with fewer than 400 individuals left in the entire country. One of Ontario’s largest snakes, blue racers are slender blue-grey snakes with a black mask around the eyes and white undersides.
Are blue ribbon snakes venomous?
Although it is listed as a non-venomous snake, the saliva of T. proximus has been reported to have toxic properties, though few human envenomations have been reported. It is not thought to be dangerous to humans, and will not bite unless provoked.