The Coachwhip of North America - Snake Profile of a Legend

The coachwhip is one of the biggest snakes in all of North America, sometimes growing to lengths of over eight feet in length. Most coachwhip snakes are about six feet when fully grown. They grow to be quite long, but are very slender and quick. Many legends have developed about this beautiful reptile though few of them have any basis in truth.

The coachwhip is one of the most beautiful snakes on the planet. Legend has it that the coachwhip will literally "whip" you with their tail. While this is obviously untrue, a great many people across the eastern United States still believe this. The reason a coachwhip is so named is because they have a tail that resembles a braided whip. This tail is not used to whip anything, including the prey that they chase down and swallow whole.

The coachwhip is a deep black color pretty much all over except for the tail. Moving towards the braided tail of the coachwhip the color changes to a light brown, tan or brown color. Juvenile coachwhips are light in color as well and are often confused with the black racer juveniles that share their territory.

The coachwhip has large round eyes with rounded pupils. This makes it seem as though the coachwhip is staring at you wide eyed when you come across one. This has led to some back country names such as "crazy snake" and others.

Perhaps one reason the coachwhip is sometimes feared is because of their tendency to vibrate their tails and strike repeatedly when they are cornered. Coachwhips will bite repeatedly and the bite is a painful but non-venomous one. They will not harm you in the long term, but the short term bite will hurt like the dickens. If given half the chance, the coachwhip will quickly escape rather than confront a human. They want nothing to do with us and that is largely why you very rarely come across one in the first place.

The coachwhip is also one of the fastest snakes in North America. They can escape and disappear in the blink of an eye. They use this speed to hunt down prey as well. Their preference is small rodents, lizards and other snakes. They will eat their own kind when the situation presents itself.

The coachwhip is found primarily on the east coast, and prefers flatlands and sandhills throughout the range. They are considered threatened in most of their range and should never be killed. They are of great benefit to us as a natural pest control measure as well as a beautiful member of nature.