Snakes, including rat snakes, are reptiles.
yes
No, rattlesnakes and rat snakes cannot interbreed.
That depends. The term black snake can apply to many different species of snake. The black rat snake, Pantherophis obsoletus, sometimes called the black snake, is indeed a rat snake.
Water
yes
Through their nostrils !
Rat snakes are black,yellow and gray. black ones are from new england.they are harmless.
Black rat snakes and black racer snakes are two different types of snake. Both are...well...black. They are almost identical in appearance, however black racers tend to be more slender. If you encounter a black snake that quickly slithers away or becomes aggressive, it is probably a black racer. If you encounter a black snake that freezes in place or slithers away slowly, it is probably a black rat snake.
The gray rat snake can have such markings, and even the common black rat snake can show gray bands when distended.
Late August
Python, Black Rat, Black Racer, Rattler, Corn snake