Blue racers eat small animals they can chase down: insects, frogs, lizards, small rodents, other snakes and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. They are fast, non-venomous snakes that hunt by sight during the day. They do not squeeze their prey; they grab it and swallow it.
What is a blue racer?
“Blue racer” is the common name for the blue-colored form of the eastern racer (Coluber constrictor foxii), found around the Great Lakes region. Eastern racers in general are slender, fast snakes from about 20 to 65 inches long. The blue racer is rare, and in Ontario’s Pelee Island it is considered endangered, so do not collect or disturb one.
What blue racers eat
- Insects: grasshoppers and crickets are common for young racers.
- Amphibians: frogs and toads.
- Lizards: small lizards and skinks.
- Small mammals: mice, voles and young rabbits.
- Snakes: other, smaller snakes, including garter snakes.
- Birds and eggs: eggs and nestlings of ground- or low-nesting birds.
Racers are active hunters that move with their head raised, using their eyesight to find prey. They do not kill by constriction and are not venomous.
Are they dangerous?
No. Racers are harmless to people but may bite if cornered, and they often shake their tail in dry leaves to scare you off. A bite is shallow and can be cleaned with soap and water; see a doctor if the wound looks infected or you have any allergic symptoms. Racers help by eating rodents and insects.
Can blue racers be kept as pets?
This is not a good pet. Racers are nervous, fast and do poorly in captivity, often refusing food. A rare subspecies may also be protected by law. Enjoy them in the wild instead, and check your local wildlife agency for rules before keeping any native snake.
What to do if one is near your home
Leave it alone and it will move on. Reduce what attracts it by clearing brush piles and sealing gaps, and by controlling rodents.
Related: do garter snakes eat spiders and can a snake eat a cat.
Bottom Line
Blue racers are fast, non-venomous hunters of insects, frogs, lizards, rodents and smaller snakes. They are harmless if left alone and worth protecting.
