Comments: This snake is also known as the chicken snake since it is known to eat chicken eggs and baby chicks. A good climber, the rat snake will raid bird nests of eggs and baby birds and also climb into wood duck boxes. In general rat snakes are very aggressive and bite when caught. They will shake or vibrate their tail when angry, which can sound similar to a rattlesnake's buzzing when it hits dry leaves. As their name implies, rat snakes usually eat rats and mice and are non-venomous.