I hardly ever see these elusive snakes. Pine Snakes are often underground as they dig burrows in the sand for dens, nests and places to hibernate. To help with doing this, they have a special scale at the front of their snouts to shield their nose and protect them as they tunnel underground.

The pine snake is a nonvenomous constrictor. It kills its prey by coiling itself around it to suffocate the animal. Pine snakes are known to eat mammals as large as rabbits, as well as small rodents and birds. They are most active in early morning or late afternoon when they leave their burrows to hunt. It is a threatened species in NJ.