Elaphe schrencki is a heavily-built snake, reaching 150 to 180 cm when fully grown. Body section is however more elliptic than for other colubrids of the same corpulence (P. obsoletus or O. taeniurus for example).
Adult coloration consists of an iridescent black background, sometimes brown black (similar to E. anomala) marked with brown transverse bands in greyish or beige to light yellow or even bright yellow. The labial scales are clear, generally of colors of bands or clearer.
Young snakes have a rather distinct pattern. Background color is brown more or less bored, marked with clearer transverse bands, beige to greyish, and lined with a darker color. The head is decorated with a very visible V shape. Change appears little by little from 12th to 18th month old.

Scale count:
- Postoculars : 2.
- Temporals : 2+3, 2+4 or 1+3.
- Supralabials : 7 to 8. 3rd and 4th or 4th et 5th in contact with eye.
- Subocular : 1 small, behind the preocular.
- Infralabials : 9 to 11.
- Dorsals : 21 to 23 at mid-body. Scales are smooth on the sides and keeled on the back.
- Ventrals : 200 to 236.
- subcaudals : 55 to 78.
- Anal plate divided .

E. schrenki inhabit East of Siberia, through the valleys of the Amur River and the Songhua and Ussuri Rivers, as well as the islands of Saliou Petra Velikogo's bay(berry), in front of Primorskiy ( Russia). It would seem that some area zones could be convenient to the natural hybridization with E. anomala, but it was not clearly established.

E. schrencki benefits from no particular status of conservation.

Enclosure
This strong snake need plenty of space. A terrarium of 100x50x50 cm seems to be a good choice for an adult, a pair would need more room, at least 120x50x50 cm. A moderate heating is sufficient to obtain 24 to 28°C, during the day, it is turned off at night to fall between 18 and 20°C. Lighting is supplied by a classic white tube, or by natural light if it is sufficient, for 10 to 14 hours a day.
Substrate should be kept dry. It is possible to use successfully mulch of none-coniferous white wood (beech, poplar), aspen bed, dust-free wood shavings for rodents, for example, or even newspaper. Wastes are not liquid as it is often reported in many care sheets, but they are abondant: the substrate has to be absorbent or be very regularly changed. Water bowl must be big enough so that snakes can bathe in, what they often makes in summer. Brief pulverizings of tepid water can be made from time to time during the active period.
E. schrencki is a very active snake during the day: decoration will have to take it into account because it will push aside all that we shall put in the terrarium. Strong branches, propped up well, are very appreciated by this specie which will sometimes spend there long moments. Hiding places will be placed partially in warm area as partially in cool places.

Feeding
The Amur Ratsnake is an insatiable eater in captivity, little demanding on its food: mouse, young rats, birds and their eggs, young rabbits etc. It is necessary to take care not to overfeed them to avoid a overweight negative for their life expectancy and their reproduction. A meal of adapted size every 7 to 10 days generally matches, females in gestation will eat more frequently but preys preferentially smaller .

Reproduction
Reproduction of E. schrencki is common and presents no difficulty. An annual rest period is however one of the success'conditions: the results are disappointing or even non-existent in term of fertility when this rest does not take place.
The rest period is a cooler period of 2 months at least, which takes place according to the possibilities of the facilities and the outside climate, generally between November and February. Temperature is gradually lowered until achieve 10 to 15°C (50 -59°F), the lighting is turned off (no artificial lighting).
E. schrencki shed their skin generally quickly after this rest, between 10 and 20 days. Matings begin after the slough, especially that of the female. In a general way we introduce the female into the terrarium of the male. When the male is introduced into the terrarium of one or several females, he begins to rub itself strongly in the decoration as if he wanted to get rid of his shed; maybe he tries "to mark" directly this new territory by perceiving the presence of females.
Mating can be rather energetic: the male pursues the female, trying to maintain her on the ground, and sometimes bitting her (see picture). When the female is willing to mate she raises the tail to allow the copulation. This one lasts between 20 minutes and more than 2 hours.

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Mating, and close-up of male's bite.

Male keep its appetite during the reproduction period, contrary to other similar colubrids (Pantherophis, Lampropeltis, Zamenis, for example).
The period of gestation is short, approximately 1 month. The female shed 10 to 15 days before laying: laying box has to be disponible from this moment. The clutch consist of 6 to 12 rather big eggs (55 x 25 mm, 25 g on average). Incubation, in standard conditions (27-28°C, 80 to 90 % of relative humidity), lasts 50 to 55 days, sometimes less (minimum: 35 days, in 30°C). Hatchings measure 30 to 35 cm for a weigth of 15-20 g, and are capable of ingesting fuzzies following their first slough. Their growth is fast, and the sexual maturity is reached between the second and third year of their life (sometimes earlier, but it contains a concrete risk for the too young females).

Clutch of E. schrencki

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Hatching of Elaphe schrencki and young.