When surprised, this speedster quickly vanishes into brush, rocks, or mammal burrows. During the day, it hunts with head held high, watching for scurrying lizards or small mammals. Small snakes, including venomous species, are also eaten. An agile climber, it is occasionally seen high in trees, basking or searching for nesting birds. Schott's and Ruthven's Whipsnakes, formerly considered subspecies of Striped Whipsnake, are now subspecies of M. t. schotti, a more colorful species of s. Texas and Mexico.

description 40-72" (101.6-182.9 cm). Long, slender, and fast-moving. Dark gray, brown, or black above; typically with 2 continuous or broken light lengthwise white stripes on each side; longitudinal white bars in some populations. Large head scales edged in white. Whitish to yellowish below, darkening to deep pink on tail. Scales smooth, in 15 rows. Anal plate divided.

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