In New Kent County, Virginia, they are abundant in sandy fields near the Chickahominy River, and great numbers are turned up by plows in the spring.

[5] Rainbow snakes subsist mainly on eels, but also prey on fish, earthworms, small frogs, tadpoles, and salamanders.

Adult female rainbow snakes usually lay their eggs in July, leaving them underground in sandy soil.

Rainbow snakes are found in aquatic habitats ranging from cypress swamps and marshes to blackwater creeks, slow-moving streams, and sandy coastal plain.

A small population once inhabited the Lake Okeechobee region of southern Florida, but was declared extinct on October 5, 2011.