Arrogance, sweet, sweet arrogance....

I'm pretty sure that Nashville is someplace in Tennessee.

According to guys who should know, http://www.tennsnakes.org/, the black rat doesn't even occur in that state.

IF you would look at the eye in the first picture and then at the eye of whatever you're calling a black ratsnake I bet a smart observant guy like you will have NO difference seeing THE difference. Count a few scales too, that might give you another indication that things may not be as you think they are.