Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: Pantherophis guttatus
Native to the southeastern and central regions of the United States, ranging from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Louisiana and parts of Kentucky.
Look up Corn Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: Pantherophis guttatus
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Main threats include habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development, as well as occasional mortality from vehicular traffic and collection for the pet trade.
Physical Description
Displays distinctive red, brown, or orange blotches bordered in black along the back and sides, with a spear-point or dart-like marking on the top of the head. The belly features a checkerboard pattern of black and white or grey squares. Scales are weakly keeled and the body is slender with a slightly distinct head.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen pictured appears to be a juvenile measuring roughly 12 to 18 inches. Adult specimens typically reach lengths of 24 to 72 inches (60 to 182 cm).
Habitat
Found in overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, and abandoned or agricultural buildings. Elevation ranges from sea level up to several thousand feet in mountainous terrain.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of small rodents, birds, and bats. Juveniles frequently consume lizards and small frogs. They are active foragers and constrictors, subduing prey by wrapping coils around it.
Reproduction
Oviparous species. Females deposit clutches ranging from 10 to 30 eggs beneath rotting logs, bark, or underground in loose soil during the early summer months. Eggs hatch after an incubation period of approximately 60 to 65 days.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) due to the reddish-brown blotched pattern, but can be distinguished by a slender round head, round pupils, and a patterned belly rather than the pit viper's triangular head and vertical pupils.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Main threats include habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development, as well as occasional mortality from vehicular traffic and collection for the pet trade.
Cultural Significance
Historically named because they were frequently found around corn cribs and barns in agricultural areas, where they naturally controlled rodent populations. They are also among the most popular captive-bred pet snakes in the world.
Notable Features
Possesses exceptional climbing ability, allowing them to scale rough vertical surfaces, trees, and the inside of hollow structures. They are docile when approached and often vibrate the tail tip in dry leaves to mimic rattlesnakes when startled.