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 into 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, with widespread stable populations throughout its natural range, though local populations face habitat fragmentation.
Physical Description
Slender body with a pattern of red, orange, or brownish-red blotches edged in black along the back and sides, interspersed with lighter background coloration. The head often features a characteristic spear-point or dart-shaped marking pointing toward the snout. Ventral scales feature a checkerboard pattern of black and white or yellow. Scales are weakly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
This specimen appears to be a juvenile, roughly 12 to 18 inches long. Adults typically range from 61 to 182 cm (24 to 72 inches) in total length.
Habitat
Found in wooded groves, pine forests, rocky hillsides, agricultural fields, and around abandoned or derelict buildings. Often found hiding under bark, logs, and other debris from sea level up to several thousand feet.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on small rodents, birds, bats, and lizards. Active foragers that use constriction to subdue active prey before ingestion.
Reproduction
Oviparous species. Females typically lay clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in rotting vegetation, under logs, or underground during early summer, which hatch after an incubation period of approximately 60 to 65 days.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with widespread stable populations throughout its natural range, though local populations face habitat fragmentation.
Cultural Significance
Frequently kept in captivity as a popular pet due to vibrant coloration. In the wild, they play a vital ecological role in controlling agricultural rodent populations.
Notable Features
Remarkable climbers capable of scaling vertical brick walls and rough surfaces, and highly adaptable to human-altered environments.
Notes
In my pool