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
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Populations are generally stable across their natural range, though local populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and collection for the pet trade.
Physical Description
Features a patterned back with dark brown or reddish-brown blotches outlined in black, set against a lighter grayish-brown background. The head is distinct from the neck with dark spear-shaped markings or dashes on the crown. The eyes have round pupils, and the dorsal scales are weakly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen appears to be a juvenile, roughly 12 to 18 inches in length. Adults typically range from 24 to 72 inches (61 to 183 cm) in total length.
Habitat
Found in forested regions, overgrown fields, palmetto flatwoods, and rocky hillsides. Often utilizes agricultural lands, abandoned buildings, and suburban areas. Prefers terrestrial microhabitats with plenty of cover such as logs, bark, and debris.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on small rodents, birds, bats, and occasionally lizards. Juveniles typically target small lizards and newborn mice. They are active foragers and constrictors that subdue prey by wrapping around it and squeezing.
Reproduction
Oviparous species that typically breeds in the spring. Females lay clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in concealed, damp locations such as rotting logs, leaf litter, or underground burrows during early summer, with incubation lasting around 60 to 65 days.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Populations are generally stable across their natural range, though local populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and collection for the pet trade.
Cultural Significance
Widely popular in the reptile hobby due to ease of captive care. Plays an important ecological role in controlling rodent populations in agricultural and suburban environments.
Notable Features
Exhibits a wide variety of morph mutations (color and pattern variations) bred in captivity, including amelanism (albino), anerythrism, and various stripe or blotch mutations.