Corn Snake (or Central Rat Snake)
Pantherophis guttatus (or Pantherophis alleghaniensis) • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: P. guttatus
Southeastern and central United States, extending from New Jersey south to Florida and west into Louisiana and parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Look up Corn Snake (or Central Rat Snake) in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: P. guttatus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Threats include habitat loss due to development and road mortality, though they adapt well to human-modified environments.
Physical Description
Slender body with a pattern of dark brown or reddish-brown blotches edged in black, set against a lighter gray or brownish-tan background. The head has a distinct spear-shaped or dart-like marking on the crown, and the belly features a checkered black-and-white pattern. Scales are weakly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
This individual appears to be a juvenile, approximately 12 to 18 inches in length. Adults typically range from 61 to 182 cm (24 to 72 inches).
Habitat
Found in wooded groves, fields, rocky hillsides, meadows, agricultural lands, and around suburban homes, typically from sea level to over 1,000 meters elevation.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of rodents, small birds, bats, and lizards. Juveniles often consume lizards and small frogs, transitioning to mice and rats as they grow. They are active constrictors that hunt both by ambush and active foraging.
Reproduction
Oviparous species that mates in the spring (March to May). Females deposit clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in rotting logs, leaf litter, or underground burrows during June or July, with incubation lasting about 60 to 65 days.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Threats include habitat loss due to development and road mortality, though they adapt well to human-modified environments.
Cultural Significance
Commonly kept in the captive pet trade due to diverse morphs. Highly beneficial in agricultural and suburban areas for natural rodent pest control.
Notable Features
Excellent climbers capable of scaling vertical brick walls and rough surfaces. They possess specialized scale microstructures that aid in friction control during climbing.
Notes
Evening. Southeast.