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, due to a wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and stable population trends.
Physical Description
Features a patterned back with dark-bordered reddish-brown or brownish blotches set against a greyish or tan background color. The head shows a characteristic spear-point or arrowhead marking. Scales are weakly keeled, and the body is slender with a rounded cross-section.
Size & Dimensions
This individual appears to be a juvenile, approximately 12 to 18 inches in length. Adult corn snakes typically reach lengths of 61 to 182 cm (24 to 72 inches).
Habitat
Found in overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, and abandoned or agricultural buildings. They frequent areas with high rodent populations and abundant cover.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of rodents, lizards, and tree frogs. They are active hunters and constrictors, wrapping their bodies around prey to subdue it before ingestion.
Reproduction
Oviparous species. Females lay clutches typically ranging from 10 to 30 eggs in concealed, humid locations such as beneath rotting logs or underground burrows during the early summer.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to a wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and stable population trends.
Cultural Significance
Commonly kept in captivity as a popular pet due to vibrant morph variations. In the wild, they play an important ecological role in controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Juveniles often exhibit lighter or greyer ground colors that develop more vivid red, orange, or brown hues as they mature into adulthood.