Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: P. guttatus
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: P. guttatus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern due to widespread distribution, high adaptability to human-altered environments, and large stable populations.
Physical Description
This juvenile specimen exhibits a patterned dorsal surface with dark blotches edged in black set against a lighter grayish-brown background. The body is slender with a rounded cross-section and smooth to weakly keeled dorsal scales.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen appears to be a juvenile, approximately 30 to 45 cm in length. Adults typically range from 61 to 182 cm.
Habitat
Found in wooded groves, forest openings, meadows, agricultural fields, and around abandoned or derelict buildings, typically at elevations from sea level up to around 1,000 meters.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of small rodents, lizards, and occasionally birds or bat species. They are active hunters 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 decaying vegetation, rotting logs, or underground burrows during the early summer months.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with various rat snakes (genus Pantherophis) and copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix). Unlike venomous copperheads, corn snakes have round pupils, slender bodies, and lack facial heat-sensing pits.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern due to widespread distribution, high adaptability to human-altered environments, and large stable populations.
Cultural Significance
Popular in the pet trade due to docile nature and manageable size. Ecologically important as natural pest control, keeping rodent populations in check around agricultural areas.
Notable Features
Known for calm demeanor, striking variability in color morphs in captivity, and high proficiency in climbing rough surfaces and navigating tight spaces.