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 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: Pantherophis guttatus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as the species has a wide distribution and adapts well to human-altered environments.
Physical Description
The visible specimen shows a slender body caught in a glue trap, with a distinct patterned dorsal marking consisting of reddish-brown or orange blotches outlined in black against a lighter grey, tan, or orange-brown background. Head pattern often includes a spear-point marking.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears small, likely a juvenile measuring around 12 to 18 inches. Adult corn snakes typically reach sizes between 2.0 to 5.5 feet (61 to 168 cm).
Habitat
Found in wooded groves, pine forests, rocky hillsides, meadows, and agricultural fields. Frequently utilizes barns and abandoned buildings, often near human habitations.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of rodents, small birds, and lizards. Juveniles target small lizards and mice, utilizing constriction to subdue prey before ingestion.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, with females laying clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in decaying vegetation, logs, or underground burrows during early summer.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as the species has a wide distribution and adapts well to human-altered environments.
Cultural Significance
Extremely popular in the pet trade due to wide variety of morphs, and beneficial in agricultural ecosystems by controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Known for excellent climbing ability and complex natural pattern variations that have made them foundational in reptile breeding and genetics.