Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: P. 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: P. guttatus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and stable population trends.
Physical Description
This juvenile or dark-morph specimen exhibits a dark grey to brownish background color overlaid with darker, irregular blotches along the back and sides. The head shows complex patterning, and the body is relatively slender with faintly keeled scales.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is around 30 to 45 cm. Typical adult size ranges from 61 to 182 cm.
Habitat
Found in a variety of habitats including overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, and abandoned or agricultural buildings. Elevation ranges from sea level up to around 1,500 meters.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on small rodents, birds, and lizards. Juveniles often target lizards and small mice. They are active foragers and utilize constriction to subdue their prey.
Reproduction
Oviparous species. Females typically lay clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in decomposing vegetation or under logs during early summer, which hatch after approximately 60 to 65 days.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and stable population trends.
Cultural Significance
Commonly kept in captivity as a popular pet snake due to its wide variety of captive-bred color morphs. In the wild, they play an important ecological role in controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Known for their excellent climbing abilities and complex, variable patterns that help camouflage them in leaf litter and forest floors.