Corn Snake

Scientific Name: Pantherophis guttatus

Order: Squamata

Family: Colubridae

Conservation Status

About

The corn snake is also called the red rat snake, and gets its name from living near cornfields. They are known as constrictors, meaning the snake will coil up around its prey until it has suffocated. The corn snake can swallow its prey in one piece and only requires food once every few days. Corn snakes are very beneficial, especially to farmers, as they help to reduce rodent populations.

Find me at EPZ

Location: This animal is not on exhibit. It is part of our educational collection and may only be seen in programs inside or outside of the zoo.

Arrived at EPZ: Maizey (11/2022)

Habitat & Range
Corn snakes are native to North America. They reside in warm places and are more common around farm grounds, over-grown fields, flat woods and other areas with trees.
Identification
Corn snakes range from 18 to 72 inches long. They range from orange to dark yellow. However, patterns and colors will differ, depending on their surroundings. Red and orange blotches or spots and lines cover their body, with a black and white checkerboard pattern underneath.
Diet
Most of their diet is made up of small rodents, bats and birds. They will occasionally eat certain lizards.
Reproduction & Lifespan
The mating season takes place from March to May. A female corn snake will lay 10 to 25 eggs with a 60 to 65 incubation period. Corn snakes live to be 5 to 8 years in the wild and around 30 years in captivity.
Fantastic Fact
Due to their common appearance, corn snakes are often mistaken with the poisonous copperhead snake, and often killed by humans. However, corn snakes are actually not venomous.

Corn Snake

Conservation Status

About

Find me at EPZ

Habitat & Range

Identification

Diet

Reproduction & Lifespan

Fantastic Fact