Natural Background: Corn snakes are the members of a group of snakes referred to as colubirds, which are found in every part of the world except in Antarctica. However, Corn snakes are found only in North America. Corn snakes belong to the genus “Elaphe” and to the species “Elaphe guttata”. The Latin word “Elaphe” means deerskin and the word “guttata” means spotted or speckled. They are categorized under these species because the Corn snakes’ skin feels like finely tanned deerskin, while the patterns on their back create speckles or spots. The other reason is that these snakes are very frequently found in the corn fields and corn cribs. Of course, they don’t depend on corn for food. They are predatory and will prey upon any warm-blooded mammal. They readily climb trees and enter abandoned buildings in search of prey. However, they are very secretive and spend most of their time underground prowling through rodent burrows.
Butter Stripe Corn | Lavender Corn Snake
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Distribution: Corn snakes are found in the eastern United States from southern New Jersey south through Florida, west into Louisiana and parts of Kentucky. However, corn snakes are most abundant in Florida and the south-eastern U.S. Corn snakes may be found in wooded groves, rocky hillsides, meadowlands, woodlots, barns, and abandoned buildings. They often hide under loose bark and beneath logs, rocks, and other debris during the day. While they are primarily ground-dwellers, some are semi-arboreal. Corns lay eggs, becoming sexually mature at around two years of age. Hatchlings range in size from 9-14 inches (22-36 cm); adults are generally 2.5 to 5 feet 76-152 cm) in length; most are in the 3-4 foot (91-122 cm) range. The average life span of these snakes is 10 years, although one was documented to be 21 years old.
Silver Screen Ghost Corn | Snake Ghost Corn Snake
<!–[if !vml]–>Diet: Mice, rats, chipmunks, moles and rabbits are their common prey and very rarely, they prey on lizards. Corn snakes are primarily diurnal. While the Elaphes feed on everything ranging from fish to frogs to rodents to mammals, wild Corns start off feeding on small invertebrates and vertebrates, such as crickets. Young hatchlings tend to feed on lizards and tree frogs, while adults feed on larger prey, such as mice, rats, birds, and bats. They are constrictors. First a corn snake bites the prey in order to obtain a firm grip, and then it quickly wraps one or more coils of its body around the victim. The snake squeezes tightly until it suffocates the prey. Then it swallows the food whole, usually head first. However, corn snakes have also been observed swallowing small prey alive.
Corn snakes are not an endangered species. However, they are listed by the state of Florida as a Species of Special Concern because they face habitat loss and destruction in the lower Florida Keys. Corn snakes are often mistaken for copperheads and killed. They are also popular as pets. They are the most frequently bred snake species for pet purposes. However they are sometimes captured in the wild to be sold as pets. This does not seem to pose a serious threat to this species at this time.
Opal Corn Snake | Ultramel Blood Corn Snake
The corn snakes are reptiles, but are not among the pythons, rattle, water, coral, or the cobra snake. They are not poisonous, but are constrictors. As mentioned earlier, they are often bred to be pets. The corn snake is not the largest snake. See the pictures of snakes above for an appreciation of their beauty. For more information on the biggest snake, see the home page.
