The Corn Snake is a non-venomous snake that is found in the South-East of the USA. They are mainly active at dusk and dawn and are commonly mistaken for Rat Snakes.
Corn Snakes do not actually eat corn. Their diet consists of rodents and small mammals. They simply get their name as they are commonly found in farmhouse barns, where they are searching for their next meal. They are often appreciated by farmers as they help keep rodent populations under control.
Corn Snake Description
Corn Snakes are slender snakes that don’t grow too big. Most adults will reach a maximum length of about 5 feet. The common Corn Snake is orange or dark yellow in colour with darker red blotches or stripes running along its back and lateral sides. Their belly is white and usually covered in black markings.
Unfortunately these snakes are sometimes mistake as Cottonmouths and killed as a result. While there are similarities between the two snakes, they can be easily distinguishable. Cottonmouths generally have distinctively shaped bands running the length of their body while Corn Snakes have a more vibrant, variable shaped pattern. The head of a Cottonmouth is also far more pronounced.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
Corn Snakes are native to the USA where they are found in the South-East of the country in states such as Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. There are also concentrated populations in other surrounding states.
They share much of their geographical range with the American Five Lined Skink.
These snakes are often found around human habitation and are not too intimidated by the presence of humans. They can often be found on agricultural land or in barns where they take advantage of the large rodent populations in these environments.
They prefer drier environments and spend a lot of time in burrows or hiding under other objects when not hunting for food.
Corn Snake Behaviour
The Corn Snake is one of the most docile species of snake. The can become very accustomed to handling and will tolerate long handling sessions if handled regularly. They are a slender snake that doesn’t grow too large making them ideal for beginners and children.
In the wild they hunt their prey using scent rather than smell. They have adapted to live around human habitation where there are increased rodent populations. While they often live on agricultural land, they pose no threat to a farmer’s crops or livestock. In fact, they are an import part of pest control as they feed on the rodents that eat the crops and spread diseases.
When threatened, a Corn Snake will often vibrate its tail against the ground. This defensive mechanism is similar to that of a Rattlesnake. This is likely due to an evolutionary trait known as Batesian mimicry, where an animal will mimic another more dangerous species in an attempt to scare away predators.
They do not share the same geographical range as the Rattlesnake so it is unlikely that they are trying to trick a potential threat into thinking it is a Rattlesnake. It is more likely that they are trying to mimic a Cottonmouth. These snakes have the same defensive mechanism as a Corn Snake, vibrating their tail against the ground to scare away a potential threat.
Corn Snakes as Pets
The Corn Snake is one of the most popular pet reptiles. They are a hardy snake that doesn’t grow too large and they have a docile temperament. These factors combined make the Corn Snake an ideal pet reptile for beginners.
These snakes are also a popular species among snake breeders due to the seemingly endless array of colour and pattern mutations that can be produced by selectively breeding these snakes.
They are readily available from breeders and pet stores. They are also quite easy to breed, making them a popular species for people who want to attempt their first breeding project.
Feeding a Corn Snake
In the wild a Corn Snake has a varied diet that consists of rodents, birds, bats, amphibians and lizards. Juvenile Corn Snakes tend to have a particular fondness for eating lizards. However, these snakes are opportunistic and will feed on a large range of animals that are small enough to consume.
In captivity, their diet primarily consists of appropriately sized mice or rats. A hatchling can be fed frozen thawed pinky mice. The size of the food should be increased as the snake grows. A general rule is to feed the snake food that is slightly smaller than the width of its body.
If the snake refused to eat nice or rats alternative food items can be offered. These include baby chick, quail and gerbils. Corn Snakes can sometimes go off their food especially in colder weather or while breeding. This is completely natural and as long as the snake isn’t loosing significant weight there is nothing to worry about.
Housing a Corn Snake
An adult Corn Snake will thrive in a three foot long enclosure. This setup can be as elaborate or as basic as you like. Hatchlings can be housed in smaller setups with many people choosing to use plastic containers for the first couple of months of the snake’s life.
These snakes should be housed in individual enclosures as housing multiple snakes together can cause stress and issues during feeding. They should only be paired during the breeding season.
The Corn Snake is a hardy snake that does well in a range of setups including glass vivariums, wooden enclosures and plastic tubs. Whatever setup you choose, ensure it is escape proof as this snake is an escape artist. You should include at least two hides in the setup with one placed at the hot end and the other placed at the cooler end of the enclosure to allow the snake to feel secure while thermo regulating.
While Corn Snakes are primarily a terrestrial species they will climb if given the opportunity. You can add branches and rocks to the enclosure. This will encourage the snake to explore its surrounding which provides valuable exercise.
Light and Heat
Corn Snakes require a warm basking area during the day. This can be achieved using a heat lamp or with a heat mat. Never use heat rocks as they are known to get excessively hot and can burn your snake. Your heat mat or bulb should be controlled by a thermostat to ensure the temperatures are correct.
During the day, the ambient temperature in the enclosure should be 80F (27⁰C). You should also provide your snake with a hot spot of 90F (32⁰C) while night time temperatures can drop to 70F (21⁰C).
A Corn Snake does not need any special lighting such as UVA or UVB lighting. They are primarily a nocturnal snake that is mostly active at dusk and dawn so they are rarely active during the day when the sun provides this spectrum of lighting.
Substrate
Corn Snakes do well on a wide range of substrate. If you are looking for a substrate that is easy to maintain, these snakes do well on paper towel or newspaper. These substrates can simply be thrown away and replaced when they become soiled.
Another option is to use reptile carpet. This will provide a more natural looking substrate than can be easily removed and cleaned when soiled. It is a good idea to have two or three pieces cut to size so that the spares can be used when a soiled piece is getting cleaned.
More naturalistic looking substrates can also be used. Corn Snakes do well on many of these substrates including aspen shavings and cypress mulch. These substrates should be spot cleaned when soiled. You should perform a deep clean of the enclosure once a month to prevent dangerous bacteria from building up.
Shedding
As with all snakes, a Corn Snake will shed its skin for the duration of its life. Juveniles will shed their skin every four to six weeks as they are growing quickly. Adults will shed far less frequently but will still go through the process a couple of times a year.
After a snake sheds its skin it is important to do an examination to ensure there is no stuck shed. If there is it can be easily removed by soaking the snake in warm water. After a short bath the skin will loosen and it should easily peel off.
To prevent partial shedding ensure the humidity in the enclosure is at least 60% throughout the shedding process. This is easily achieved by lightly spraying the substrate every day. You can also offer the snake a damp hide box filled with sphagnum moss during this time to further aid the process.
Handling a Corn Snake
Baby Corn Snakes can be a bit nervous and may try to flee or defend themselves when handled. While they may attempt to bite, the nibble will be harmless. Baby Corn Snakes are very small and fragile so they should be handled with care. Be careful not to drop them as it could easily injure them.
Breeding Corn Snakes
The first requirement when attempting to breed Corn Snakes is to ensure you have a male and female pair. Sexing baby Corn Snakes is relatively straight forward. The most common methods for sexing a snake are popping and probing. These should only be performed by an experienced person as they can seriously injure the snake if done wrong.
Like many snakes, Corn Snakes require a cooling period to “tell them” that it is time to breed. Temperature can be reduced in winter to about 50F for 8 to 10 weeks. Ensure a snake has fully digested its last meal before reducing the temperatures as undigested food can be extremely dangerous to the snake.
Many breeders also choose to keep their snakes in complete darkness for the duration of this time while others choose to leave the natural day/night cycle of winter dictate daylight hours.
After 8 to 10 weeks temperatures can be gradually restored. Feeding is also restored at this time. Some breeders choose to introduce the male into the female’s enclosure at this time while others wait for the snakes first shed after the warm-up period. It is important to look out for the signs that the female is ovulating. During ovulation you will notice a bulge in the midsection of the female, as if she has just eaten a large meal.
Females will usually continue to eat for the first few weeks after ovulation but once the developing eggs start to grow they will often go off their food. Males on the other hand will usually go off food entirely during the breeding season. Food should still be offered at this time but don’t worry if it is refused. Offer female’s smaller food than usual as they will find it difficult to pass large prey while eggs are developing inside them.
A Corn Snake will shed their skin 1-2 weeks before laying eggs. A lay box should be placed in the female’s enclosure at this time. They prefer to lay their eggs in a damp secluded location so a plastic container filled with sphagnum moss or damp vermiculite is ideal for this purpose.
Once the clutch is laid it should be removed from the female’s enclosure and put in an incubator. The eggs can be incubated at 80-85F. Damp vermiculite and perilite are good substrate options. They should be slightly damp so that it clumps when squeezed but not so wet that it drips. Humidity should be kept at about 70%-85%.
After 60 to 70 days after they are laid, the eggs will start to hatch.