Corn Snake

NAME:

Corn Snake

ZOO NAME:

Maize

CLASS:

Reptilia

GENUS:

Elaphe

SPECIES:

guttata

LENGTH:

24-72″

LIFESPAN:

15 years (wild); 23 years (captivity)

DIET:

Mice, Rats, Bats, Birds

PREDATORS:

Man, lizards, snakes, raptors, small mammals

RANGE

Throughout the south-eastern and central United States (New Jersey to the Florida Keys and as far west as Texas) and parts of Mexico

HABITAT

Corn Fields, corn cribs, overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, abandoned or seldom used buildings and farms, from sea level to as high as 6,000 feet

CHARACTERISTICS

Corn Snakes are normally orange with black lines around red colored saddle markings going down their backs with black and white checkered bellies, which resembles Indian Maize.

BEHAVIOR

Corn Snakes are non-venomous constrictors. Usually active throughout the day, these snakes may hide under loose tree bark, logs, and rocks. Corn snakes hibernate in colder regions and come out on warm days to soak up the sun. Because of their generally docile nature, corn snakes are common in the pet trade. When hunting, corn snakes are proficient climbers, scaling trees for birds and bats.

REPRODUCTION

Corn snakes are egg-laying reptiles