Corn Snake

Corn Snake, Red Rat Snake Latin name: Elaphe guttata guttata

Mid – Atlantic and Southeastern United States (from the Pine Barrens of New

Jersey to the upper Keys of Florida).

Hatchling corn snakes range in size from 9 - 14 inches in length. Adult corn snakes

reach anywhere from 2 ½ to five feet. Males tend to achieve a larger size than

females.

12 - 15 years, the captive record is 21years.

A slender snake with black bordered, irregular red or rust colored

dorsal blotches. Background color can range from brilliant orange to silvery gray.

The belly is white with a black checkerboard pattern. The body scales are smooth

to weakly keeled and the sub - caudal scales are divided.

*Note - because of the trend to strive for odd color and pattern morphs in

captivity, many strains of captive produced animals vary in appearance from the

above described traits. For example, blood red corns lack the checkerboard

ventral pattern and striped corns possess dorsal stripes instead of blotches.

.

From a 12"/6" plastic “shoe box” or five gallon tank for hatchlings

and juveniles to a 16"/24" “sweater box” or 30 gallon fish tank for adults.

Ambient air temperature should range between 780 - 820F during

the day and may drop to 65

As stated earlier, corn snakes require a supplemental hot spot to

adequately digest food and remain active. They should be provided with a

heat pad or overhead incandescent light that will provide an area of about

1/3 of the enclosure that achieves a temperature of 85 - 90 F. Hot rocks are

unstable and often get far too hot, therefore unless they are connected to a

rheostat, which will control the temperature, they are not recommended.

Newspaper, butcher paper, paper towel, indoor/outdoor carpeting,

aspen shavings and cypress mulch (for larger individuals). Avoid any

cedar based wood shavings, as they exude irritating and possibly toxic

vapors.

Natural open wood and grasslands. Common around farms where

this species helps to control potentially damaging rodent populations. In

captivity, corn snakes should be provided with a warm, dry enclosure and

should always have clean, fresh water provided in an easily accessible

bowl. Animals will become stressed if they are not provided with a shelter

where they can conceal themselves from view.

Corn snakes of all ages will feed on captive produced laboratory rodents

(mice and rats). It is highly recommended that keepers feed their animals

only humanely pre-killed food items to eliminate the risk of injury to the

snake from the bite of a rat or mouse and prevent unnecessary suffering of

the food animal. Never leave live rodents with snakes unattended. If live

food is offered and not eaten within 30 minutes, remove it. Never feed

captive snakes food procured from the wild. Wild animals possess

potentially harmful internal parasites that can build up to debilitating

numbers in captivity. Baby corn snakes should be voluntarily feeding on

pink or fuzzy mice prior to their sale in a retail outlet. As they grow corn

snakes should be fed appropriately larger food items. A good rule of

thumb for feeding all captive snakes is that the food item should not be

larger than 1 and ½ times the girth of the snake at its thickest point. Adult

corn snakes can be adequately maintained on 2 to 3 adult mice or one

small rat a week.

Enclosures should be spot checked for fecal matter daily. It is

recommended that carpet substrates be removed and washed at least weekly.

Paper substrates should also be changed weekly. If conscientiously spot cleaned,

wood based substrates can be replaced every 2 to 3 weeks. Water bowls should be

cleaned and replaced at least weekly and any uneaten dead food should be

removed after 2 -3 hours.