Western
New York Herpetological Society
www.wnyherp.org
©
2001 - 2002 by Western New York Herpetological Society
This
document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of
information. New information is being developed daily. It is recommended that a
concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of
interest.
Common
Name:
Corn
Snake, Red Rat Snake
Latin
name:
Elaphe
guttata guttata
Native
to:
Mid
– Atlantic and Southeastern United States (from the Pine Barrens of New Jersey
to the upper Keys of Florida).
Size:
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.
Life
span:
12 -
15 years, the captive record is 21years.
General
appearance:
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.
Housing
requirements:
Enclosure:
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.
Temperature:
Ambient
air temperature should range between 78º - 82º F during the day and may drop to
65 - 70º0F at night. Temperatures at the basking area should provide the snake
with a constant hot spot of 85º - 90º F.
*Note - Many sub - adult and adult corn
snakes will voluntarily cease feeding during the cool winter months. This
coincides with their natural winter dormant period. If the snake refuses food
for two to three weeks during the winter and appears otherwise healthy, the
temperature in the enclosure may be allowed to drop to the mid 60's F for one
to three months. If breeding is desired, this dormant period appears to
increase fertile egg production.
Heat/Light:
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 85º - 90º 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.
Substrate:
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.
Environment:
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.
Diet:
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.
Maintenance:
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.
Other
references or recommended reading:
Keeping
and Breeding Corn Snakes by Michael J. McEachern, published by Advanced
Viviarium Systems, 1991.
A
Color Guide to Corn Snakes by Michael J. McEachern, published by Advanced
Vivarium
Systems, 1991