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NERD
Herpetocultural Library
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| Name:
Corn snake Scientific name: Elaphe guttata guttata AKA: "Red ratsnake" |
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General
Information
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| Distribution | ||
| Corn snakes range from Louisiana, through the southern United states, all the way north to south-central New Jersey. | ||
| Wild Status | ||
Cornsnakes
are not listed as protected, although
they are losing much of their habitat in and many populations are being
isolated by development. Roadways invade most of this animal's habitat
which results in a high mortality. |
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| Description | ||
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Corn snakes are long, slender colubrids with a defined head that is noticeably wider than the neck. Typical coloration consists of a tan, yellowish, orange or red ground color, with somewhat square, red, orange, or brown dorsal blotches bordered in black. The ventral surface is white or cream in color. While young corn snakes may be somewhat squirmy or defensive, with care and gentle handling most easily mature into calm, docile adults. |
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| Size | ||
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Hatchlings
approximately 8 - 10". Adult size is typically 3 - 5' at maturity. |
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| Lifespan | ||
| Corn snakes may live 15 years or more in captivity. | ||
| Color Mutations | ||
Corn
snakes started the serpent color morph craze, with more varieties and
combinations available than in any other snake species. Corn snake mutations
include: T- albino, Sunglow albino, Creamsicle, Candycane, "Black
albino" (Type A anerythristic), Charcoal (Type B anerythristic),
Lavender, Snow, Green-blotched Snow, Butter, Blizzard, Hypomelanistic,
Ghost, Zigzag, Bloodred, Albino Bloodred, and many, many more! |
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Captive
Maintenance Guidelines
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| Difficulty Level | ||
Beginner.
Easy, an ideal beginner's snake. Hardy, tolerant of handling and tractable
enough for children. Forgiving in its requirements and needs. A good
snake with which to build the foundation of good husbandry and care
habits. |
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| Enclosure | ||
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Enclosures can be as simple or elaborate as one is capable of caring for. Remember that the more "stuff" you put in a cage, the more "stuff" you have to clean & disinfect on a regular basis. That said, there are many different enclosures that work extremely well for corn snakes, including but not limited to: plastic sweater boxes (i.e. Rubbermaid), melamine racks, Freedom Breeder cages, and any of the commercially available plastic-type reptile cages, (i.e. those from Vision Herp & other similar manufacturers). Glass aquariums & tanks with screen tops also work quite well for corn snakes as they do not require higher humidity. Also refer to our Snake Caging care sheet for more information. Juvenile corns seem to do well in smaller enclosures that make them feel more secure; a small snake in a big cage can become overwhelmed & stressed. Fortunately adult corns do not require exceptionally large or elaborate enclosures. A 36" x 18" x 12" enclosure will more than comfortably house an adult corn snake and still allow space for a nice display vivarium. No matter what, the enclosure in which you keep your corn snake must be secure. Colubrids are extremely talented escape artists, and these are no exception. Ensure that your snake's cage is escape-proof before you start & save yourself the potential stress and heartache of never finding an adventurous snake on the lam. Also remember that ALL enclosures must allow for a proper thermal gradient that the snake can utilize, with a hot spot on one end and a cooler spot on the other. |
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| Substrate | ||
There
are quite a few substrates that work especially well for corn snakes,
and choosing one is a matter of personal preference for your animal's
setup. Newspaper is the cheapest & easiest with regards to cleaning
and disinfecting: out with the old, in with the new. Aspen bedding works
very well for corn snakes, as it packs down & the snakes seem to
enjoy burrowing tunnels through the substrate. |
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| Temperatures & Heating | ||
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Provide your corn with
a basking spot of 88-90° F and an ambient (background) temperature
of 70 - 75° F. The ambient temperature should not fall below 70°
F. It is vitally important to KNOW the temperatures at which you are
keeping your snake(s). DO NOT GUESS!! A great way
to monitor temps is to use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with
a probe. Stick the thermometer to the inside of the cage on the cool
end and place the probe on the warm end, and you'll have both sides
covered at once. There are several ways to go about heating the enclosure: undercage heating pads, ceramic heat emitters, basking bulbs (both regular daytime & red "night" bulbs) are just a few. Use thermostats, rheostats and/or timers to control your heat source. Do not use hot rocks with snakes as they often heat unevenly over too small of a surface area & can cause serious burns. |
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| Humidity | ||
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Fortunately corn snakes are very low-maintenance
regarding humidity requirements. Normal household ambient humidity is
fine for this species, however, if incomplete or stuck sheds are observed
humidity can be raised slightly by providing a humidity box for the
snake. This is as simple as cutting a hole in the top of a tupperware
container that is large enough for the snake to fit into comfortably,
and packing the container with damp sphagnum moss, giving the snake
access to the humidity chamber when it so desires. A humidity box is
really only necessary if your snake is experiencing trouble shedding,
as an environment that is too damp can quickly cause respiratory problems
for corn snakes.
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| Lighting | ||
Supplemental
lighting is not necessary for this species, but if used should run on
a 12/12 cycle, meaning 12 hours on & 12 hours off. Continuous bright,
overhead lighting is stressful to snakes, especially if a hiding spot
is not made available within the enclosure. |
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| Water | ||
Always
make fresh, water available to your corn in a clean water dish. This
is not a species that soaks regularly, so the size of the water bowl
is up to you & does not necessarily need to be large enough for
the snake to climb into on a regular basis. Ensure that the bowl is
not too deep for juvenile animals - 1" or so will suffice. Snakes
of many species may defecate in their water bowls from time to time,
so be prepared for cleaning, disinfecting & a water change when
necessary. It is often beneficial to have a spare water bowl for such
occasions, so that one may be used while the other is being cleaned.
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| Accessories | ||
The
one cage accessory that will help to keep your corn snake happy is a
good hide box...maybe even a couple of them. These snakes will utilize
a hide spot and the presence of one can help your snake feel more secure
in its enclosure. Provide one on each end of your corn's enclosure so
that it doesn't have to choose between temperature & security. Clay
flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, cork bark slabs and commercially
available hide boxes all work quite well. |
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| Feeding | ||
Feed
your snake an appropriately sized rodent weekly. By "appropriately
sized" we mean prey items that are no bigger around than the snake
at its largest point. Corn snakes can eat mice their entire lives -
starting off with pinks & fuzzies as a hatchling & moving up
in size as the animal grows. Do not handle your snake for at least a
day after feeding, as this can lead to regurgitation. Corn snakes have
GREAT feeding responses - be aware of this as you are feeding, as sometimes
these snakes become overstimulated by the smell of food & may mistakenly
bite a keeper in their excitement. Fortunately, due to their voracious
appetites, corn snakes are generally pretty easy to convert to frozen/thawed
or pre-killed rodents (see Snake Feeding caresheet). Never leave a live
rodent unattended with ANY snake. |
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| Maintenance | ||
Spot-clean
your snake's enclosure as necessary. When feces/urates/uneaten prey
items are present, remove them as soon as possible. Clean & disinfect
the water bowl on a weekly basis. Depending on cage conditions, remove
all substrate & cage furniture and completely disinfect using a
5% bleach solution approximately every 30 days. Rinse the enclosure
thoroughly and allow to dry before replacing cage furniture & your
snake. |
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Basic
Reproductive Info
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Corn snakes
reach sexual maturity anywhere from 18 months to 3 years of age. Breeding
season in captivity typically ranges from November to May, starting
with a brumation period where the snakes are subjected to temperatures
from 45 - 55 F for 60 - 90 days. Stop all feeding at least 2 weeks prior
to brumation. Animals should be well established and in excellent condition
before any breeding is attempted. After 2 to 3 months, both males and
females are slowly warmed back up and fed 2 or 3 meals prior to introduction.
Introduce the female into the male's cage. Females typically shed 14-20+
days after ovulation; eggs are usually laid within 30 days of post-ovulation
shed. Clutch size for corn snakes ranges from 6 - 12+ eggs, and females
may lay more than one clutch per year. At incubation temperatures of
82 - 85F (optimal), these eggs take an average of 65 days to hatch.
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Notes/Comments
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For
years, corn snakes have been widely regarded as one of the best "beginner"
snakes available in herpetoculture today. They are attractive, low-maintenance
colubrids that grow into large, robust captives when properly cared
for. These tractable serpents have frequently been the beginning of
a growing fascination with snakekeeping for many herpers. There are
myriad morphs of the corn snake being bred on a yearly basis, eliminating
the need for wild-caught specimens. Corn snakes are an excellent choice
for the beginning herpetoculturist and can make a very nice display
animal. |
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