Corn Snake
Corn Snake Facts
| Size | 47-59 in (120-150 cm) |
| Speed | Unknown |
| Weight | About 13 oz (370 g) |
| Lifespan | 17 years (female); 32 years (male) |
| Food | Rodents, lizards, birds, eggs |
| Predators | Eagles, hawks, pumas, wolves, bears, dogs, cats |
| Habitat | North America |
| Class | Reptiles |
| Order | Scaled reptiles |
| Family | Colubridae |
| Scientific name | Pantherophis guttatus |
| Characteristics | Saddle patches; bright red-orange coloring |
A Snake in the Colors of the German Flag?!
Corn snakes have black, red and yellow coloring. Breeders select these to create beautiful color variations like “blood red” (red), “snow” (white), “ghost” (gray) and “mandarin” (orange). The regular wild corn snake is orange or gray-red with red saddle patches and a black and white belly.
Why are They Called Corn Snakes?
The second word, snake, is easy to explain: they are a kind of non-venomous snake. You can easily tell by their round pupils. But watch out: elapidae belong to the same family but are venomous. The word “corn” either comes from the fact that they often live in corn fields or because their bellies look like corn.
Bad Moms!
Corn snakes don’t care for their young. They just leave their eggs. It takes two months for their young to hatch. Shortly before, the soft egg collapses. This makes it easier for them to hatch.
Rat Snakes
Corn snakes are a type of rat snake. Does this mean they have whiskers and go squeak? Nope! They’re called rat snakes because they hunt rats, and have even been used by humans to control rat populations.
A Long Pet
Corn snakes are popular pets. They eat frozen mice and are easy to keep. They are one of those snake breeds that feel at home in a terrarium and love to slither about.
This fact sheet was submitted by animalfunfacts.net fan Naima. Thanks for your amazing article! Do you want to write a fan fact sheet?
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